Johan Cruyff, the man credited with helping reinvent modern soccer, has died aged 68.
The former player and manager of Spanish giants Barcelona and the Netherlands’ most successful club Ajax, had been battling lung cancer.
One of the world’s greatest ever footballers, Cruyff’s Dutch team finished runners up in the 1974 World Cup playing a revolutionary style of soccer that was dubbed “total football.”
A statement on his official website read: “On March 24 2016 Johan Cruyff 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.”
“Johan Cruyff, true football royalty,” tweeted Belgian captain Vincent Kompany. “I don’t think anyone has ever influenced the game as much as he has done.”
A former smoker, Cruyff underwent heart surgery in 1991 during his time as coach of Barcelona — a club he also played for.
After his operation he took part in an anti-smoking advertising campaign, which had the slogan: “I’ve had to two addictions in my life: smoking and playing football. Football has given me everything, whilst smoking almost took it all away.”

Source: CNN, March 24, 2016