Barcelona and Netherlands legend Johan Cruyff has died at the age of 68 from cancer.
A statement was released Thursday on the official Cruyff website,
World of Johan Cruyff, announcing the ex-Ajax, Barcelona and Catalonia manager died in Barcelona, the scene of his greatest football achievements:
"On March 24, 2016, Johan Cruyff (68) died peacefully in Barcelona, surrounded by his family after a hard fought battle with cancer," the statement read. "It's with great sadness that we ask you to respect the family's privacy during their time of grief."
Cruyff won eight Eredivisie titles and three European Cups (1971-73) as a player with Ajax, as well as a La Liga title and Copa del Rey with Barca, before he led the Blaugrana to myriad success as a manager in the early 1990s.
One of his major tasks after landing in Catalonia was to stop the runaway train of Real Madrid, who had claimed three consecutive Primera Division crowns prior to his arrival in 1988. Two seasons later, Cruyff ended that streak, managing Barcelona to their first league title for six years in 1990 and winning the next three in succession.
In eight seasons at the Barcelona helm, Cruyff also clinched one European Cup (1992), one UEFA Super Cup (1992), a Copa del Rey (1990) and three Spanish Supercups (1991-92, 1994) before eventually leaving in 1996.
