Johan Cruyff

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Lore & Background

The Johan Cruyff Shield was first played under that name in 1996, with the match held in the Amsterdam Arena. The trophy is a silver plate with a 60-centimetre diameter, similar to the trophies received by the champions of the Eredivisie. The engraved text on the trophy includes 'Johan Cruijff Schaal X' (with 'ij') and the date of the first match under that name: 31-7-2008. The contestants for that first Johan Cruyff Shield match were Ajax and FC Twente. In 2004, Ajax and FC Utrecht contested the shield, with Utrecht winning 4–2 after trailing 1–2 up until the 85th minute. Thirty-three thousand spectators witnessed that comeback. In 2005, because PSV won both the national championship and the cup, Ajax (who had finished second in the league) formed the opposition and won 2–1. Starting from 2017, the match is played in the stadium of the Eredivisie champions. In 2020, the match was cancelled due to the worldwide COVID-19 pandemic.

In Their Own Story

The stadium hums with anticipation as the orange jersey stands alone in the box. Cruyff receives the pass, eyes scanning the defense before time seems to slow. A simple touch, then weightless flight toward the net, a moment of pure geometry that leaves defenders frozen and fans breathless.

Reader's Guide

Johan Cruyff is the namesake of the Johan Cruyff Shield, a football trophy in the Netherlands also often referred to as the Dutch Super Cup. The trophy is a silver plate with a 60-centimetre diameter. The engraved text on the trophy uses the spelling 'Cruijff' with 'ij' as opposed to the international spelling using a 'y'. The first Super Cup match was played on 25 June 1949, with league champions SVV beating cup winners Quick 1888 2–0. The Dutch FA brought back the competition in 1991 under the name PTT Telecom Cup, with the match always being played in the De Kuip stadium in Rotterdam. After three years, sponsor PTT Telecom retreated and the name Super Cup was reinstated. In 1996 the format was changed to the current set-up and played in the Amsterdam Arena under the name Johan Cruyff Schaal. In 2003, supporters of both FC Utrecht and PSV Eindhoven were unhappy with the set-up and stayed away from the stadium; only 700 of the 13,000 available tickets were sold. The prize money in 2003 amounted to €135,000.

Did You Know?

• The Johan Cruyff Shield trophy has a 60-centimetre diameter.
• The engraved text on the trophy uses the spelling 'Cruijff' with 'ij', not the international spelling with a 'y'.
• The first Super Cup match was played on 25 June 1949, with SVV beating Quick 1888 2–0.
• In 2003, only 700 of the 13,000 available tickets were sold for the Johan Cruyff Shield match.
• The 2020 Johan Cruyff Shield match was cancelled due to the worldwide COVID-19 pandemic.