Cruyff 2 - 0 Cancer: Dutch great claims he is leading the disease at 1st half

New Delhi: Regarded as one of the greatest football players ever, Johan Cruyff on Saturday laughed in the face of death to claim that he is "2-0 up in the first half" and confident to win his fight against lung cancer.

The Dutch great also revealed that the results from several medical treatments have been very positive, and thanked the doctors, and people's love.

"After several medical treatments I can say that the results have been very positive, thanks to the excellent work of the doctors, the affection of the people and my positive mentality," the 68-year-old Cruyff said in a statement on his website.

"Right now, I have the feeling that I am 2-0 up in the first half of a match that has not finished yet. But I am sure that I will end up winning."

The former Ajax, Barcelona and Netherlands star, a smoker during his playing days and until undergoing an emergency heart bypass in 1991, disclosed his illness last October.

He helped Ajax win the European Cup for three consecutive years from 1971-1973 before moving to Barcelona in 1973 and leading the middle-of-the-table team to its first national title in a decade.

The three-time European footballer of the year was a star of the 1974 World Cup, where The Netherlands lost 2-1 in the final to West Germany.

(With Agency inputs)