Holland v. Spain... All in the Family?

Holland's most famous footballer, Johan Cruyff, at FC Barcelona

While the most important story line of today's final is that neither side have won a World Cup, a compelling side story is that, in terms of the football family tree, this year's edition of Spain is a direct descendant of the widely-admired attacking sides of 1970's Holland.

In the late 60's at the famous Amsterdamn club Ajax, coach Rinus Michels and budding superstar Johan Cruyff developed the 'Total Football' style of play they revealed to the world in the form of the much celebrated Holland side of 1974. Leaving Ajax, they both migrated this system to FC Barcelona as coach and player in the 70's and Cruyff further cemented it as the club style as coach of the Barca 'Dream Team' sides of 1988-96. Since then Barcelona have had two other Dutch coaches (Louis van Gaal and Frank Rijkaard) and their current coach, Pep Guardiola was the captain of Cruyff's Dream Teams. In a very real way, Barcelona have carried on and evolved Dutch Total Football into the 21st century. Add to this that of the starting XI of today's Spain seven play club football at Barcelona and you will see why Spain are widely considered to play more Dutch style than the Dutch.

Regardless of who wins there will be irony. If Holland wins: the tactical style of Michels and Cruyff will for a third time falter at the final hurdle but this time against their motherland. If Spain wins: Holland will have lost to a country who beat them with the tactics that put Dutch football on the map.

And if you're still trying to figure out who plays more Dutch, Spain or Holland, you need not go further than Johann Cruyff himself. When asked who he tips to win today's final he explained that in Spain he "sees the most of me" and that the Spanish play the better brand of football. I guess football bloodlines can run deeper than actual bloodlines when it comes to one's legacy.