The death of one of the sport's greatest heroes has sparked a wave of heartfelt and sincere tributes from the football world.
In the pantheon of football greats, Johan Cruyff sits at the very summit, alongside Pele, Maradona, Franz Beckenbauer and now Messi.
Footballers have been paying tribute to the man's peerless artistry and his seismic influence on the way football is played.
Johan Cruyff. Extraordinary player. One of the best ever. Had the privilege to play with him twice. RIP
— osvaldo ardiles (@osvaldooardiles) March 24, 2016
Sad hearing the news of Johan Cruyff's death.. Massive influence on generations of footballers. RIP #Cruyff
— Kevin Kilbane (@kdkilbane77) March 24, 2016
Goodbye to one of the all-time legends of football. Player and coach ahead of his time. RIP Johan Cruyff.
— Sergio Ramos (@SergioRamos) March 24, 2016
1/2 RIP Johan Cruyff, true football royalty. I don't think anyone has ever influenced the game as much as he has done. #JohanCruyff
— Vincent Kompany (@VincentKompany) March 24, 2016
2/2 We have all been touched and inspired by his vision and his believes. Football will miss him but we will never forget. #JohanCruyff
— Vincent Kompany (@VincentKompany) March 24, 2016
RIP Johan Cruyff..One of the Greats..☝?
— John Hartson (@JohnHartson10) March 24, 2016
Shocked by the sad news about Johan Cruyff. RIP ?? pic.twitter.com/L8ZOBDEfka
— Yaya Touré (@YayaToure) March 24, 2016
Farewell to one of footballs alltime greats..RIP Johan Cruyff pic.twitter.com/pU36DM0vkJ
— Eidur Gudjohnsen (@Eidur22Official) March 24, 2016
The '14' will never be the same. RIP Johan Cruyff. pic.twitter.com/OZxbF4Z0kO
— Xabi Alonso (@XabiAlonso) March 24, 2016
Such sad news about @JohanCruyff. A great man, who transformed football. Condolences to his family and friends.#legend #totaalvoetbal
— Lothar Matthäus (@LMatthaeus10) March 24, 2016
Sad to hear that Johan Cruyff has died. Football has lost a man who did more to make the beautiful game beautiful than anyone in history.
— Gary Lineker (@GaryLineker) March 24, 2016
We always will remember @JohanCruyff as a real legend. (1947-2016) pic.twitter.com/8BcjKCc1ay
— Radamel Falcao (@FALCAO) March 24, 2016
I am shocked. Johan #Cruyff is dead. He was not only a very good friend but also a brother to me. pic.twitter.com/aCKwDjIx9Z
— Franz Beckenbauer (@beckenbauer) March 24, 2016
