AFC Ajax

Amsterdamsche Football Club Ajax (Dutch pronunciation: [ˈaːjɑks]), also known as AFC Ajax, Ajax Amsterdam, or simply Ajax, is a Dutch professional football club based in Amsterdam, that plays in the Eredivisie, the top tier in Dutch football. Historically, Ajax (named after the legendary Greek hero) has been the most successful club in the Netherlands, with 34 Eredivisie titles and 19 KNVB Cups. It has continuously played in the Eredivisie, since the league's inception in 1956 and, along with Feyenoord and PSV Eindhoven, it is one of the country's "big three" clubs that have dominated that competition.

For the women's team, see AFC Ajax Vrouwen.

Ajax
Full nameAmsterdamsche Football Club Ajax
Nickname(s)de Godenzonen (Sons of the Gods),[1][2] de Joden (the Jews), I Lancieri (The Lancers), Lucky Ajax
Founded18 March 1900 (1900-03-18)
GroundJohan Cruyff Arena
Capacity55.500[3]
OwnerAFC Ajax N.V.
ChairmanFrank Eijken
Head coachErik ten Hag
LeagueEredivisie
2019–20Eredivisie, 1st (no title awarded)
WebsiteClub website
European colours
Active departments of AFC Ajax
Eredivisie
(Men's)		 Eerste Divisie
(Reserves)		 Hoofdklasse
(Amateurs)
Eredivisie
(Women's)		 eSports

Ajax has historically been one of the most successful clubs in the world. According to the IFFHS, Ajax were the seventh-most successful European club of the 20th century and The World's Club Team of the Year in 1992.[4] According to German magazine Kicker, Ajax were the second-most successful European club of the 20th century. The club is one of the five teams that has earned the right to keep the European Cup and to wear a multiple-winner badge; they won consecutively in 1971–1973. In 1972, they completed the continental treble by winning the Eredivisie, KNVB Cup, and the European Cup. It also won the first organized UEFA Super Cup in 1972 against Glasgow Rangers (played in 1973). Ajax's last international trophies were the 1995 Intercontinental Cup, 1995 UEFA Super Cup and the 1995 Champions League, where they defeated Milan in the final; they lost the 1996 Champions League final on penalties to Juventus. In 1995, Ajax was crowned as World Team of the Year by World Soccer magazine.

Ajax is also one of four teams to win the continental treble and the Intercontinental Cup or Club World Cup in the same season/calendar year;[5] This was achieved in the 1971–72 season.[6] Ajax are one of the five clubs to have won all three major UEFA club competitions.[7] They have also won the Intercontinental Cup twice, the 1991–92 UEFA Cup, as well as the Karl Rappan Cup, a predecessor of the UEFA Intertoto Cup in 1962.[8] Ajax plays at the Johan Cruyff Arena, which opened as the Amsterdam ArenA in 1996 and was renamed in 2018. They previously played at De Meer Stadion and the Amsterdam Olympic Stadium (for international matches).

History
Main article: History of AFC Ajax

Ajax was founded in Amsterdam on 18 March 1900. The club achieved promotion to the highest level of Dutch football in 1911 and had its first major success in 1917, winning the KNVB Beker, the Netherlands' national cup. The following season, Ajax became national champion for the first time. The club defended its title in 1918–19, becoming the only team to achieve an unbeaten season in the Netherlands Football League Championship.[9]

Throughout the 1920s, Ajax was a strong regional power, winning the Eerste Klasse West division in 1921, 1927 and 1928, but could not maintain its success at national level. This changed in the 1930s, with the club winning five national championships (1931, 1932, 1934, 1937, 1939), making it the most successful Dutch team of the decade. Ajax won its second KNVB Cup in 1942–43, and an eighth Dutch title in 1946–47, the last season the club was managed by Englishman Jack Reynolds, who, up to this point, had overseen all of its national championship successes as well as its 1917 KNVB Cup win.[10][11]

In 1956, the first season of the Netherlands' new professional league, the Eredivisie, was played with Ajax participating as a founding member. The Amsterdam club became the first national champions under the new format and made its debut in the European Champion Clubs' Cup the following year, losing to Hungarian champions Vasas SC 6–2 on aggregate at the quarter-final stage. The team were again Eredivisie champions in 1960 and won a third KNVB Cup in 1961.[12]

Johan Cruyff played at Ajax from 1959 to 1973, and from 1981 to 1983, winning 3 European Cups; his No. 14 is the only squad number Ajax has ever retired. Cruyff came back to manage the club from 1985 to 1988.
Against Panathinaikos in the 1971 European Cup Final

In 1965, Rinus Michels, who had played for the club between 1946 and 1958, was appointed manager of Ajax, implementing his philosophy of Total Football which was to become synonymous with both Ajax and the Netherlands national team.[13][14] A year earlier, Johan Cruyff, who would go on to become the greatest Dutch footballer of all-time, made his debut.[15] Between them, Michels and Cruyff led Ajax through the most successful period in its history, winning seven Eredivisie titles, four KNVB Cups and three European Cups.

