Johan Cruyff included Pep Guardiola when naming the greatest XI in football history

Johan Cruyff is a name that will always be etched in football history.

Cruyff was an extraordinary footballer during his 20-year professional career.

He then established himself as one of the greatest managers ever during a highly successful stint with Barcelona.

Cruyff sadly passed away in 2016 at the age of 68.

Shortly after his death, his autobiography, titled ‘My Turn’, was released.

It is in the autobiography that Cruyff chose his greatest XI of all-time.

“For the ideal squad, I also try and find a formula in which talent is used to the maximum in every case. The qualities of one player have to complement the qualities of another,” he writes, per Sky Sports.

Like his ‘Total Football’ style of play, the Dutchman’s XI is extremely attacking and you can view it below…

GK: Lev Yashin

“It can hardly do any harm to have a reassuring father figure to bring all those stars down to earth,” Cruyff writes about the legendary goalkeeper, who made 74 appearances for the Soviet Union.

RB: Carlos Alberto

CB: Franz Beckenbauer

CB: Pep Guardiola

LB: Ruud Krol

Cruyff’s ‘Total Football’ philosophy requires each and every player to be highly technical. That’s why he went with two centre-backs who excelled with the ball at their feet: Beckenbauer and Guardiola.

Alberto and Krol are considered two of the greatest full-backs of all-time and both excelled going forward.

RM: Garrincha

CM: Bobby Charlton

CM: Alfredo Di Stefano

LM: Keizer

Speaking of Charlton and Di Stefano, Cruyff says they: “Fit together well physically. That puts them in an excellent position to do extra work for stylists like Keizer and Garrincha.”

Cruyff won three European Cup titles alongside Keizer at Ajax.

ST: Pele

ST: Diego Maradona

What a forward partnership