Question 1

True or false: Cruyff invented the 'Cruyff Turn' during a World Cup match against Sweden.

Accepted Answer

True. He famously fooled Swedish defender Jan Olsson in the 1974 World Cup with that iconic move.

Question 2

True or false: Cruyff scored the only goal in the 1974 World Cup final for the Netherlands.

Accepted Answer

False. The Netherlands lost 2-1 to West Germany; Cruyff did not score—the Dutch goal came from Johan Neeskens.

Question 3

True or false: Johan Cruyff won the Ballon d'Or three times during his playing career.

Accepted Answer

True. He won in 1971, 1973, and 1974, a feat only matched by a few legends like Messi and Ronaldo.

Question 4

True or false: Cruyff never played for a club outside of the Netherlands and Spain.

Accepted Answer

True. He played for Ajax, Barcelona, and later Feyenoord—never in Italy, Germany, or England.

Question 5

True or false: Cruyff smoked 20 cigarettes a day during his playing career.

Accepted Answer

False. He was a heavy smoker after retiring, but as a player he rarely smoked to maintain peak fitness.

Question 6

True or false: Cruyff introduced the concept of 'total football' to Barcelona as a coach.

Accepted Answer

False. Total football was pioneered by Rinus Michels at Ajax; Cruyff refined it at Barcelona but didn't invent it.

Question 7

True or false: Cruyff once refused to wear a shirt with three stripes because it looked like a prison uniform.

Accepted Answer

False. He refused Adidas's three stripes because of a dispute with the Dutch federation, not for that reason.

Question 8

True or false: Cruyff named his son after the Brazilian legend Pelé.

Accepted Answer

True. His son is named Jordi, which is Catalan for George—not after Pelé. This is false, actually.

Johan Cruyff Trivia Questions