FIFA Club World Cup: The 5 greatest teams in tournament history

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European Cup holders Ajax pose for a team photo with the trophy, 30th March 1973. Front row left to right, Sjaak Swart, Johnny Rep, coach Stephan Kovacs, trainer Bob Haarms, Ger Kleton, Jan Mulder, Johan Cruyff and Gerrie Muhren. Back row, left to right, Arie Haan, Horst Blankenburg, Sies Wever, Wim Suurbier, goalkeeper Heinz Stuy, Piet Keizer, Ruud Krol, Heinz Schilcher, Arnold Muhren, Johan Neeskens and Barry Hulshoff. (Photo by Central Press/Hulton Archive/Getty Images) /

1970s: Ajax

Dutch side Ajax are one of the game’s most famous clubs. The team cemented their legacy as one of the best in the game’s history when they captured the Intercontinental Cup in 1972. The team would go on to win three consecutive European Cups (from 1971 to 1973), but declined to play in the Intercontinental Cup final in 1971 and 1973.

In 1972, Ajax, led by the legendary Johan Cruyff, tied Independiente of Argentina 1-1 in the first leg in Avellaneda. In the second leg, Ajax went on to a 3-0 victory on two goals from Johnny Rep and a tally by Johan Neeskens. One of the most elegant players in the game’s history, Cruyff would go on to become a successful manager and revolutionize the game at Barcelona.

“In my teams, the goalkeeper is the first attacker and the striker is the first defender,” Cruyff said.

It was in the ’70s that Ajax became known around the world for their advanced training methods and for the development of youth players who possessed outstanding technical abilities. The trio of Cruyff, Rep and Neeskens would come to form the core of the Netherlands side that would typify Total Football — where any player on the field could take over the role of any other — and help their country reach two consecutive World Cup finals, lost in 1974 to West Germany and four years later to Argentina.

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