Johan Cruyff

“When I don't have control of the ball, what do I do? I press to get it back. It's a way of defending.”

“Soccer is simple, but it is difficult to play simple.”

“Coaching courses are still much too theoretical, and this is what you see reflected in the basic technical skills of the average player. I even see things deteriorating.”

“It's disappointing to see how football, the world's No. 1 sport, is not No. 1 when it comes to development. It seems to me that a wealth of practical football knowledge is being squandered.”

“Football is a game of mistakes. Whoever makes the fewest mistakes wins.”

“Football is now all about money. There are problems with the values within the game. This is sad because football is the most beautiful game. We can play it in the street. We can play it everywhere.”

“To win you have to score one more goal than your opponent.”

“Before I make a mistake, I don't make that mistake.”

“How can you create a team and bring all these egos together? The main goal for Manchester United is for them to play well - and not have a player saying, 'I play well; I scored two goals'. Because if I score two goals, but three goals go into our net, then we lose.”

“Van Gaal has a good vision of football, but it is not mine. He wants to gel winning teams and has a militaristic way of working with his tactics. I want individuals to think for themselves.”

“Ajax was spending too much money; they were buying players that were too expensive. If you get 100 per cent, you can't spend 120 per cent. It's quite easy.”

“One trophy is good, but two are better. That way, when a hero wears his medals on his chest, at least his steps are level as he walks by.”

“If I wanted you to understand, I would explain it better.”

“Sometimes something's got to happen before something is going to happen.”

“Footballers from the street are more important than trained coaches.”

“There is no greater medal than to be acclaimed for your style.”

“The romance of English football is fantastic, but it has lost its identity under the influence of other cultures.”

“All these countries like Holland and Scotland, they create their own problems. They are always complaining, but they don't solve anything. Don't look at what you don't have; look at what you can create.”

“Every disadvantage has its advantage.”

“There are some people who might have better technique than me, and some may be fitter than me, but the main thing is tactics. With most players, tactics are missing. You can divide tactics into insight, trust, and daring. In the tactical area, I think I just have more than most other players.”