Ajax won the Dutch championship in 1966, 1967 and 1968, and reached the 1969 European Cup final, losing to Milan. During the 1966–67 season, Ajax scored a record 122 goals in an Eredivisie season and also won the KNVB Cup to achieve its first league and cup double. In 1969–70, Ajax won a fourth Dutch league championship and second league and cup double in five seasons, winning 27 out of 34 league matches and scoring 100 goals.[16]

The 1970–71 season saw Ajax retain the KNVB Cup and reach the 1971 European Cup final, where they defeated Panathinaikos 2–0 with goals from Dick van Dijk and Arie Haan to become continental champions for the first time, with Cruyff being named European Footballer of the Year. After this success, Michels departed to become manager of Barcelona and was replaced by the Romanian Ștefan Kovács. In Kovács' first season, Ajax completed a treble of the European Cup, the Eredivisie and a third consecutive KNVB Cup. The following season, the team beat Argentine club Independiente to win the 1972 Intercontinental Cup and retained their Eredivisie and European Cup titles, becoming the first club to win three consecutive European Cups since Real Madrid in the 1950s.

In 1973, Michels' Barcelona broke the world transfer record to bring Cruyff to Catalonia. Kovács also departed to become manager of the France national team, signalling the end of this period of international success.[17]

In 1976–77, Ajax won its first domestic championship in four seasons and recorded a double of the Eredivisie and KNVB Cup two years later.

The early 1980s saw the return of Johan Cruyff to the club, as well as the emergence of young players Marco van Basten and Frank Rijkaard. The team won back-to-back Eredivisie titles in 1982 and 1983, with all three playing a significant role in the latter. After Cruyff's sale to rivals Feyenoord in 1983, Van Basten became Ajax's key player, top scoring in the Eredivisie for four seasons between 1983–84 and 1986–87.[18]

In 1985, Cruyff returned to Ajax as manager and the team ended his first season in charge with 120 goals from 34 matches. However, Ajax still finished as runner-up to PSV by eight points. The following season, Ajax again lost out on the Eredivisie title to PSV, but won the European Cup Winners' Cup, its first continental trophy in 14 years. After this, Cruyff left the club to become manager of Barcelona and Rijkaard and Van Basten were sold to Sporting CP and Milan respectively. Despite these losses, Ajax reached a second consecutive Cup Winners' Cup final in 1988, where they lost to Belgian club KV Mechelen.[19]

The 1988–89 season saw Dennis Bergkamp, a young forward who had first appeared under Cruyff in 1986, establish himself as a regular goalscorer for Ajax. Bergkamp helped Ajax to the 1989–90 Eredivisie title and was the top scorer in the division in 1990–91, 1991–92 and 1992–93. Under the management of Louis van Gaal, Ajax won the UEFA Cup in 1992 to become the second club, after Juventus, to have won all three major European club competitions.[20]

After the sale of Bergkamp to Internazionale in 1993, Van Gaal re-signed the experienced Frank Rijkaard to complement his young Ajax team featuring academy graduates Frank and Ronald de Boer, Edwin van der Sar, Clarence Seedorf, Edgar Davids, Michael Reiziger and Winston Bogarde, as well as mercurial foreign talents Finidi George, Nwankwo Kanu and Jari Litmanen, and veteran captain Danny Blind.[21] The team regained the Dutch championship in 1993–94, and won it again in 1994–95 and 1995–96 to become the first Ajax side to win three back-to-back championships since 1968. The height of Van Gaal's success came in 1994–95, where Ajax became the first, and to date only, team to complete an entire Eredivisie season unbeaten.[22] The team also won its first European Cup since its glorious 1970s era, defeating Milan in the 1995 UEFA Champions League final 1–0, with the winning goal scored by 18-year-old Patrick Kluivert. Ajax again reached the final one year later, but were defeated on penalties by Juventus.

Ajax's return as a European force was short lived as Van Gaal and several members of the squad soon departed to some of the continent's biggest clubs. The 2000s was a lean decade for the club with only two Eredivisie championships won. However, Ajax's academy continued to produce star players such as Wesley Sneijder and Rafael van der Vaart.

In 2010, Frank de Boer was appointed manager of Ajax and led the club to its first league title in seven years, and record 30th title overall, in the 2010–11 season. This was followed by back-to-back wins in 2011–12 and 2012–13 to match his three consecutive titles as a player in the 1990s. In 2013–14, Ajax were again Eredivisie champions, winning four consecutive league titles for the first time in club history.[23] After finishing as runner-up to PSV in both 2014–15 and 2015–16, De Boer resigned as Ajax head coach in May 2016.[24]

Peter Bosz took over the club and led them to the 2017 UEFA Europa League final, their first European final in 21 years. They lost to Manchester United with a lineup that was the youngest ever in a European final, averaging an age of 22 years and 282 days.[25] For the third consecutive season, they finished runner-up in the Eredivisie, this time to Feyenoord.

