74 was the first world cup I remember watching live and running home from school to watch the Dutch and particularly Cruyff and then again in 78. What a team...the stepovers at loftus road taught by sexton after watching the Dutch make me smile to this day....anyone remember when we tried 3 at the same time?!!!!
Cruyff on divers: "if you have a faker in your team, you get someone to kick them in training" From a man who was kicked endlessly in the 60s and 70s when defenders had a licence to maim. He also said "if my team is winning comfortably, I'd prefer to hit the post than score, because I love the sound it makes", and "if I have ever been wrong, I certainly wouldn't talk about it".
RIP The best player to ever come out of Europe. A true great both as a player and as a manager. I have a couple of World Cup DVDs I use to put on from time to time, watching Cruyff, Maradona, Pele, Romario etc shows that they were something else. Not even Messi or Ronaldo can touch them imo. From Europe only Zidane has ever been at the same level.
