Ruud Krol

…and including Johan Neeskens and Ruud Krol, put on a memorable display of total football that earned them the nickname “Clockwork Orange” (a name borrowed from Anthony Burgess’s novel A Clockwork Orange, but inspired by the team’s orange jerseys). Although the Netherlands lost to West Germany in the championship match,…

…talented young players such as Ruud Krol, Johan Neeskens, Arie Haan, and Johan Cruyff frequently swapped positions during a game. That playing style, known as “total football,” soon became famous around the world. From 1966 Ajax won the Eredivisie six times in eight years, and in 1969 it became the…