The 2018–19 season for Ajax involved a remarkable run in the UEFA Champions League. Due to their runner-up finish in the 2017–18 Eredivisie, Ajax entered the tournament in the second qualifying round. After successive victories against Sturm Graz, Standard Liège and Dynamo Kyiv, they qualified for the group stage. Ajax was drawn in a group with German champions Bayern Munich, Portuguese side Benfica and Greek champions AEK Athens. Ajax finished runner-up in this group, qualifying for the knockout stages, where they were drawn against three-time defending champions Real Madrid. After losing 1–2 in the first leg, they defeated Real Madrid 4–1 in the away match, stunning the defending champions in their own stadium, the Santiago Bernabéu, with an aggregate score of 5–3.[26] Dušan Tadić was awarded a perfect score of 10 by L'Équipe following the match.[27]

Thus, Ajax progressed to quarter-finals and were drawn with Italian champions Juventus. In the first leg in the Johan Cruyff Arena, they drew 1–1. In the second leg at the Juventus Stadium, Ajax came from behind to win 2–1 and 3–2 on aggregate. Matthijs de Ligt scored the winning goal for Ajax to help the team advance to its first Champions League semi-final since 1997.[28] There, they would face English side Tottenham Hotspur.

In the first leg of the semi-final, Ajax beat Tottenham 1–0 away from home.[29] In the second leg, Ajax scored twice in the first half to generate a 3–0 lead on aggregate. However, in the second half, Lucas Moura scored three times, including in the 6th minute of added time, resulting in Ajax losing via the away goals rule.[30]

Ajax were in first place on goal difference when the 2019–20 Eredivisie was declared void, preventing them being Dutch champions for the 35th time, but still qualified for the 2020–21 UEFA Champions League.[31]

UEFA ranking
See also: UEFA coefficient
As of 30 September 2020[32]
20 Benfica 70.000
21 Ajax 69.500
22 Zenit Saint Petersburg 64.000

Academies (Youth/Coaching)
Main articles: Ajax Youth Academy, Ajax Hellas Youth Academy, and Ajax Coaching Academy

The club is also particularly famous for its renowned youth programme that has produced many Dutch talents over the years – Johan Cruyff, Edwin van der Sar, Gerald Vanenburg, Frank Rijkaard, Dennis Bergkamp, Rafael van der Vaart, Patrick Kluivert, Marco van Basten, Wesley Sneijder, Maarten Stekelenburg, Nigel de Jong, Frenkie de Jong, and Matthijs de Ligt have come through the ranks and are just some of the talents who've played for Ajax. Ajax also regularly supplies the Dutch national youth teams with local talent.

Due to mutual agreements with foreign clubs, the youth academy has also signed foreign players as teenagers before making first team debuts, such as Belgian defensive trio Jan Vertonghen, Toby Alderweireld and Thomas Vermaelen along with winger Tom De Mul, all of whom are full internationals, as well as Dutch international Vurnon Anita and Javier Martina, representing Curaçao.

Ajax has also expanded its talent searching programme to South Africa with Ajax Cape Town. Ajax Cape Town was set up with the help of Rob Moore. Ajax has also had a satellite club in the United States under the name Ajax America, until it filed for bankruptcy. There are some youth players from Ajax Cape Town that have been drafted into the Eredivisie squad, such as South African internationals Steven Pienaar, Thulani Serero and Cameroonian international Eyong Enoh.

In 1995, the year Ajax won the UEFA Champions League, the Netherlands national team was almost entirely composed of Ajax players, with Edwin van der Sar in goal; players such as Michael Reiziger, Frank de Boer and Danny Blind in defence; Ronald de Boer, Edgar Davids and Clarence Seedorf in midfield; and Patrick Kluivert and Marc Overmars in attack.[33]

In 2011, Ajax opened its first youth academies outside the Netherlands when the club partnered up with George Kazianis and All Star Consultancy in Greece to open the Ajax Hellas Youth Academy. The offices are based in Nea Smyrni, Attica, with the main training facility located on the island of Corfu, hosting a total of 15 football youth academies throughout Greece and Cyprus. Eddie van Schaik heads the organization as coach and consultant, introducing the Ajax football philosophy at the various Greek football training camps.[34][35]

In 2016, Ajax launched the ACA (Ajax Coaching Academy) with the intention of sharing knowledge, setting up a variety of camps and clinics for both players and coaches.[36]

Stadiums
Main article: Stadiums of AFC Ajax
Het Houten Stadion, Ajax's first venue, c. 1917–18
Johan Cruyff Arena, Ajax home ground since 1996

Ajax's first stadium was built in 1911 out of wood and was called Het Houten Stadion ("The Wooden Stadium"). Ajax later played in the Olympic Stadium built for the 1928 Summer Olympics hosted in Amsterdam. This stadium, designed by Jan Wils, is known as the Olympic Stadium. In 1934, Ajax moved to De Meer Stadion in east Amsterdam, designed by architect and Ajax-member Daan Roodenburgh, who had also designed the club's first stadium. It could accommodate 29,500 spectators and Ajax continued to play there until 1996. For big European and national fixtures the club would often play at the Olympic Stadium, which could accommodate about twice the number of spectators.

