Hi all, welcome to All Football's On This Day! Let's find out what happened today (March 24th) in football history. If you have more stories and news that happened on this day in history, feel free to post them in the comment area and share them with AFers!
On This Day in 2016 - Cruyff Passed Away
The Holland football legend Johan Cruyff has died of cancer at the age of 68. The Dutchman, who on three occasions was voted the world player of the year, guided Holland to the World Cup final in 1974 and as a manager he spent eight years in charge of Barcelona.
“On March 24 2016 Johan Cruyff (68) died peacefully in Barcelona, surrounded by his family after a hard fought battle with cancer. It’s with great sadness that we ask you to respect the family’s privacy during their time of grief,” read a statement on the World of Johan Cruyff website.
“With great sadness we have learned of the death of Johan Cruyff. Words are not enough,” wrote the Dutch football federation on Twitter. Ajax issued a short statement that read: “Johan Cruyff has died in Barcelona at the age of 68. The greatest Ajax player of all time had suffered with lung cancer since October last year. Ajax share in this great loss and wish the families much strength.”
On This Day in 1998 - Xavi Made His Barca Debut
March 24 marks 21 years since the debut of a Barcelona legend. Midfielder Xavi Hernández, considered to be one of the best to have ever played the game, made his first appearance in a Barça shirt back in 1998, in the semifinal of the Copa Catalunya. Whilst the game was classed as an unofficial contest, Xavi played 90 minutes and showed signs of what was to come.
FC Barcelona would win the match 2-1, with a brace from Jofre. Future Barça coach Tito Villanova found the net for opponents UE Lleida.
Given his debut by Louis Van Gaal aged just 18 years and 2 months, Xavi would have an amazing career at Barça over the course of 17 seasons. His first official appearance was on August 18, 1998, in the Spanish Supercopa, scoring in a 2-1 defeat to Mallorca.
Before his departure from the club in the summer of 2015, Xavi would win everything there is to win in the game: Eight LaLiga titles, 3 Copa Del Reys, 6 Spanish Supercopas, 4 Champions League titles, 2 European Supercups and 2 Club World Cups. The road to those 25 trophies began one night in 1998, two decades ago.
On This Day in 2012 - Ronaldo Rolls To 100
On 24 March 2012, Real Madrid's Cristiano Ronaldo scored his 100th La Liga goal, hitting that milestone faster than any other player in club history.
Ronaldo was in his third La Liga season, having joined Real Madrid from Manchester United in a July 2009 deal worth £80 million. He scored 26 league goals that first season, then 40 in the next. Despite that prolific output, however, Real Madrid finished as runners-up to Barcelona both seasons.
He got off to another productive start in 2011-12, with 33 goals in Madrid's first twenty-eight league games to bring his overall tally to 99 while the club secured their spot at the top of the table.
For their next match, Madrid hosted Real Sociedad at the Bernabéu and took the lead with a sixth-minute goal from striker Gonzalo Higuaín. Then in the 32nd minute, Ronaldo received the ball on the left and raced past the defense, squared up against the keeper, and sent a right-footed shot just inside the far post.
It his 100th La Liga goal in just his 92nd game, beating the previous club record of Ferenc Puskás, who needed 105 games to get to that mark.
Ronaldo went on to score a second as Madrid won 5-1, then proceeded to take the league title.
On This Day in 1949 - No Kremers Versus Kremers
On 24 March 1949, Helmut and Erwin Kremers were born in Mönchengladbach. They went on to become German internationals and the first twins to play in the Bundesliga.
Both of them started their careers as youth players with their hometown team, Borussia Mönchengladbach, then joined the club as professionals in 1967. They continued as teammates at other clubs. moving to Kickers Offenbach in 1969, then to Schalke in 1971. Erwin, a striker, retired in 1979, but Helmut, a full back, played for three more years, remaining with Schalke until 1980 then spending time with Rot-Weiss Essen (1980-81), the Calgary Boomers (1981) and the Memphis Americans (1981-82).
Virtually inseparable at the club level, the brothers played together only twice on the international stage. Erwin made 15 appearances for West Germany between 1972 and 1974, winning the 1972 European Championship. Helmut received a later a call-up and got fewer caps--8 between 1973 and 1975--but was part of West Germany's World Cup-winning side in 1974.
Despite their footballing accomplishments, they are widely remembered for their 1974 record release, "Das Mädchen Meiner Träume," which translates to "The Girl of My Dreams." The B-side was apparently titled "Mo-Di-Mi-Do," which I assume needs no translation.
On This Day in 1913 - What's Red And White On The Bottom And Oranje On Top?
On 24 March 1913, the Netherlands national team recorded its first victory over England. The friendly was played in the Hague between amateur sides, and the Netherlands won by the score of 2-1. Both Dutch goals were scored by Huug de Groot.
The Oranje were managed by Edgar Chadwick (right), who had played for over twenty years in England and had seven appearances (3 goals) for the English national team between 1891 and 1897. He was hired to manage the Dutch national side in 1908 after ending his playing career with non-League Darwen F.C. earlier that year. He coached the Netherlands for a total of 24 matches, winning 14. He led the Dutch to the bronze medal in the 1912 Summer Olympics in Stockholm, defeating Sweden, Austria, and Finland, but losing to Denmark.
Despite the Olympics medal, the victory over England is widely considered to be Chadwick's greatest success. He coached the Netherlands only once more, a 1-2 loss to England in November 1913. He went on to coach Dutch club Sparta Rotterdam, winning the Netherlands championship in 1915.
