Key Takeaways
Johan Cruyff named his all-time greatest football XI in his autobiography, showcasing his unparalleled understanding of the game.
The XI reflects Cruyff's 'Total Football' philosophy, emphasising technical ability and players complimenting each other.
The star-studded XI includes legends like Lev Yashin, Bobby Charlton, Diego Maradona, but excludes Cristiano Ronaldo and Lionel Messi.
Johan Cruyff is a name forever immortalised in the annals of football history. The Dutch maestro dazzled the world as an extraordinary player over a glorious 20-year professional career, winning three Ballon d'Or awards and three European Cups apiece, before redefining the art of management during a legendary tenure with Barcelona, where his visionary brilliance shaped an era.
The footballing world mourned deeply when Cruyff, the genius of Ajax and Barcelona, passed away in 2016 at the age of 68. Yet, even in his absence, his spirit endures. Shortly after his passing, his autobiography, My Turn, was published—a poignant and intimate glimpse into the mind of a man who changed the game. Within its pages, the Dutch legend unveiled his all-time greatest XI, a testament to his unparalleled understanding of football’s beauty.
"For the ideal squad, I also try and find a formula in which talent is used to the maximum in every case. The qualities of one player have to complement the qualities of another," he wrote, as per Sky Sports. Like his 'Total Football' style of play, his XI is extremely attacking, and you can view it in its full power below.
Johan Cruyff Names Greatest Football XI.
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Goalkeeper & Defence
Lev Yashin; Carlos Alberto, Franz Beckenbauer, Pep Guardiola, Ruud Krol
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"It can hardly do any harm to have a reassuring father figure to bring all those stars down to earth," Cruyff writes about legendary goalkeeper Lev Yashin, who made 74 appearances for the Soviet Union, becoming one of the best goalkeepers in football history and the only shot-stopper to ever win the Ballon d'Or in 1963.
Cruyff's 'Total Football' philosophy requires each and every player to be highly technical. That's why he went with two centre-backs who excelled with the ball at their feet: Franz Beckenbauer and a certain Pep Guardiola. The latter would go on to take influence from Cruyff in his own managerial philosophy, and to a great extent, the legend and legacy of the Dutchman lives on through the current Manchester City boss.
Carlos Alberto and Ruud Krol are considered two of the greatest full-backs of all-time and both excelled going forward, and complete a brilliant, ball-playing defensive unit. Alberto played front and centre in Brazil's 1970 World Cup win. The defender captained the side that featured the likes of Pele and Jairzinho, and he scored the fourth goal in the final - which is often cited as the best goal in the tournament's history.
Midfield
Garrincha, Bobby Charlton, Alfredo Di Stefano, Piet Keizer
Bobby Charlton - Manchester United
Speaking of Bobby Charlton and Alfredo Di Stefano, Cruyff says they: "Fit together well physically. That puts them in an excellent position to do extra work for stylists like Keizer and Garrincha." So, even though only tasked with naming his greatest-ever XI, Cruyff couldn't help but centre his decisions around tactical nuances and make the whole process a balancing act.
Charlton is undoubtedly England's greatest-ever player, while Di Stefano holds one of the most unsurpassable feats of having scored in five consecutive European Cup finals, as Real Madrid scooped up every honour between 1956 and 1960. For this reason, it's hardly a surprise they got the nod in the team.
Even less surprising, perhaps, is Keizer's inclusion. Cruyff won three European Cup titles alongside Piet Keizer at Ajax, along with six Eredivisie titles, five KNVB Cups, two European Super Cups, one Intercontinental Cup, and one Intertoto Cup. The genius on the left wing, the skillfull flanker, and the superb foil to Johan Cruyff himself, Keizer knew total football better than the back of his hand.
Attack
Pele, Diego Maradona
Argentina icon Diego Maradona and Brazilian legend Pele sharing a hammock
What a forward partnership Diego Maradona and Pele would make. Before Cristiano Ronaldo and Lionel Messi, these two were the talk of the town (realistically, more like the world), and it seemed unimaginable that anyone would ever come along and replicate their goalscoring and goal-creating magic. Cruyff wrote:
"Pele's enormous sense of responsibility connects nicely with Maradona's individualism. I know for sure that during the match Pele would watch over Diego as a kind of guide, because footballers have a perfect sense for that kind of thing. And Maradona would give something back to Pele, which would allow him to be fully appreciated."
Cristiano Ronaldo and Lionel Messi both miss out, although it must be noted the autobiography was released in 2016 and both players still had many years left at the highest level. Among other notable players to miss out on this remarkable 11 include Paolo Maldini, Cafu, Ferenc Puskas, among many others that we would consider among the greatest footballers of all time.