Former Ajax Player Suffers From Lung Cancer

68 year older former Ajax player, Johan Cruyff, was unfortunately diagnosed with lung cancer after undergoing a number of tests this week. A three time 1971, 1973 and 1974 Ballon d’Or winner assisted his country in reaching the FIFA World Cup 1974 final, where they lost against West Germany. He also won three successive European Cups with Ajax and thereafter moved to play for and manage Barcelona.

Message Of Support From Clubs to the Fromer Ajax Player

Both Ajax and Barcelona have already sent out messages of support to Cruyff and his family. Edwin van der Sar, the Dutch club director and former Manchester United, Juventus, Ajax and Fulham goalkeeper, also sent out a message of support wishing him and his family a speedy recovery as well as strength. Josep Maria Baromeu, Barcelona president, tweeted saying:  ‘the whole club is behind him and he will win this one too.’

While still in charge of Barcelona, Cruyff helped the team win the European Cup Winners Cup in 1989 as well as their first European Cup in 1992. They also won four successive La Liga championships from 1990-91 and from 1993-94.

After the double bypass surgery he underwent in 1991, Cruyff immediately gave up smoking. He was then featured in a Catalian Health Department advertisement saying; football has given him everything in life, tobacco almost took it all away from him. His last managerial role was at the Catalonia National Team, where he managed the club from 2009 to 2013.