Tuesday 29 March 2016 19:52, UK
Roy Hodgson paid tribute to Johan Cruyff ahead of Tuesday's match between England and the Netherlands, describing him as a “legend” of the game.
Cruyff, who died of cancer last week at the age of 68, was remembered in a series of tributes over the weekend, and the theme continued at Wembley Stadium as Hodgson's men tried to add to their victory over Germany on Saturday.
Writing in the match programme, Hodgson said: "I'm extremely saddened by it. I think the world of football has lost one of the true legends of the game, both as a player an coach."
Cruyff was voted World Player Of The Year on three occasions, guided Holland to the World Cup Final in 1974 and spent eight years in charge of Barcelona.
He is one of the main exponents of the 'Total Football' philosophy, which became popular in the 1970s but still bears a significant influence on the modern game.
"His achievements really were second to none, also as a man and a person," Hodgson added.
"When I heard the news about his cancer, that was a bad day, but then I was buoyed by the news recently that he was winning the battle. I rather hoped that it was just going to be all uphill for him from there, so it was a blow hearing this.
"I was always pleased to meet him and bump into him as I did on numerous occasions. I am just speaking, I suppose, as a real football fan and football lover who was really, really impressed by the football player Johan Cruyff and, as a coach, impressed yet again.
"I am happy and proud to say that I actually knew him and had chances to meet with him and talk with him. The word 'great' is sometimes used a little bit loosely and even flippantly these days, but there are one or two greats and one or two legends - and Johan Cruyff was one of those" Hodgson concluded.
In the 14th minute of Tuesday's game there was a period of applause for Cruyff, whose image appeared on the big screens at Wembley. Both teams wore black armbands.