In 1996, Ajax moved to a new home ground in the southeast of the city known as the Amsterdam Arena, since 2018 known as the Johan Cruyff Arena. This stadium was built by the Amsterdam city authority at a cost of $134 million. The stadium is capable of holding approximately 54,990 spectators. The average attendance in 2006–07 was 48,610, rising in the next season to 49,128. The Arena has a retractable roof and set a trend for other modern stadiums built in Europe in the following years. In the Netherlands, the Arena has earned a reputation for a terrible grass pitch caused by the removable roof that, even when open, takes away too much sunlight and fresh air. During the 2008–09 season, ground staff introduced an artificial lighting system that has finally reduced this problem considerably.

The much-loved De Meer Stadion was torn down and the land was sold to the city council. A residential neighbourhood now occupies the area. The only thing left of the old stadium are the letters "AJAX", which nowadays is in place on the façade of the youth training grounds De Toekomst, near the Johan Cruyff Arena.

Crest and colours

Crest

In 1900, when the club was founded, the emblem of Ajax was just a picture of an Ajax player. The crest was slightly altered following the club's promotion to the top division in 1911 to match the club's new outfits. In 1928, the club logo was introduced with the head of the Greek hero Ajax. The logo was once again changed in 1990 into an abstract version of the previous one. The new logo still sports the portrait of Ajax, but drawn with just 11 lines, symbolizing the 11 players of a football team.[37]

Colours

Ajax originally played in an all-black uniform with a red sash tied around the players' waists, but that uniform was soon replaced by a red/white striped shirt and black shorts. Red, black and white are the three colours of the flag of Amsterdam. When under manager Jack Kirwan, however, the club earned promotion to the top flight of Dutch football for the first time in 1911 (then the Eerste Klasse or 'First Class', later named the Eredivisie), Ajax were forced to change their colours because Sparta Rotterdam already had exactly the same outfit. Special kits for away fixtures did not exist at the time and according to football association regulations the newcomers had to change their colours if two teams in the same league had identical uniforms. Ajax opted for white shorts and white shirt with a broad, vertical red stripe over chest and back, which still is Ajax's outfit.

Financial

AFC Ajax N.V.
Main article: AFC Ajax N.V.

AFC Ajax are the only Dutch club with an Initial public offering (IPO). The club is registered as a Naamloze vennootschap (N.V.) listed on the stock exchange Euronext Amsterdam, since 17 May 1998. With a launch price of ƒ25,- (Guilders) the club managed to a bring their total revenue up to €54 million (converted) in their first year on the market.[38] After short-lived success, however, the rate dropped, at one point as low as €3.50. Criticism was brought forth that the legal grid for a naamloze vennootschap would not be suitable for a Football club, and that the sports related ambitions would suffer from the new commercial interests of the now listed Ajax. Shares of the company in the year 2008 were valued at approximately €5.90 per share.[39]

In 2008, a Commission under guidance of honorary member Uri Coronel concluded that the IPO was of no value to the club, and that measures should be taken to exit the stock exchange by purchasing back all public shares.[40] Ajax remain on the stock exchange.[41]

Sponsorship
2011 AFC Ajax team wearing their home kit by adidas with the AEGON sponsor across the chest, ahead of their UEFA Champions League match against Olympique Lyonnais.

Ajax's shirts have been sponsored by TDK from 1982 to 1991, and by ABN AMRO from 1991 to 2008. AEGON then replaced ABN AMRO as the new head sponsor for a period of seven years.[42] On 1 April 2007, Ajax wore a different sponsor for the match against Heracles Almelo, Florius. Florius is a banking programme launched by ABN AMRO who wanted it to be the shirt sponsor for one match.

The shirts have been manufactured by Le Coq Sportif (1973–1977), Puma (1977–1979),[43] Cor du Buy (1979-1980), Le Coq Sportif (1980–1984),[44] Kappa (1985–1989)[45] and Umbro (1989–2000) in the past, and by Adidas since 2000 (until at least 2025).[46][47]

At the conclusion of the 2013–14 season, Ajax won the Football shirt of the Year award for their black and rose colored away shirt by Adidas. The annual award was presented by Subside Sports, which had previously given the award to Internazionale, Juventus and the Belgium national team. It was Ajax's first time winning the award.[48]

On 7 November 2014, it was announced that Ajax had agreed to a four-and-a-half-year contract worth €8 million annually with Dutch cable operating company Ziggo as the new shirt sponsor for the club.[49] Having extended their contract with AEGON for half a season until December, the club featured Fonds Gehandicaptensport, a charitable fund for handicapped sports on its away shirts for a six-month period before transitioning to Ziggo in 2015.[50]

Kit suppliers and shirt sponsors

Kit deals
This list is incomplete; you can help by adding missing items with reliable sources.
Kit SupplierPeriodContract
announcement		Contract
duration		ValueNotes
Adidas
2000–present[51]
13 July 2018[51]
 1 July 2019 – 30 June 2025[51] €50 million for six years[52]

Other teams

Reserves team
Main article: Jong Ajax

Jong Ajax (formerly more commonly known as Ajax 2) is the reserve team of AFC Ajax. The team is composed mostly of professional footballers, who are often recent graduates from the highest youth level (Ajax A1) serving their first professional contract as a reserve, or players who are otherwise unable to play in the first team.[53]

