On This Day – 2016: Football lost the legendary Johan Cruyff

Looking back and reminiscing footballing history is a personal favourite of Shoot!‘s, so what memorable moment happened On This Day?

Unfortunately, exactly 12 months ago, football lost one of its greatest players ever – Johan Cruyff.

The former Netherlands international forward sadly passed away on March 24, 2016, at the age of 68 following his battle with cancer.

Highly-regarded as Holland’s greatest player of all-time, Cruyff made his name with Eredivisie outfit Ajax, where he won eight league titles and three European Cups, before joining Spanish giants FC Barcelona in 1973.

It has been a year since football lost one of its true greats. Johan Cruyff. Will always be missed. #cruijff pic.twitter.com/JXS0mNEm9c

— Football Oranje (@Foot_Oranje) March 24, 2017

At the Nou Camp, the illustrious Dutchman helped Barca lift their first La Liga title since 1960 in his debut campaign.

But it was in 1974, that Cruyff delivered perhaps his greatest gift to ‘The Beautiful Game’, showing off his renowned ‘Cruyff Turn’ for the first time at the 1974 World Cup against Sweden, where the Netherlands eventually went onto reach the final.

As a player, the phenomenal playmaker won 24 honours, before claiming another 14 accolades during his managerial spells with former clubs Ajax and Barcelona.

However, in October 2015, Cruyff was diagnosed with lung cancer, before he peacefully passed away this time last year surrounded by his family.

Nonetheless; thousands, if not millions, of children will forever continue to learn, hone and perform the famous ‘Cruyff Turn’ for future generations.