Though his swagger as a player and ideas as a coach had such an influence on the world game, Dutch legend Cruyff also fell just short on the grandest stage of them all. Cruyff won player of the tournament in 1974, but his Netherlands side lost 2-1 against hosts West Germany in the final of the World Cup.
Cruyff never played a World Cup game again although impacted the game of football for generations to come. A flamboyant footballer and personality, Cruyff is adored by thousands around the world and helped a number of people around the world through the Johan Cruyff Foundation.
In a strictly personal footballing sense, Johan Cruyff faded away from the international game for Holland after displaying the most profound and magnificent style of football ever played in Germany 74.