France claimed an exciting 3-2 friendly win over the Netherlands on a night of emotion in Amsterdam on Friday, the day after Dutch legend Johan Cruyff died at the age of 68.
France's defender Patrice Evra (L) jumps for the ball with Netherland's
defender Joel Veltman during the friendly football match between the
Netherlands and France at the Amsterdam ArenA, on Mar 25, 2016, in
Amsterdam. (Photo: AFP/John Thys)
France's midfielder Blaise Matuidi celebrates after scoring a goal
during the friendly football match between the Netherlands and France at
the Amsterdam ArenA, on Mar 25, 2016, in Amsterdam. (Photo: AFP/Franck
Fife)
Supporters display a large banner during a standing ovation in honour
of late Dutch football legend Johann Cruyff during a pause in the 14th
minute of the friendly football match on Mar 25, 2016, in Amsterdam.
(Photo: AFP/John Thys)
Netherlands' and France's players observe a minute of silence in memory
of the victims of the March 22 Brussels attacks prior to the friendly
football match at the Amsterdam ArenA, on Mar 25, 2016, in Amsterdam.
(Photo: AFP/Franck Fife)
Republic of Ireland's midfielder Robbie Brady (L) vies with
Switzerland's defender Michael Lang during the friendly football match
at Aviva Stadium in Dublin on Mar 25, 2016. (Photo: AFP/Paul Faith)
AMSTERDAM: The Netherlands' international against France was
halted in the 14th minute on Friday (Mar 25) to lead global tributes to
Dutch football legend Johan Cruyff, one day after his death.
A huge portrait banner showing Cruyff's back and his familiar Dutch
orange number 14 shirt was hauled across one end of the ArenA stadium in
his home city of Amsterdam.
Fans and players applauded the footballer and coach who died on Thursday from cancer at the age of 68.
A seat covered with flowers and a number 14 shirt was left empty in
the VIP stand at a game which saw the Dutch slip to a 3-2 defeat against
the hosts of the Euro 2016 tournament this summer.
It was the first time that an international has been halted for such a gesture.
"It was special," said France coach Didier Deschamps. "A great man
like Johan Cruyff deserved such a tribute and the stadium responded to
him."A Dutch newspaper for whom Cruyff wrote a column said the footballer's funeral was held Friday in Barcelona.
But while his family said they had been "deeply" moved by the many accolades, they did not confirm the report.
Fans flocked to the Cruyff statue in Amsterdam to leave flowers, portraits and footballs bearing his name and messages.
Dutch and French fans put their rivalries aside to pay their respects to Cruyff in bars around the stadium.
In his childhood home area in the Amsterdam working class Betondorp (Concrete Town) neighbourhood, fans laid hundreds of flowers and other tributes. "He was a god. He was football and he was the Netherlands," a teary Peter Heysteeg, 52, told AFP.
Leading football figures also highlighted the importance of Cruyff's impact on football.
"I knew nothing about football before knowing Cruyff," said Pepe Guardiola, the Bayern Munich coach who played under Cruyff at Barcelona and later became its most successful coach.
FOOTBALL REVOLUTIONARY
"He helped us to understand football ... and he encouraged
you to trust your instinct, your nose. To make decisions," Guardiola
told Catalan radio station Rac1.
"He revolutionised football and, in particular, he embodied
everything about Barcelona's playing philosophy," said Joachim Loew,
coach of the German team who won the 2014 World Cup.
Pictures of Cruyff in his favourite shirt covered front pages around the world.
"Dutch Master" said the Dutch tabloid Algemeen Dagblad with a picture
of a young Cruyff in full flight in the Ajax Amsterdam colours.
"Immortal" said De Telegraaf daily which also reported that Cruyff's cremation was held Friday.
"Heaven has a new playmaker," headlined the British tabloid, The Sun.
A one-time heavy smoker who gave up after double heart
by-pass surgery in 1991, Cruyff revealed in October last year that he
had lung cancer.
Cruyff "died peacefully in Barcelona, surrounded by his family after a hard-fought battle with cancer", said a family statement.
On Friday, his son, Jordi Cruyff, also a former footballer,
tweeted his affection for his late father. "A husband, a father, a
grandfather. We will miss you like crazy, it will be hard but I hope we
will make you proud," Jordi wrote.
The Cruyff family said it was arranging "a private farewell to Johan." But they did not say when it would be held.
The family also said it would soon announce a public
memorial for the player who won three European Cups as a player with
Ajax Amsterdam and European player of the year titles in 1971 with Ajax
and 1973 and 1974 with Barcelona.
Cruyff moved from Ajax to Barcelona in 1973 and stayed there until 1978.He returned 10 years later to coach the Spanish side. They won four consecutive league titles and their first ever European Cup in 1992 at Wembley.
Cruyff is considered one of the greatest players of all time. All of his peers have acclaimed his precision passes, speed, technique and goalscoring ability which set new standards as a player.
"We have lost a great man. May we carry on his example of excellence," said Brazil's Pele. "He leaves a very important legacy for our family of football."
"He was the best player of all time," French legend Michel Platini told AFP hailing his admiration for the Dutchman.
"We will never forget you skinny," said Argentina legend Diego Maradona.
Cruyff helped end an era of dour defensive football,
inspiring the Dutch team in their Total Football offensive that took
them to the 1974 World Cup final where they were narrowly beaten by
Germany.
Barcelona said fans would pay tribute to Cruyff on Saturday
at the Camp Nou Stadium where a special condolence area would be set
aside.
Some Spanish fans launched a Twitter campaign for the stadium to be renamed after Cruyff.
- AFP/ec
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