Johan Cruyff Played in America Thanks to a Pig Farm

One of the greatest soccer players of all time only played in the US because of a crazy deal with a pig farm. No, seriously! This week, we dive into the weird story of how Johan Cruyff ended up in the NASL during the ‘70s. Plus, we revisit Ronaldo’s time with the Fort Lauderdale Strikers in 2014, see some Dortmund fans crash a college basketball game, and more.

This week’s stories:

• 🤯 Ronaldo and the Fort Lauderdale Strikers

• 👾 Join Us On Discord!

• 🐖 Johan Cruyff Played in America Thanks to a Pig Farm

• 🟡 Dortmund Fans Crash a College Basketball Game

• 🗳️ Poll + Last Week’s Answers

• ➡️ And More

OUR HISTORY
Ronaldo and the Fort Lauderdale Strikers

15 years ago today, in 2011, the Fort Lauderdale Strikers officially came back to life and joined the newly established NASL (2.0).

To mark this anniversary, I dove into the archives and was lucky to find a behind-the-scenes video of Ronaldo Nazario (who became a minority owner of the club in 2014) visiting the Strikers squad ahead of their opening night match in 2015.

You won’t believe whose hand he shakes on the pitch at the end of the clip. I’m still shocked 😅

COMMUNITY
Join Us On Discord!

For the past 100 weeks, y’all have been at the center of sparking discussions right here every Tuesday.

After setting up our Discord server last week, we wanted to invite y’all to join the conversation over there too!

A way for all of us soccer sickos across the country to connect more closely and share stories, experiences, advice, travel tips, and keep up with American soccer in general on a more regular basis than just once a week.

Click HERE to join for free!

COVER STORY
Johan Cruyff Played in America Thanks to a Pig Farm

It sounds utterly ridiculous, but it’s true.

Our story begins with a retired Johan Cruyff in 1978.

By the time he hung up his boots, he had European Cup championships, La Liga titles, Eredivisie trophies, and countless other accolades to his name… and he was a multimillionaire.

So what could possibly prompt one of the greatest players ever to leave his comfortable life in Europe and make the jump across the pond to play in the NASL?

Well, a con artist convinced him to invest in a pig farm in Spain (along with a few other ill-advised ventures), and it completely tanked his fortune. Some estimate he lost nearly 80% of his money, so with his back against the wall, he decided to come to the States.

It may not have been the most romantic of reasons to move to the NASL, but it profoundly impacted his life and career.

This is what Cruyff had to say about things:

“I had lost millions in pig-farming, and that was the reason I decided to become a footballer again.

Starting from zero in America, many miles away from my past, was one of the best decisions I made. There, I learned how to develop my uncontrolled ambitions, to think as a coach, and about sponsorship.”

I guess it shows that sometimes taking the most pragmatic of detours can still bring you rewarding lessons that may ultimately change your life.

And still, I think it’s important to point out that although his financial situation was certainly a main driver in his decision to come to America, former Washington Diplomats President Steve Danzansky also notes that Cruyff did see the importance of helping grow the sport here when he agreed to the move.

*To learn more about Cruyff’s fascinating time in DC, check out this must-read article by Pablo Maurer!

EDUCATION
Dortmund Fans Crash a College Basketball Game

Every time I’ve gone to a basketball game in the US, I’ve wondered how cool it’d be if there was a hardcore supporters’ section like the Yellow Wall behind the baskets.

Well, a few visiting Borussia Dortmund youth academy players gave us a taste of that last week at an Ivy League basketball game. They absolutely killed it.

But our soccer and basketball crossovers (no pun intended) only get more shocking from here. Just wait…

CLUBELEVEN
The Supporters Section

Let us know your plans and what you’re looking forward to this 2026 season! We’ll highlight your best answers next week.

CLUBELEVEN
Aggregates

A Painful One: As a Spirit fan, this transfer broke me. But still, wishing the absolute best to the great Croix Bethune at her new destination! 

DJing Outside Stamford Bridge: Probably one of the highlights of our trip to London! Seeing the lads from Bridged do their thing was awesome.

Olympic Pulisic: Captain America showed up to support the US Olympic men’s hockey team during their game against Germany in Milan.

Oakland Base Camp: The Oakland Roots/Soul Training Facility will be the home of this World Cup nation. So awesome!

Cafu at the NBA All-Star Game: Yeah, seeing this Brazilian soccer legend play in the celebrity game absolutely blew my mind…

BUSINESS
The Heliport Soccer Stadium

Plans to turn the Indianapolis Heliport into a soccer stadium seem to be completely dead.

The city dominated soccer headlines a couple of years ago when it appeared like MLS was on the verge of awarding it an expansion franchise.

Now we know a bit more about why things may have cooled…

FASHION
First Light Kit

I’ve always had a soft spot for green jerseys, so the Boston Legacy’s first-ever kit is going straight into my collection. It’s also just a really neat piece of history.

On top of the clean, straightforward look, the club also managed to include a nod to their future home in Franklin Park on the jersey, which is a pretty cool detail.

Check them out here.

CLUBELEVEN
Your Takes 🗯️ 

Last week, we asked you: What would be your favorite country to visit for a soccer tour? Here are some of your answers:

• “Brazil. Would love to see more of the Brazilian club rivalries from yalls perspective! - 365 Sports

• "England. It’s my dream to go to a Premier League match someday, and I feel like all the lower-league matches would also be fun.” - JD

In the poll, “England” won with 41% of the vote, “Argentina” followed with 23.5%, and “Brazil” finished third with 17%.

UP NEXT
Back to School

It feels like the week right before summer was over and school was set to begin.

Maybe it’s because I’ll be headed back to the DMV with Gabe (where we grew up) to cover the DC United vs Philadelphia Union game on opening weekend. Super excited to return to the place where we took our first steps as CLUBELEVEN in college.

Then, on Monday, we’ll continue down south for a very special trip to Charlottesville, VA. We’ll let you know what that’s all about next week 👀

Enjoying This?

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Have a great Tuesday!

Pablo