• A. Johan Cruyff
  • B. Ruud Gullit
  • C. Marco van Basten
  • D. Dennis Bergkamp

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This player became famous in the sixties and seventies and played for Ajax and Barcelona. He symbolizes the ‘Total Football’ that made the Netherlands world-famous.

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The correct answer is A. Johan Cruyff.

Cruyff won the Ballon d’Or in 1971 as the first Dutchman ever. And he didn’t stop there: he won it two more times, in 1973 and 1974. These were his glory years at Ajax, where he captained the team to three consecutive European Cups (1971, 1972, 1973).

Ruud Gullit won the award later in 1987, and Marco van Basten did even better with three Ballon d’Ors (1988, 1989, 1992). Dennis Bergkamp? He was often mentioned and probably deserved it too, but never won it. All world-class players of course, but Cruyff was historically the first.

📚 More background information

The Ballon d’Or has been awarded since 1956 by the French football magazine France Football. A jury of international sports journalists votes each year for the best footballer. What many people don’t know: until 1995, only European players were eligible for the award. After that, it was opened up to players at European clubs, and since 2007, any professional footballer worldwide can win.

Johan Cruyff (1947-2016) was simply phenomenal. Born and raised in Amsterdam, he started at Ajax and developed there into… well, what do you call it? A football god? His technique, his tactical insight, his creativity - everything was perfect. He was the embodiment of Dutch ‘Total Football’ under Rinus Michels. That revolutionary playing style where players constantly switched positions and used the entire field - that was Cruyff through and through.

In 1973, he transferred to FC Barcelona. For 6 million guilders, which was an absurd amount at the time. At Barça, he became more than a footballer - he became a cultural icon. The club hadn’t won a league title in fourteen years, and Cruyff immediately put an end to that. Years later, he returned as coach and laid the foundation for the Barcelona philosophy you still see today.

The 1974 World Cup in Germany remains painful. Cruyff led the Netherlands as captain to the final, but lost to West Germany 1-2. Yet that team is still considered perhaps the best squad that never became world champions. Cruyff did make history during that tournament with his legendary turn against Sweden - the ‘Cruyff Turn’ is still imitated worldwide by children and professionals alike.

The Netherlands has won a total of seven Ballon d’Ors, distributed among four players. After Cruyff’s three came Gullit, then Van Basten with also three, and recently Virgil van Dijk in 2019. Pretty impressive for a country with only 17 million inhabitants. It says something about our football culture.

Cruyff’s influence didn’t stop with his playing career. As a coach and thinker, he inspired entire generations. His quotes have become legendary: “You’ll only see it when you get it” and “Every disadvantage has its advantage” - classics. The Cruyff Institute in Amsterdam trains athletes in management and marketing and proudly bears his name.

Quick note: between 2010 and 2015, the Ballon d’Or was merged with the FIFA World Player of the Year into the FIFA Ballon d’Or. Since 2016, they’ve been two separate awards again. And with Messi (eight times!) and Ronaldo (five times) dominating in recent years, the achievements of Dutch winners only become more impressive. They won their awards in an era with much more balance.

Number fourteen - Cruyff’s jersey number - remains special. At Ajax, at Barcelona, everywhere. His legacy is reflected in every Ajax match, in how Barcelona plays, and especially in the hearts of millions of fans worldwide. He wasn’t just a footballer. He changed how we look at the game, how it’s played. You don’t do that very often.