Former Barcelona player Johan Cruyff diagnosed with lung cancer

Johan Cruyff won the Ballon d’Or thrice during his playing days.

Dutch legend Johan Cruyff has been diagnosed with lung cancer, according to Mirror. The former Barcelona man is said to have learned of this condition last Tuesday.

The former Ajax and Barcelona playmaker has had an illustrious footballing career both in Spain and with his homeland, Netherlands. Cruyff has bagged a total of three Ballon d’Or awards and also the Dutch Footballer of the year in 1968, 1972 and 1984.

The Dutch legend was considered one of the world’s best during his prime, competing with the likes of Diego Maradona, Franz Beckenbauer, George Best and Brazilian Pele, who all have strong claims to the title.

This sad news will send shockwaves to football fans all over the world. Cruyff is reportedly undergoing tests currently to try and discover the extent of the disease and his spokesman has promised to release a statement on Thursday.

The 68-year-old was formerly a heavy smoker and he had double heart bypass surgery back in 1991, while he was still in charge of the Catalan side. However, he was relieved of his duties at Nou Camp in 1996.

I do not smoke because I was told I would die if I continued smoking: Cruyff

It’s hard to imagine how the footballing legend almost threw away his life at one point due to his smoking habit. Cruyff smoked from an early age and there were few who confronted him over his half-time habit of lighting a cigarette.

His addiction to cigarettes went to such an extent that he was found lighting a stick before his first game for Barcelona and then again as he emerged from the showers. The habit became a real issue when he started his coaching role at the Catalan club.

When the 68-year-old was in charge of the team since 1988, he had a successful period in his first two seasons by claiming the European Winners’ Cup and Copa del Rey. However, the stress at the club was too much to take for Cruyff, who increased his cigarette consumption to 20 a day and he was often found puffing in the tunnel before games.

The effects of tobacco eventually hit him hard in 1991 when he suffered from severe pains in his heart and had not other option but to undergo double bypass surgery to correct the problem.

"Cruyff has been very lucky because his injury is very bad and he has arrived in time to treat it." His doctor, Mario Petit explained after the surgery.

The former Ajax playmaker was advised by the doctor to take two months’ rest and to give up smoking if he ever wanted to return back to coaching. Cruyff made sure he obeyed the surgeon’s advice and he later revealed that ‘he quit smoking because if he had continued, he would have eventually died.’

Not only was the doctor concerned about the Dutch legend’s life but even his wife warned him to quit his smoking habit. And as soon as Cruyff decided to give up his dirty habit, a golden era began and positive results reduced tension on the pitch as he won four Liga titles along with the European Cup.

Cruyff went on to lay the foundation for Barcelona’s famous La Masia academy and thanks to his positivity, Barcelona are now enjoying a successful spell in the history of the club.