The late Johan Cruyff and the current coach of Southampton, Ronald Koeman worked together a few years ago when they met at Ajax and later at Barcelona.

It’s been a little over a year since Johan Cruyff passed away after losing his ongoing battle with lung cancer and Koeman has recently talked about how it was to lose one of his most important football figures.

‘I was sitting on a terrace in Nice when the call came. Then everything stopped. Johan’s death, it seemed impossible.Johan walks through my life. I went to the commemoration last week in Barcelona even though it did not suit me.I flew from Nice to Amsterdam to Southampton, and then had 20 minutes to pack some stuff, because I flew back to Amsterdam.’

‘It was beautiful, I am glad I was there. That’s how much respect and love there is for Johan. Everything was right, everyone was there and if you so look around you, you realize again what Johan meant. He was, is and remains the greatest. If Cruyff had played at this time, he would have still been the best.’ Southamptona’s Ronald Koeman said.

The impact and contributions that Johan Cruyff has made to football has been monumental as he helped create Barcelona to the club that they are today, it’s with his playing philosophies that has molded the Spanish club.

Johan Cruyff also played a crucial role in helping Holland become a football nation as he formed part of teams that managed to win European cups and also push the national team to finals of previous editions of the World Cup.

It’s been over a year since the death of Johan Cruyff but there are still events and messages being made in tribute to the iconic figure of Barcelona and Holland who will forever remain in the hearts and history-books football players, fans and clubs.