Johan Cruyff got most of the headlines in the Dutch sides of the 1970s. Ruud Krol was one of the reasons the whole thing held together. Total Football asked every player to switch positions, and that only works if someone at the back is clever enough to cover the gaps.
Krol could play centre-back, left-back or sweeper and was very good in all three. That versatility made him the ideal defender for Rinus Michels' system. He was a key member of the Netherlands squads that reached the World Cup Finals of 1974 and 1978.
Ajax first, Napoli later
At club level he played a crucial role in Ajax's three consecutive European Cups in 1971, 1972 and 1973, and made over 400 appearances for the club. Later he moved to Napoli, where Italian fans and coaches, not easily impressed by defending, took notice of how well he read the game.
Without his intelligence at the back, the Netherlands' famous system would have been much more fragile. He was the unsung part of one of football's most exciting eras, and among the finest defenders the Dutch have produced. Number 7.
Number 6 follows tomorrow.