Since 1992, Jong Ajax competed in the Beloften Eredivisie, competing against other reserve teams such as Jong PSV, Jong FC Groningen or Jong AZ. They have won the Beloften Eredivisie title a record eight times, as well as the KNVB Reserve Cup three times, making them the most successful reserve squad in the Netherlands. By winning the Beloften Eredivisie title, Jong Ajax were able to qualify for the actual KNVB Cup, even advancing to the semi-finals on three occasions. Their best result in the Dutch Cup was under manager Jan Olde Riekerink in 2001–02, when a semi-final loss to Utrecht in a Penalty shoot-out after extra time, which saw Utrecht advance, and thus preventing an Ajax–Jong Ajax Dutch Cup final.[54]

The 2013–14 season marked the Jupiler League debut of the Ajax reserves' squad, Jong Ajax.[55] Previously playing in the Beloften Eredivisie (a separate league for reserve teams, not included in the Dutch professional or amateur league structure), players were allowed to move around freely between the reserve team and the first team during the season.[56] This is no longer the case as Jong Ajax now registers and fields a separate squad from that of Ajax first team for the Eerste Divisie, the second tier of professional football in the Netherlands. Their home matches are played at Sportpark De Toekomst, except for the occasional match in the Johan Cruyff Arena. Now regarded a semi-professional team in their own respect, the only period in which players are able to move between squads are during the transfer windows, unless the player has made less than 15 appearances for the first team, then he is still eligible to appear in both first team and second team matches during the season.[57] Furthermore, the team is not eligible for promotion to the Eredivisie or to participate in the KNVB Cup. Jong Ajax were joined in the Eerste Divisie by Jong Twente and Jong PSV, reserve teams who have also moved from the Beloften Eredivisie to the Eerste Divisie, in place of VV Katwijk, SC Veendam and AGOVV Apeldoorn, increasing the total number of teams in the Jupiler League from 18 to 20.[58]

Ajax reserve squad Jong Ajax left the Beloften Eredivisie in 2013, having held a 21-year tenure in the reserves league, having also won the league title a record eight times (1994, 1996, 1998, 2001, 2002, 2004, 2005, 2009).[59]

Amateur team
Main article: AFC Ajax (amateurs)

AFC Ajax Amateurs, better known as Ajax Zaterdag, is a Dutch amateur football club founded 18 March 1900. It is the amateur team of the professional club AFC Ajax, who play their home matches at the Sportpark De Toekomst training grounds to a capacity of 5,000. The team was promoted from the Eerste Klasse to the Hoofdklasse ahead of the 2011–12 season, the league in which they are currently competing. The team has won the Eerste Klasse title twice, as well as the *KNVB District Cup West I on two occasions as well.[60]

Furthermore, Ajax Zaterdag have also managed to qualify for the KNVB Cup on their own accord on three occasions, namely in 2004, 2005 and in 2008, even advancing to the second round before bowing out to Vitesse on 24 September 2008 during their last appearance in the cup tournament.

Women's team
Main article: AFC Ajax (women)

AFC Ajax Vrouwen (English: AFC Ajax Women) are the women's team of AFC Ajax, competing in the women's eredivisie, the highest level of women's football in the Netherlands. Founded on 18 May 2012, the women's team saw Ajax attracting many of the Netherlands top talents, with International players such as Anouk Hoogendijk, Daphne Koster and Petra Hogewoning joining the Amsterdam club in its maiden season in women's professional football.[61] The team won their first piece of silverware when the defeated PSV/FC Eindhoven 2–1 in the final of the KNVB Women's Cup.

Other sports

Baseball
Main article: Ajax HVA

Ajax HVA (1922–1972) was the baseball team of AFC Ajax founded in 1922, and competed as founding members of the Honkbal Hoofdklasse, the top flight of professional baseball in the Netherlands.[62] Ajax won the national baseball title a total of four times (1924, 1928, 1942, 1948) before the club opted to no longer field a baseball team, and to focus solely on football in 1972.[63] Ajax spent a total of 50 years at the top flight of Baseball in the Netherlands from 1922 to 1972. The dissolution of Ajax baseball club resulted in the players finding a new sponsor in a mustard manufacturing company called Luycks, while merging with the Diemen Giants to become the Luycks Giants, thus replacing both former clubs.[64]

eSports
Main article: AFC Ajax eSports

In 2016, Ajax launched an eSports team, with Koen Weijland as the club's first signing, making their debut on the Global stage of professional gaming. They have since signed the likes of Dani Hagebeuk, Lev Vinken, Joey Calabro and Bob van Uden, the latter spent his first season on loan to the eSports team of Japanese club Sagan Tosu.[65][66][67][68]

Affiliated clubs
Main article: List of AFC Ajax affiliated clubs

The following clubs are currently affiliated with AFC Ajax:

The following clubs were affiliated with AFC Ajax in the past:

Rivalries

As one of the traditional big three clubs in the Netherlands, Ajax have amassed a number of intense rivalries over the years. Listed below are the most significant of the rivalries involving Ajax.

