World Cup 2014 countdown: Johan Cruyff's refusal to travel to 1978 tournament

Counting down the 100 greatest moments in the history of the World Cup

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The World Cup in Brazil is coming into view and everyone is hoping this summer's carnival can take its place among some of the great tournaments of the past.

That won't be easy though, as this series will testify. In the run-up to the tournament, we're counting down the 100 greatest World Cup moments.

Check out our latest instalment below, and for any you missed, see the gallery at the end of the article.

Johan Cruyff's refusal to travel to 1978 tournament

He was the star of the 1974 World Cup, but Johan Cruyff refused to travel to South America for the next instalment.

At the time the reasons given were political, the Dutch master disagreeing with the dictatorship in power in Argentina.

Later, Cruyff would say the reasons for his international retirement were kidnap threats to his family.

Either way, Holland still reached the final, but were beaten by hosts Argentina. Had Cruyff have been there, they may just have clinched their first ever World Cup and ended one of the great peculiarities of the tournament.