Totaalvoetbal [2024]
Digital photographs, hand-made publication
Amsterdam became the capital of european football with the AFC Ajax in the early 70’s, thanks to their totaalvoetbal, or total football, a new tactical system introduced by Jack Reynolds, later succeeded by Rinus Michels. This principle offers an offensive game based on the movement and permutation of positions during matches, requiring all field players to be involved both in attack and in defense.
Johan Cruyff, star player of Ajax Amsterdam and leader of totaalvoetbal, was the first footballer to win the Ballon d’Or three times in his carreer. He started playing football in the streets of his city as a kid, learning the game using Amsterdammertjes (parking poles) as goalposts.
In 1997, he opened the Johan Cruyff Foundation to help provide opportunities for children, especially children with disabilities, to be active in sports and play. To that end, the foundation started building Cruyff Courts, small football fields with artificial grass, integrated into neighborhoods. As of September 2025, there were 322 Cruyff Courts worldwide.
This photographic serie, entitled Totaalvoetbal, retraces a journey through Amsterdam’s streets, following the past and present of the sport and architecture of the city and its football courts.