Dutch great Johan Cruyff diagnosed with lung cancer

Image
AFP The Hague
Last Updated : Oct 22 2015 | 7:22 PM IST
Dutch football great Johan Cruyff, regarded as one of the world's greatest-ever players, has been diagnosed with lung cancer, his management team said today.
"In the last few weeks Johan Cruyff has undergone medical tests at a Barcelona hospital. He has been diagnosed with lung cancer," Carol Thate said in a statement.
"To respect Johan and his family's privacy and because tests have not been finalised, no further information will be given at this stage," Thate added.
"More will be given once these examinations have been finished," Thate said.
Cruyff, 68, who captained the Netherlands to the World Cup final in 1974 and who was one of the proponents of the "total football" philosophy, has been in-and-out of hospital over the last few weeks with health complaints.
During his career as a Dutch international, the unorthodox Cruyff scored 33 goals before retiring in 1977.
He won the prestigious Ballon d'Or award three times, a record shared with current UEFA chief Michel Platini and former Dutch striker Marco van Basten.
Afterwards, he enjoyed a hugely successful managerial career with Amsterdam-based Ajax and Catalan giants Barcelona as well as a brief spell as adviser to Club Deportivo Guadalajara in Mexico.
Cruyff still lives in Barcelona.
Often seen sporting a cigarette from the side of his mouth and known in his player days to light up at half time or just out of the showers -- Cruyff quit smoking after undergoing a double heart bypass operation in 1991.
At the time he was reportedly smoking at least 20 cigarettes a day.
He later appeared in an advertisement for the Catalan health department in which he was seen juggling a cigarette packet 16 times before booting it into touch.
"Football has given me everything in life," Cruyff says in the advert, which can still be seen on the YouTube video channel. "Tobacco almost took it all away.
*Subscribe to Business Standard digital and get complimentary access to The New York Times

Smart Quarterly

₹900

3 Months

₹300/Month

SAVE 25%

Smart Essential

₹2,700

1 Year

₹225/Month

SAVE 46%
*Complimentary New York Times access for the 2nd year will be given after 12 months

Super Saver

₹3,900

2 Years

₹162/Month

Subscribe

Renews automatically, cancel anytime

Here’s what’s included in our digital subscription plans

Exclusive premium stories online

  • Over 30 premium stories daily, handpicked by our editors

Complimentary Access to The New York Times

  • News, Games, Cooking, Audio, Wirecutter & The Athletic

Business Standard Epaper

  • Digital replica of our daily newspaper — with options to read, save, and share

Curated Newsletters

  • Insights on markets, finance, politics, tech, and more delivered to your inbox

Market Analysis & Investment Insights

  • In-depth market analysis & insights with access to The Smart Investor

Archives

  • Repository of articles and publications dating back to 1997

Ad-free Reading

  • Uninterrupted reading experience with no advertisements

Seamless Access Across All Devices

  • Access Business Standard across devices — mobile, tablet, or PC, via web or app

More From This Section

First Published: Oct 22 2015 | 7:22 PM IST

Next Story