Johan Cruyff has revealed that a kidnap plot was behind his decision to miss the 1978 World Cup.

Cruyff, acclaimed by many as the finest player of his generation, led Holland to the 1974 World Cup final where they eventually lost to West Germany. However, he retired from international football in October 1977 and although Holland once again reached the World Cup final a year later, they lost to Argentina, the host nation.

Now, 30 years later, Cruyff has admitted it was fear and not, as was widely thought, his hatred of the military regime that controlled Argentina that prevented him from taking part.

The former Barcelona manager said that in 1977 a group of armed men broke into his house in Spain, threatened him and his wife and children with guns, and tied them to chairs. Cruyff didn't say how the kidnap attempt eventually failed, but added that police guarded his house for four months after the event and escorted his children to school

He said: "I had a rifle at my head, I was tied up, my wife tied up, the children were in the apartment in Barcelona. There are moments when there are other values in life. To play a World Cup you have to be 200 percent."

Cruyff, who played for Netherlands 48 times and scored 33 goals, was named European Player of the Year three times in the early 1970s.