How Total Football Was Born Overnight

Try The Athletic for FREE for 30 days: theathletic.com/tifofootball
📗 Tifo's new book, "How to Watch Football" is now available internationally: linktr.ee/tifobook

The Netherlands side of the 1970s was enormously influential. They enchanted the footballing world with their ‘Total Football’ at the 1974 World Cup. A style of play that is still influencing teams, clubs and ideologies today.

It is a style of football that mirrored the cultural revolution in Amsterdam at the time.

This is the story of how Cruyff, Michels and Ajax changed the way we play football today.

This is the seventeenth in a series, written by Jonathan Wilson, exploring the entire history of football.

Illustrated by Philippe Fenner.

Join the Tifo Discord Server - discord.gg/6nMGtSyyNM

Follow Tifo Football by The Athletic:
Facebook: facebook.com/TifoFootball
Instagram: instagram.com/TifoFootball_
TikTok: tiktok.com/@tifofootball_
X: x.com/TifoFootball_

Listen to the Tifo Football podcast:
The Athletic UK: bit.ly/TifoPodChannel
Apple Podcasts: bit.ly/TifoFootPod
Spotify: open.spotify.com/show/06QIGhqK31Qw1UvfHzRIDA
YouTube: youtube.com/playlist

Watch more Tifo:
Tifo Football Podcast: youtube.com/playlist
Tifo Sports by The Athletic: youtube.com/@TifoSports

About Tifo Football by The Athletic:
Tifo loves football. We create In-depth tactical, historical and geopolitical breakdowns of the beautiful game.

We know there’s an appetite for thoughtful, intelligent content. For stuff that makes the complicated simple.

We provide analysis on the Premier League, Champions League, La Liga, Serie A, Bundesliga, World Cup and more.

Our podcasts interview some of the game’s leading figures. And our editorial covers football with depth and insight.

Founded in 2017 and became a part of The Athletic in 2020. For business inquiries, reach out to tifo@theathletic.com.

Additional footage sourced from freestockfootagearchive.com
Music provided by APM Music