Rivalry with Feyenoord
Main article: De Klassieker

Feyenoord from Rotterdam are Ajax's archrivals. Every year both clubs play the De Klassieker ("The Classic"), a match between the teams from the two largest cities of the Netherlands.[88] During the 1970s, Ajax and Feyenoord were the only two clubs in the Netherlands who were able to clinch national titles, as well as achieve continental and even global success.[89] A meeting between the two clubs became the measure for who was truly the best club in the Netherlands. The Klassieker is the most famous of all the rivalries in the Netherlands and the matches are always sold out.[90] The fixture is seen in the public eye as "the graceful and elegant football of Ajax, against the indomitable fighting spirit of Feyenoord"; the confidence of the capital city versus the blue collar mentality of Rotterdam.[91] Matches are known for their tension and violence, both on and off the pitch. Over the years, several violent incidents have taken place involving rival supporters, leading to the current prohibition of away supporters in both stadiums.[92] The lowest point was reached on 23 March 1997, when supporters of both clubs met on a field near Beverwijk, where Ajax-supporter Carlo Picornie was fatally injured, the incident is commonly referred to as the "Battle of Beverwijk".[93]

Rivalry with PSV
Main article: AFC Ajax–PSV Eindhoven rivalry

PSV are also a rival of Ajax, but in terms of tension and rivalry, these matches are not as loaded as the duels with Feyenoord. The rivalry has existed for some time with PSV and stems from various causes, such as the different interpretations of whether current national and international successes of both clubs correlates and the supposed opposition between the Randstad and the province. The matches between these two teams is commonly referred to as "De Topper" ("The Topper"), and involves the two most trophy-laden sides in Dutch football and is essentially a clash of two competing schools of thought in Dutch football. Historically, PSV compete with a workmanlike ethic, preferring a more robust 4–3–1–2 or 4–2–3–1, typically shunning the frivolous 4–3–3 approach favoured in Amsterdam. While Rinus Michels and Johan Cruyff helped to innovate Total Football in the sixties and seventies, a different philosophy was honed in Eindhoven by Kees Rijvers and Guus Hiddink in the late 1970s and '80s.[94] This in turn has created one of the more philosophical rivalries in football, an ideological battleground, which is gradually becoming as heated and intense as the matches Ajax and Feyenoord partake in.[95]

Rivalries with other clubs
Main article: Amsterdam derby

Aside from Feyenoord and PSV, Ajax have several other rivalries, although in most cases the sentiment is mostly felt by the opposition and is more directed towards Ajax, with one of them being Utrecht.[96] Although the rivalry is more felt on the Utrecht side then with Ajax, matchups between the two sides are often quite intense.[97] Both teams have fanatic supporters, and clashes off the pitch are more often the rule than the exception. The same goes for ADO Den Haag, with both supporter groups often getting in conflicts, when ADO-Hooligans set fire to the supporters home of Ajax, and Ajax hooligans subsequently broke into the Supporters home of ADO tensions between the two clubs rose. In 2006, supporters from both clubs were banned from attending away matches for five years due to frequent violent outbreaks and clashes.[98]

Further teams who share a rivalry with Ajax include Twente, Vitesse Arnhem, Groningen and AZ, although the latter is often regarded by Ajax supporters as the club's "little brother".[99] With AZ being from nearby Alkmaar and therefore situated in the same province as Ajax, match-ups between the two sides are commonly known as the "De Noord-Hollandse Derby" ("North Holland Derby") and are often very competitive, intense and loaded fixtures.[100]

Past rivalries include local Amsterdam derbies between Ajax and clubs such as Blauw-Wit, DWS and De Volewijckers (which later merged to become FC Amsterdam in 1972).[101] However, the tension between the local sides lessened as the division of the clubs through playing in different leagues over time became greater. Years of not competing in the same league resulted in less frequent match-ups, until tensions finally settled between the Amsterdam clubs.[102] The last Amsterdam derby to take place in an official league match was when Ajax defeated FC Amsterdam 5–1 on 19 March 1978.[103]

Supporters
Main articles: A.F.C.A (hooligans), F-side, North Up Alliance, South Crew, and VAK410
Ajax supporters

Ajax are known for having fanatic core supporter-groups, of which F-Side and VAK410 are the most famous. F-Side were founded on 3 October 1976, and are situated right behind the goal in the Johan Cruyff Arena, on the southern end of the stadium in rows 125–129. Their name is derived from the group's former location on the F-side of the old De Meer Stadion.[104] The F-side supporters are responsible for a big part of the atmosphere in the stadium, but are also known for rioting during and after matches. If in any match Ajax should win the coin toss, the second half of the match Ajax always play towards the south-end of the stadium.[105] VAK410 (English: Row 410) were founded in 2001 and are situated in the Zuidhoek (South corner) of the stadium on the upper ring in rows 424–425. The group was originally situated on the North-West side of the stadium in row 410, from where it derives its name, until relocating to their current place in the stands in 2008.[106] Members of VAK410 are known to perform various stunts, which include massive banners, to enhance the atmosphere in the stadium. Neither F-Side or VAK410 have seats in their sections of the stadium, and both groups stand for the duration of the match.[107]

