Laporta heads to New York as Barcelona legends reunite to celebrate Johan Cruyff

Barcelona president Joan Laporta will travel to New York on Friday to attend a special event honouring the legacy of club great Johan Cruyff.

Laporta will take part on Saturday in the third edition of the Johan Cruyff Memorial, organised by the Sitges Veterans Foundation and the Catalan American Institute to celebrate the Dutchman’s influence and character.

A memorial match will be played at Riverside Park on Saturday afternoon, featuring members of the celebrated “Dream Team” assembled by Cruyff during his time as Barcelona manager.

Guillermo Amor, Julio Salinas, Eusebio Sacristan and Jon Andoni Goikoetxea are due to play, along with Santi Ezquerro, who represented Barcelona at a later stage. Members of the Sitges Veterans Foundation and other guests will also take part.

An official reception will follow at The Knickerbocker Hotel in Times Square, with New York mayor Zohran Mamdani and New York City Council member Francisco Moya expected to attend.

Laporta: Cruyff was the best player in history

Laporta spoke about Cruyff in March during an appearance on the programme Onze on Esport3, marking the 10th anniversary of the Barcelona legend’s death.

Reflecting on Cruyff’s lasting influence on him and on Barcelona, Laporta said: “Whenever I face a dilemma, I think about what Johan would have done.”

He added: “It is good to do that because he was brave and determined about what had to be done. It is always good to know what his decision would be. Courage helps you make decisions. He had a profound effect on us.”

Laporta recalled seeing Cruyff arrive in Barcelona when he was 10 years old.

“My generation was 10 when Johan arrived,” he said. “He came with his wife, with Beatles-like hair, wearing wide shirts and trousers. They were elegant and modern. He longed for freedom, he was modern, and he left an impression on me when I was 10.”

Cruyff’s impact was immediate, Laporta said, pointing to Barcelona’s 5-0 victory at the Bernabeu and their league title after the Dutchman joined the club.

“When he arrived, Barcelona won 5-0 at the Bernabeu and won the league,” he said. “When he entered the pitch, everyone enjoyed themselves. He was unbeatable and entertaining. The same was true as a manager. He always made the bravest decisions.”

Laporta said he had tried to pass that philosophy on to current Barcelona manager Hansi Flick, giving him a message in German and Catalan when they first met.

“It was an introduction to Barcelona and to how we, as Barcelona supporters, like to see the team play,” he said. “In the message, I told him that the style of play was Johan Cruyff’s.”

Laporta added that Barcelona had traditionally relied first on local talent before looking abroad for what was missing, a policy he said had proved successful.

Describing Cruyff as a player, Laporta said he was “the embodiment of elegance” and “a revolutionary”, adding that his generation had tried to copy his running, technique and use of the outside of his foot.

“He was the most beautiful footballer I have ever seen,” Laporta said. “He was a great artist, with an exceptional style, almost sculpted. He would take the ball, turn and drive forward; we tried to imitate everything he did.”

Despite acknowledging Pele, Diego Maradona, Ronaldinho and Lionel Messi, Laporta said: “Johan the player, for those of us who watched him, was in my opinion the best player in history.”

He also praised Cruyff’s leadership and recalled his saying: “Skill does not mean doing 1,000 touches, but doing one touch perfectly. He simplified things that seemed complicated. He was incredibly intelligent. Johan always won.”

Spanish newspaper Marca reported that some supporters interpreted Laporta’s description of Cruyff as an indirect message aimed at Messi. The comments came after former Barcelona manager Xavi Hernandez publicly criticised Laporta during the club’s latest election crisis, accusing him of mishandling efforts to bring Messi back in 2023.