• Philosophy was embedded in famous Ajax and Netherlands sides

• Johan Cruyff took principles into coaching career

• Total Football legacy lives on to this day

A revolutionary philosophy perfected by the legendary Ajax and Netherlands teams of the 1970s, Total Football changed the face of the sport. Here, we take a deep dive into the origins of Total Football, its extraordinary success, and the influence the style has on the modern-day game…

Total Football is based on the key principle that no outfield player should have a fixed position. Their roles are fluid, with individuals encouraged to frequently interchange to create devastating attacking patterns of play. The method requires high levels of football intelligence, technical ability and communication, with players constantly required to adopt new positions depending on their team-mates’ movements. In an attacking sense, Total Football’s aim is to make the pitch big, with players utilising the space to offer passing options, retain possession and fashion goalscoring opportunities. Conversely, when defending, the philosophy’s goal is to reduce the size of the pitch. Teams typically defend with a high line, which limits the space the other team has to play in, and press opposition players in packs to quickly regain possession and build new attacks. When executed to plan, Total Football blends attacking fluency and penetration with intense, proactive defending.

While Total Football was made famous in the 1970s by legendary coach Rinus Michels and the irrepressible Johan Cruyff (more on them soon), elements of the philosophy could be found in successful teams of previous generations. Austria’s ‘Wunderteam’ of the 1930s and Hungary’s ‘Magical Magyars’ of the 1950s performed with thrilling fluency, with an emphasis on circulating possession with speed and purpose. Both national teams were heavily influenced by English coach Jimmy Hogan, who was widely credited for promoting attacking and exciting football. One of Michels’ mentors was another Englishman, Jack Reynolds. Reynolds enjoyed three spells in charge at Ajax, during which he won eight league titles and laid the foundations for their world-renowned youth programme. He is acclaimed for constructing training sessions focused on technique and fitness, which encouraged Total Football.

Michels took charge of Ajax in 1965 – just one year after Cruyff’s debut for the team – and set about implementing a Total Football style that would bring sensational results. Cruyff was central to his plans, with the player given the freedom to roam and take up new positions where he could utilise his talents to deadly effect. Such was Cruyff and his team-mates’ tactical awareness, Ajax’s structure remained at once solid and primed to overwhelm the opposition with bewildering attacking moves. After establishing themselves as the Netherlands’ dominant club side, Ajax went on to conquer the continent, winning three consecutive European Cups from 1971 to ‘73. During this period, Ajax put together one of the most astonishing sequences of results in football history – in 1971/72 and 1972/73 they won all 46 of their home matches. Michels left Ajax for Barcelona following the Amsterdam club’s maiden European triumph, but it would not be long until he reunited with Cruyff. In 1973, Michels signed the genius No14 for the Catalan side and Barça promptly won a first La Liga title since 1960.

Perhaps the purest exhibition of Total Football was to come at the 1974 FIFA World Cup™. The Netherlands – coached by Michels and captained by Cruyff – lit up the tournament, wowing a global audience with a series of scintillating performances. In their six games on the way to reaching the final against hosts West Germany, the Netherlands scored 14 goals and conceded just once. Johan Neeskens’ penalty gave the Dutch an early lead in the final, but they were eventually edged 2-1 by an experienced, wily side. West Germany deployed a robust man-marking system, with Berti Vogts shadowing Cruyff, to negate the Netherlands’ creative threat. While the Dutch came up just short of their ultimate goal, the team’s unique flair, style and adventure has ensured their status as one of the most iconic international sides in history.

Cruyff continued to excel for Barcelona and the Netherlands, cementing his reputation as an all-time great. He retired from international football one year before his nation’s run to the 1978 World Cup final but played at club level until 1984. Cruyff then took his Total Football principles into coaching and enjoyed stunning success. He led Ajax to a European Cup Winners’ Cup triumph in 1987, but it was at Barcelona where he would truly hit the heights. Cruyff assembled a side known as the ‘Dream Team’, featuring world-class players such as Ronald Koeman, Pep Guardiola, Michael Laudrup, Hristo Stoichkov and Romario.

Cruyff drew from his Total Football ideals to maximise their talents – the Catalans won four consecutive league titles between 1991 and ‘94 and lifted the European Cup in 1992. In describing his football philosophy, Cruyff neatly encapsulated the essence of Total Football: “In my teams, the goalie is the first attacker, and the striker the first defender.” Michels, meanwhile, coached up until 1992. His glittering CV included second spells at Barcelona and Ajax, while he would have three further stints in charge of the Netherlands. And it was with the national team where Michels would achieve arguably his most notable triumph. In 1988, he led the Netherlands to a their first – and to date, only – major trophy at the UEFA EURO. Michels’ incredible achievements and lasting impact on the game was recognised in 1999 when he was named the FIFA Coach of the Century.

Elements of Total Football are evident in the most successful teams in the modern game. Comfort and bravery in possession – as well as the ability to take the ball in any position on the field – were non-negotiables for Michels and Cruyff, and those principles are now embedded at elite level. Pep Guardiola is a former student of Cruyff’s and his teams have perhaps most strikingly embodied Total Football in recent years. Guardiola players frequently switch roles to manufacture space, while out of possession they press relentlessly to squeeze the pitch and win back possession. The former Barcelona and current Manchester City boss has described Cruyff as “the most influential manager of all time”. Total Football’s pioneers helped produce some of the most exhilarating team performances in history – and shaped the game as we know it.