Through the official Football Top 20 of Dutch sports research group SPORT+MARKT, it was revealed in 2010 that Ajax had approximately 7.1 million supporters throughout Europe.[108] This is significantly more than rivals Feyenoord and PSV (each 1.6 and 1.3 million, respectively), which puts Ajax as the club with the 15th-most supporters across Europe. The study also revealed that approximately 39% of the Netherlands were Ajax supporters.[109] Not only does Ajax have many supporters, but several fans attend their matches in European competition, with an average attendance of 48,677 spectators for every international match Ajax played, putting the team at 12th place in Europe for highest attendance, ahead of high-profile clubs such as Milan and Chelsea. It is noteworthy that not all stadiums share the capacity of the Johan Cruyff Arena.[110]

Supporters clubs
Main articles: AFCA Supportersclub, Ajax Business Associates, and Supportersvereniging Ajax
Ajax supporters celebrating the club's 30th Dutch national championship in 2011

The Supporters Club Ajax (Dutch: Supportersvereniging Ajax) is officially the largest supporters club in the Netherlands with 94,000 members.[111] Founded on 7 May 1992, the supporters club organize big monthly events throughout the Netherlands, and particularly around the official Ajax Open Training Day, which attracts thousands of supporters each year.[112] Furthermore, the supporters group is responsible for the Ajax Life website, as well as the fanzine which is issued 20 times a year.[113] In 2006, the AFCA Supportersclub was introduced as the club's second official supporters' association, through the merger of the Onafhankelijke Fanclub Ajax (OFA) and the Ajax Supporters Delegatie (ASD).[114] The AFCA Supportersclub has a reported 42,000 members, as well as a former member on the Board of Administration of Ajax, in Ronald Pieloor.[115]

The third official supporters club is the Ajax Business Associates (ABA). Founded in 1991 the ABA is the Business club of Ajax. Members occupy the skyboxes in the Stadium and can make use of the clubs' amenities and luxury suites including the ABA club and lounge.[116] The ABA is also responsible for hosting the annual Ajax Business Golf Trophy, an amateur golf tournament where several active and former Ajax players, as well as prominent people and members of the ABA, participate.[117]

Average attendance

This graph displays the average attendance for home matches of Ajax from 1988 to 2018, whereby the difference in capacity of the De Meer Stadion and the Johan Cruyff Arena (est. 1996) is clearly visible.

11926
16585
22382
18994
21488
22742
23600
21922
48069
48423
41275
40711
36347
35584
47571
48996
49353
46912
48562
49089
49014
48681
47316
50147
50490
50907
49403
49483
49620
49711
88/8989/9090/9191/9292/9393/9494/9595/9696/9797/9898/9999/0000/0101/0202/0303/0404/0505/0606/0707/0808/0909/1010/1111/1212/1313/1414/1515/1616/1717/18

Jewish connection
Supporters with Israeli flags in 2008

Historically, Ajax was popularly seen as having "Jewish roots". Although not an official Jewish club like the city's WV-HEDW, Ajax has had a Jewish image since the 1930s when the home stadium was located next to a Jewish neighbourhood of Amsterdam-Oost and opponents saw many supporters walking through the Nieuwmarkt/Waterloopleinbuurt (de Jodenhoek—the "Jews' corner") to get to the stadium.[118] The city of Amsterdam was historically referred to as a Mokum city, Mokum (מקום) being the Yiddish word for "place" or "safe haven",[119] and as anti-Semitic chants and name calling developed and intensified at the old De Meer Stadion from frustrated supporters of opposing clubs, Ajax fans (few of whom are actually Jewish[120]) responded by embracing Ajax's "Jewish" identity: calling themselves "super Jews", chanting "Jews, Jews" ("Joden, Joden") at games, and adopting Jewish symbols such as the Star of David and the Israeli flag.[120][121]

This Jewish imagery eventually became a central part of Ajax fans' culture.[121] At one point ringtones of "Hava Nagila", a Hebrew folk song, could be downloaded from the club's official website.[120] Beginning in the 1980s, fans of Ajax's rivals escalated their antisemitic rhetoric, chanting slogans like "Hamas, Hamas/Jews to the gas" ("Hamas, hamas, joden aan het gas"), hissing to imitate the flow of gas, giving Nazi salutes, and other things.[120][122] The eventual result was that many (genuinely) Jewish Ajax fans stopped going to games.[120]

In the 2000s, the club began trying to persuade fans to drop their Jewish image.[123] In 2013, a documentary titled Superjews was released by NTR and Viewpoint Productions which premiered at the International Documentary Film Festival Amsterdam (IDFA). The film was directed by Nirit Peled, an Israeli living in Amsterdam, and an independent film maker who offers a very personal view into the game, the lore of Ajax and its relation to Judaism from both the supporters as well as from a Jewish perspective.[124]

Players

Current squad
As of 1 February 2021[125]

Note: Flags indicate national team as defined under FIFA eligibility rules. Players may hold more than one non-FIFA nationality.

