During his many years of training at Ajax, Marco van Basten learned from his mentor Johan Cruyff to anticipate the game, take time away from defenders and get to the ball before everyone else with exceptional timing. Despite his imposing stature, Van Basten moved around the football pitch with the elegance of a swan and the lightness of a butterfly, running on his tiptoes like a ballet dancer. His feints, touches, roulettes, headers and precise passes, with which he set up his team-mates, were like something out of a movie. His goals, acrobatic, with pure technique or power, scored from both open play and free-kicks, still enchant fans today when they happen to pop up on our YouTube or TikTok timelines.
The most sophisticated centre-forward in modern football and one of the best ever, Van Basten's place in GOAL's Hall of Fame is without question. One of the most legendary footballers in history, Van Basten was a perfectionist and a winner, as illustrated by his 24 team titles and various personal accolades, including his three Ballons d'Or.
Van Basten was a spectacular footballer who was loved by fans around the world. But he was also dogged by bad luck and a failing body that eventually brought his career to a heartbreakingly premature end.