A footballer's world conquest halted by a gun barrel

For a long time, various rumors and speculations have circulated about why this Dutch football magician, at the peak of his career, stayed away from that World Cup. Some cited financial disputes, while others pointed to political protests. But in 2008, Cruyff himself revealed in a radio interview a deeply personal tragedy that was the main reason for his absence from the World Cup.

In late 1977, when Cruyff was at Barcelona, a group of armed criminals broke into his home. They tied up Cruyff and his wife Danny Coster, and held a rifle to Cruyff's head in front of their children. The criminals' intention was to kidnap Cruyff and his family. Fortunately, Cruyff managed to free himself, and the kidnapping failed. However, that one night's incident changed his life and mental state forever.

For several months after the incident, Cruyff's home was under strict police guard. His children needed police security at school, and he himself could not step onto the field without a bodyguard. Cruyff said in the radio interview, “To play in the World Cup, you need 200% focus, but my mind was only preoccupied with my family's safety. In such a situation, leaving my family to play football in another country was impossible.”

Without Cruyff, the Netherlands team reached the final of the 1978 World Cup but lost 3-1 to the host nation Argentina. Football experts believe that if Cruyff had been on the field, the Dutch could have won their first World Cup trophy.

Cruyff kept this truth hidden for 30 long years. He did not want his personal sorrow to become a topic of discussion in the football world. However, after the truth was revealed in 2008, football fans understood that even though he was a hero on the field, for Cruyff, his family's safety was the greatest achievement.