The banquet hall in Boxtel is jam-packed. Two hundred Johan Cruijff fans have gathered to celebrate his birthday. Tomorrow ‘the grandmaster’ would turn 75. Mega fan and manager of his own Cruijff museum Rien van Doleweerd wants to honor the human being Johan with this party.
“Johan Cruijff must always exist”, Van Doleweerd begins. “A year ago I thought that we should celebrate his 75th birthday. Three years ago I already organized such an afternoon. To celebrate his birthday and to honor him as a person.”
Throughout the room, men between the ages of eleven and ninety are reminiscing about Cruijff together. And there is sometimes some jealousy to be heard. “So you consciously experienced Johan in the heyday? I just have to do it with the images and some vague memories”, you hear them say to each other.
Also Hans Jouta from Friesland. He is the creator of the statue of Cruijff that now shines in front of the Arena. “I got it from my father,” says the artist. “He was an idol of Cruijff and always quoted him.” Jouta was born in 1967. “I’m too young to really experience it.”
He calls the making of the statue his ‘greatest dream assignment’. “It’s nice that we celebrate his birthday. We have to keep the memories alive.” Father Hans does the same with his daughters. Daughter Rixt (22) came along to Boxtel. “It really lives in our home. After his death, we also joined the silent march in Amsterdam. Ajax and Cruijff really play an important role in our family.”
Jouta adds that with his father it was mainly about Cruijff. “It was more about the Cruijff figure for him. That is because he has seen him play. We see Johan more as an icon of Ajax.”
Rien also keeps the memories of Cruijff alive. Not only by organizing this day, but also by telling his grandson David (11) everything about his great hero. “I am the director of my grandfather’s museum,” David begins. “Grandpa always tells us how well he played football, that he played with number fourteen and Cruijff’s statements come back every day. This is why Cruijff is in my heart, he has done so many beautiful things. It’s a shame I didn’t see him play.”
At exactly 2.14 pm Rien opens the Johan Cruijff afternoon. “I’ll wait another minute until it’s really fourteen, but that’s logical,” he laughs. And so memories are recalled throughout the afternoon with former football players and colleagues from Cruijff. There is a quiz and lottery where Cruijff prizes are won. And Rien lets the tears flow when ‘Thank you Johan’ is sung.
And next year? No, there will be no birthday party. Maybe again in five years. “If I have to organize this every year, you can sweep me together.”
Earlier we made this video about the museum of Rien:
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