Dutch football legend Johan Cruyff died at 68 on Thursday in Barcelona, Spain, losing a long battle to cancer. The news of his demise was announced in a statement on his official website. It read: "On March 24, 2016, Johan Cruyff (68) 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."

Cruyff was one of Dutch football's most influential icons. As a player in the 1970s, he popularised the philosophy of "Total Football", and made the Netherlands football team a force to reckon with. Under his captaincy, Netherlands reached the final of the 1974 World Cup, where he was given the "Golden Ball" award. After retiring from the game in 1984, Cruyff became a successful manager with Ajax Amsterdam and Barcelona. He was also voted the European Player of the Century in 1999.