Quotes of Cruyff

Johan Cruyff about Lionel Messi, October 2007.

Johan Cruyff: "If you have second thoughts on playing for Barcelona, you are no longer of service to us."

Johan Cruyff: “The money should be on the pitch, not in the bank.”

Johan Cruyff: "In a way I'm probably immortal." #RIP

Johan Cruyff on how he asked Pep Guardiola to defend, during his time as the Barça coach.

Johan Cruyff about Pep's Barça, after they started La Liga 2008/09 with one point in two games against Numancia and Racing Santander.

Johan Cruyff: “Iniesta disprove entirely the theory that only physically strong footballers with a lot of running ability can play in their positions. A lot of coaches think that way, and choose muscle over technique in midfield.” #Infinit8Iniesta

Johan Cruyff: “In small space a player has to be capable of acting quickly. A good player who needs too much time can suddenly become a poor player.”

"Football is now all about money. There are problems with values within the game. This is sad because football is the most beautiful game."

Cruyff: "Cristiano is a great player. But he'll never be the player that can create or force a team to play well. He cares about finishing."

Johan Cruyff: "You have to create a hole (space) for yourself, and then run into that hole (space) yourself."

Cruyff (2015): “Barça by a long way won world prize for being caught up in judiciary issues and that cannot be. Seven trials, Masía doesn't exist, UNICEF doesn't exist... I'm not saying what they’ve to do. I'm saying that in 2010 there were certain values that are not there now."

Johan Cruyff (2015): “I am with Laporta, mostly because of the values. Barça have lost them and before anything else there should be principles, values. Money is secondary.”

Johan Cruyff (2012): “Their (Rosell/Bartomeu) philosophy is not mine. There is no link between me and this board. They cannot campaign with my name. I don't see the ‘més que un club’ Barça anywhere.”

Johan Cruyff (2015): “If Laporta doesn’t win (2015 elections), Barça loses. We must lay the foundations for the next decade to achieve the triumphs of the past.”

Johan Cruyff: “The biggest problem at Barça is the club itself. It’s all about politics. That also explains my aversion to the circus of executives who use sentiment for their own ends and are only ever driving their clubs into the ground. But in the end they unmask themselves.“

Johan Cruyff: “The most important part are the fans, that people going home are happy. It's their time off, and you should give them something to enjoy.”

Johan Cruyff: “One of the best Barça players was Xavi, because he was always in the middle of the pitch, controlling the tempo. Xavi knew he had to pass to a full-back, when to hold back. Only few people see that. It's difficult to explain because, nobody understands."

(About 4-2-3-1): “So when the team has possession it works well, but when they loses the ball it gets separated to two sections and it becomes very easy for opponents to start a counter-attack since without the ball these two defensive midfielders have to cover a very large gap.”

“The 4-2-3-1 system kills the excitement in the game. It takes away a team's balance because by placing two players in front of defense it becomes difficult to control the midfield.”