Tribute to the social legacy of Johan Cruyff with the Barça Foundation and Johan Cruyff Foundation

This Wednesday the president of FC Barcelona and its Foundation, Joan Laporta, accompanied by Danny Cruyff, the director of the Barça Foundation, Dr Marta Segú and the director of the Cruyff Foundation, Pati Roura, attended a tribute to the charitable legacy of Johan Cruyff at the La Sagrera Specialised School in Barcelona. The event was also attended by former Barça player Eusebio Sacristán.

Coinciding with this coming Sunday's eighth anniversary of the death of the Barça player and coach, the Cruyff and Barça Foundations organised a joint event to pay tribute to his figure and his human and social side. The event also served to highlight the collaboration maintained between the two organisations since 2004 to use sport as a tool for social change and inclusion and to improve the quality of life of children and young people at risk of exclusion.

There was much excitement about the visit by Joan Laporta to a school in the Sant Martí district of Barcelona that has beeing working with the Cruyff Foundation since 2011. One of the most emotional moments of the event was when Johan Cruyff's voice was once again heard over the PA system, in which the great man expressed his supportive vision of sport.

Go out and have fun

President Laporta, the director general of the FC Barcelona Foundation and the director of the Cruyff Foundation spoke in memory of the Dutchman and what they have been doping for each other during these years. First came the launch of the so-called Cruyff Courts, small public football pitches with free access to local residents of different cities around the world, and the current "Salid y disfrutad" project that uses football and sport as tools for social change. More than 4,000 children and young people from Catalonia and all over Spain have benefitted from it.

One of the most important elements of the project is the football tournament for boys and girls between 10 and 12 years old, run by the  Heroes of the Cruyff Courts, groups of young people from the same communities where these tournaments take place.

A photo session with the child participants and their guests closed an exciting day that was fitting remembrance of the immense human and footballing legacy of Johan Cruyff.

Statement by Joan Laporta, president of FC Barcelona

Johan has never left. We have sensed his presence and been inspired by him. The best way to remember him is with events like this, organised by two sister foundations, two entities that share Johan Cruyff's dreams and goals. He was an exceptional person, apart from a great player and a great coach. Johan gave us many lessons in life, he was always ready to help those who need it most and to use sport as a tool for solidarity. He also taught us to believe that you can win by doing things well, based on excellence, and being the best if not the first. 

Statement by Pati Roura, director of the Cruyff Foundation

On the 24th it will be eight years since the death of Johan Cruyff. We are very happy with a project in which more than 4,500 children participate and which promotes social cohesion through football. We want to continue promoting this and making children and young people happy through sport and through the projects of the Cruyff Foundation.

Statement by Dr Marta Segú, general director of the FC Barcelona Foundation

I had the opportunity to get to know Johan's more charitable side and we shared many values and many goals. He believed in the importance of sport for children, especially for the most vulnerable, those who suffer from illness or disability or who live in troubled neighbourhoods. And that is why we have been working together since 2004, first with children and young people with disabilities and later with the launch of Cruyff Courts.