Speaking of Cruyff, he himself was once the archetypal Barcelona legend. The centrepiece of an immensely talented mid-1970s team, he established himself as one of the most revered players in the history of football. The high point came in his first season, in which Bara won their first La Liga title in 14 years (and subjected Real Madrid to a humiliating 5-0 defeat). At the age of 32 he was allowed to leave the club and move to Los Angeles Azetcas, thus competing in the highly lucrative North American Soccer League. It might have been assumed that the Dutchman's best years were behind him, but in letting him go, Barcelona had lost an incredibly popular figure - an irreplaceable part of their identity.
