Cruyff

British

/ krɔɪf, krœjf /

noun

Johan (joːˈhɑn). born 1947, Dutch footballer and manager: played for Ajax and Barcelona; European Footballer of the Year (1971, 1973, 1974); capped 48 times for the Netherlands, scoring 33 goals; as a manager he won the European Cup with Barcelona (1992)

"Collins English Dictionary — Complete & Unabridged" 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012

Example Sentences

Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.

"Because if I look now back at like old pictures, you have Johan Cruyff," says Prins.

From BBC • May 3, 2026

Don’t complain too much, Americans: London got only six dates, albeit at the massive Wembley Stadium, while Amsterdam got six at Johan Cruyff Arena, which holds up to 71,000 people for concerts.

From Los Angeles Times • Jan. 23, 2026

Passed down from the Dutch master Johan Cruyff, the approach was all about passing, movement, and almost total possession.

From The Wall Street Journal • Nov. 7, 2025

Let's just say he didn't like it - and made it known to manager Johan Cruyff...

From BBC • Mar. 25, 2025

Cruyff, also one of football's greatest ever players, won the European Cup and four La Liga titles with Barcelona, also picking up silverware at Ajax.

From BBC • Nov. 19, 2024

Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023