Johan Cruyff: Dutch FA to rename the Amsterdam Arena after late football great with minute's applause planned

Friday night's international friendly between the Netherlands and France will stop in the 14th minute for a moments applause

The Amsterdam Arena will be renamed after the late Johan Cruyff (Getty Images)

The Netherlands national team will echo Feyenoord’s fitting tribute to Johan Cruyff when they stop their friendly against France on Friday night in the 14th minute to applaud the former footballer, who died on Thursday after a “hard fought battle with cancer”.

As well as pausing the game in Amsterdam, the Dutch Football Association [KNVB] has announced that they will rename the Amsterdam Arena after Cruyff in tribute to the former Feyenoord, Ajax and Barcelona star, who also proved himself as a successful coach once he hung up his boots.

Speaking after the tragic news of Cruyff’s passing was revealed on his official website by his family, the KNVB president, Michael van Praag, said: "I can't wait for the moment when we rename our stadium the Johan Cruyff Arena. It's the best tribute we can pay him."

Feyenoord paid tribute to Cruyff by holding a minute’s silence before their friendly against Sparta Rotterdam on Thursday, before halting the game for a moment of applause in the 14th minute to recognise the Dutch legend’s shirt number.

Feyenoord, with whom Cruyff won a league and cup double in 1983/84, added a message on their website that read: "Feyenoord shares in this great loss and the club offers its sincerest condolences to Johan Cruyff's family."

It was with Ajax though where Cruyff would enjoy his most successful period as well as master the art of ‘Total Football’, the prominent style of Dutch ability and flair that rose to prominence during Cruyff’s era.

Cruyff won eight Dutch league titles with Ajax as well as three successive European Cups, before moving to Barcelona where he added the Primera Division. He returned to Catalonia after retiring from the game, and won four league titles as head coach , adding another European Cup success in the process.

"We'll always love you, Johan. Rest in peace", the Spanish club wrote on their Instagram account, with a fuller statement on their website paying tribute to a "player and a coach who will forever be a legend at the club".