The former Chelsea shot-stopper, whose goalkeeper father faced the Dutchman in the 1969 European Cup final, has paid his respects to a man who revolutionised the game
Former Chelsea and Tottenham goalkeeper Carlo Cudicini has mourned the loss of football icon Johan Cruyff after the Dutch legend lost his battle with cancer.
Cudicini spoke to his father, Fabio, about facing off against Cruyff in the 1969 European Cup final when Ajax took on Cudicini senior’s AC Milan side.
Cruyff’s men were the first Dutch side to ever reach the European Cup final but were eventually defeated 4-1 by an experienced Milan outfit at Santiago Bernabeu.
Cruyff would go on to win the European Cup two years later, and retain it twice more, in a glittering career as player and manager, and Cudicini believes he revolutionised football.
“It is such a great loss for the football world, he was the best player in the world at his time,” the 42-year-old told Goal.
“He always came across as a great man who has an unbelievable knowledge in football and I think he changed the way football was played.”
Cudicini is now coaching the Republic of Ireland Under-21s, and is preparing for their fixture against Italy in Vicenza, and says Cruyff – who played a major role in the rise to prominence of ‘Total Football’ – has left a lasting impression on the way football is coached today.
The Italian continued: “He changed the mentality with a lot of players in Barcelona and he’s been an amazing figure in football.
“As a manager he left a big imprint on the football coaching (world).
“I want to post my condolences to his family and the people who are close to him.”
After winning the European Cup in three consecutive seasons with Ajax, Cruyff moved to Barcelona where he won La Liga and the Copa del Rey. As manager at Camp Nou, he put in place the foundations of their tiki-take style and won four straight Liga titles and the European Cup in 1992.
- Goal