Dutch football legend Johan Cruyff has passed away at the age of 68, after a battle with lung cancer.
The three-time Ballon d'Or winner found out last October that he was sick. As a player he won three consecutive European Cups with Ajax.
His time as a manager is fondly remembered by Barcelona fans as he guided the club to their first European Cup win in 1992.
His passing was confirmed by his family today, in a statement they said:
"On March 24 2016 Johan Cruyff (68) died peacefully in Barcelona, surrounded by his family after a hard fought battle with cancer. It’s with great sadness that we ask you to respect the family’s privacy during their time of grief."
Cruyff led Holland to the World Cup final in 1974, they were beaten by West Germany. He spent eight years in charge of Barcelona.
He also won four successive La Liga titles between 1991 and 1994.
1/2 RIP Johan Cruyff, true football royalty. I don't think anyone has ever influenced the game as much as he has done. #JohanCruyff
— Vincent Kompany (@VincentKompany) March 24, 2016
Sad hearing the news of Johan Cruyff's death.. Massive influence on generations of footballers. RIP #Cruyff
— Kevin Kilbane (@kdkilbane77) March 24, 2016
Shocked by the sad news about Johan Cruyff. RIP ðŸ™ðŸ¾ pic.twitter.com/L8ZOBDEfka
— Yaya Touré (@YayaToure) March 24, 2016
Johan Cruyff will live forever, fooling us all again and again as a simple turn. pic.twitter.com/4GkwIqt0ma
— Sam Homewood (@SamHomewood) March 24, 2016
