One of the tragedies of World Cup history is the failure of the 'Brilliant Orange' team of the 1970s in winning the World Cup. And the team that characterised 'Total Football' had Cruyff as the conductor of the orchestra.
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Vogts the player trips Johan Cruyff in the 1974 World Cup Final.
(HultonArchive/Allsport) |
Few teams can have had the personality of one players so imprinted on them. Wiry, with the build of a ballet dancer, Cruyff was an unbelievably creative talent from the left side of midfield.
He was ably supported by the likes of Johan Neeskens, Wim Van Hanegem and Ruud Krol, and the Dutch swept their way to the final in 1974 where they were every romantic's favourite to win.
The first minute of that final characterised that great team. From the kick-off the Dutch swept the ball around with total control and arrogance while the West Germans floundered in their wake.
Then Cruyff set off into the box with extreme intent until he was stopped by a crude Berti Vogts foul. Neeskens did the rest from the spot and the Dutch were leading.
But the arrogance of Cruyff and co was to count against them as the Germans, no mean side and fed up with being teased, fought back to win 2-1.
Cruyff's sole tournament was in 1974, as, at the wish of wife Danny, he refused to travel to Argentina in 1978. They reached the final without him and lost narrowly to Argentina but the team still bore all the hallmarks of its former leader.
Despite that fleeting appearance, Cruyff left the World Cup with two eternal snapshots of his class.
A thunderous goal against Brazil in the second phase and the complete bewitching of a Swedish defender that would give the world the term 'Cruyff turn' are quite a legacy for the man whose name will forever be synonymous with Dutch football.
