Dutch football visionary John Cruyff, who has died at the age of 68, was a genius with the ball at his feet and is one of the few players ever to have a move named after him. But he was also famed for his way with words.
And despite playing for the most dominant team of the era - the Ajax side of the early 1970s - and then moving to and later managing the mighty Barcelona, many of his quotes can provide hope to unfancied teams.
In a season in which Leicester City could win the Premier League title, some of his most famous sayings seem appropriate:
The Week
Escape your echo chamber. Get the facts behind the news, plus analysis from multiple perspectives.
SUBSCRIBE & SAVE
Sign up for The Week's Free Newsletters
Join more than 350,000 subscribers and keep yourself informed with a selection of The Week’s most interesting, enlightening and entertaining stories - plus daily puzzles.
Join more than 350,000 subscribers and keep yourself informed with a selection of The Week’s most interesting, enlightening and entertaining stories - plus daily puzzles.
Latest Videos FromThe Week
Why couldn't you beat a richer club? I’ve never seen a bag of money score a goal.
Choose the best player for every position and you’ll end up not with a strong XI, but with 11 strong ones.
Playing football is very simple, but playing simple football is the hardest thing there is.
Others could apply to Manchester City and Chelsea:
After you've won something, you're no longer 100 per cent but 90 per cent. It's like a bottle of carbonated water where the cap is removed for a short while - afterwards, there's a little less gas inside.
And Arsenal and Manchester United could also learn something:
Quality without results is pointless. Results without quality is boring.
At other times, Cruyff simply expounded sound advice:
There is only one ball, so you need to have it.
If I start running slightly earlier than someone else, I seem faster.
Technique is not being able to juggle a ball 1,000 times. Anyone can do that by practicing. Then you can work in the circus. Technique is passing the ball with one touch, with the right speed, at the right foot of your team-mate.
