The Johan Cruyff Foundation
Along with education, health care, food and shelter, children have a right to sport and recreation. This is stated specifically in the 1989 UN Convention on the Rights of the Child. The importance of sport has long been underestimated in development programs, but fortunately attitudes have recently changed in its favour.
Through games, sports and other recreational activities children build social skills, learn how to win and lose, learn how to develop tactics and strategies, etc. As a result, children develop self-confidence and a sense of achievement. Of course, it goes without saying that, above all, sports should be just plain fun! So, above all, sports are essential for the full and healthy development of a child. The Johan Cruyff Foundation initiates and supports projects that stimulate sports and games, and, above all, cooperates to that end with clubs, sport federations, municipal agencies and governments.
After all: "When you have the opportunity to help someone, you should do it".
Johan Cruyff: "The idea of creating the Cruyff Foundation began when I was living in the United States. We had a neighbour, a boy with Downs syndrome, who was always alone, watching the other kids playing and having fun. One day, I taught him how to head and shoot a ball. Some time passed, and one day when I came home from an away game I found him playing football with the rest of the kids in the neighbourhood. I realized that for this boy, who had been marginalized up until now, sport had changed his life completely".
“You may not always think about it, however, when you have the possibility to do something for another, you must take that opportunity”.
The Johan Cruyff Foundation originated from that vision and was established in 1997 by European soccer player of the century, Johan Cruijff.
With the Cruyff Foundation, Johan Cruijff was one of the first former top sportsmen in the Netherlands to connect his name to a foundation. He wanted to actually make a difference. After many years of participating in fund raising activities, Johan Cruijff wanted to use his influence to support sports, games and movement projects for children all over the world. He, and thus the Foundation, pays special attention to handicapped children and less fortunate youngsters, because, especially for them, sports and games are of the utmost importance.
For more information, send an e-mail to us.