No. Pos. Nation Player
1 GK  NED Maarten Stekelenburg
2 DF  NED Jurriën Timber
3 DF  NED Perr Schuurs
4 MF  MEX Edson Álvarez
5 DF  NED Sean Klaiber
6 MF  NED Davy Klaassen
7 FW  BRA David Neres
8 MF  NED Ryan Gravenberch
9 FW  MAR Oussama Idrissi (on loan from Sevilla)
10 FW  SRB Dušan Tadić (captain)
11 MF  NED Quincy Promes
12 DF  MAR Noussair Mazraoui
15 DF  NED Devyne Rensch
16 GK  NED Kjell Scherpen
No. Pos. Nation Player
17 DF  NED Daley Blind (vice-captain)
18 MF  NED Jurgen Ekkelenkamp
19 FW  MAR Zakaria Labyad
20 MF  GHA Mohammed Kudus
21 MF  ARG Lisandro Martínez
22 FW  CIV Sébastien Haller
23 FW  BFA Lassina Traoré
24 GK  CMR André Onana
25 MF  NED Kenneth Taylor
30 FW  NED Brian Brobbey
31 DF  ARG Nicolás Tagliafico (3rd captain)
33 GK  CRO Dominik Kotarski
39 FW  BRA Antony

Players out on loan

Note: Flags indicate national team as defined under FIFA eligibility rules. Players may hold more than one non-FIFA nationality.

No. Pos. Nation Player
— MF  NED Carel Eiting (at Huddersfield Town until 30 June 2021)
26 MF  DEN Victor Jensen (at FC Nordsjælland until 30 June 2021)
47 FW  BRA Danilo (at FC Twente until 30 June 2021)
No. Pos. Nation Player
— DF  NED Kik Pierie (at FC Twente until 30 June 2021)
— DF  ARG Lisandro Magallán (at FC Crotone until 30 June 2021)

Players out on loan with a mandatory option to buy

Note: Flags indicate national team as defined under FIFA eligibility rules. Players may hold more than one non-FIFA nationality.

No. Pos. Nation Player
27 FW  NED Noa Lang (at Club Brugge until 30 June 2021)
No. Pos. Nation Player
— MF  ROU Răzvan Marin (at Cagliari Calcio until 30 June 2021)

Retired numbers
Main article: List of retired numbers in association football
The iconic number 14, retired in 2007 to honor Johan Cruyff
  • 14 – Johan Cruyff (Forward, 1964–73, 1981–83). Number retired on 25 April 2007 at Cruyff's 60th birthday celebration match.[126]
  • 34 – Abdelhak Nouri (Midfielder, 2015–2017). Retired because Abdelhak Nouri suffered extreme cardiac arrhythmia in a friendly match against Werder Bremen, his shirt number was therefore afterwards retired because of this.

Mascot

Youth/reserves squad

For the reserve squad of Ajax see: Jong Ajax.

Notable former players
Main article: List of AFC Ajax players

Board and staff

Current board
Executive Board
  • Chairman: Frank Eijken
    • Board members: 6 – ( Jan Buskermolen, Ruud Haarms, Wendy Nagel, Cees van Oevelen, Maarten Oldenhof and Dick Schoenaker)
Frank de Boer led the club to four consecutive national titles during his tenure as coach (2010–2016)
Board of directors
Supervisory Board
Edwin van der Sar became the general director for Ajax in 2016

Current staff
Coaching staff
Medical staff
  • Team doctor: Bas Peijs
  • Team doctor: Don de Winter
  • Physiotherapist: Ralph van der Horst
  • Physiotherapist: Pim van Dord
  • Physiotherapist: Frank van Deursen
  • Fitness coach / Recovery trainer: Björn Rekelhof
Accompanying staff
  • Team manager: Tjerk Smeets
  • Players supervisor: Herman Pinkster
  • Performance coach: Alessandro Schoenmakers
  • Press officer: Miel Brinkhuis

List of Ajax chairmen

List of Ajax coaches

Honours
Main article: List of AFC Ajax honours

National
  • Netherlands Football League Championship / Eredivisie: 34
1917–18, 1918–19, 1930–31, 1931–32, 1933–34, 1936–37, 1938–39, 1946–47, 1956–57, 1959–60, 1965–66, 1966–67, 1967–68, 1969–70, 1971–72, 1972–73, 1976–77, 1978–79, 1979–80, 1981–82, 1982–83, 1984–85, 1989–90, 1993–94, 1994–95, 1995–96, 1997–98, 2001–02, 2003–04, 2010–11, 2011–12, 2012–13, 2013–14, 2018–19
1916–17, 1942–43, 1960–61, 1966–67, 1969–70, 1970–71, 1971–72, 1978–79, 1982–83, 1985–86, 1986–87, 1992–93, 1997–98, 1998–99, 2001–02, 2005–06, 2006–07, 2009–10, 2018–19
1993, 1994, 1995, 2002, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2013, 2019

International
Several of Ajax' international trophies
1970–71, 1971–72, 1972–73, 1994–95[128]
1986–87[128]
1991–92[128]
1973, 1995[6][129] *(Ajax also won in 1972, however, UEFA only sanctioned the UEFA Super Cup for the first time in 1973 so the 1972 edition was an unofficial one. Played against Rangers, winners of the 1971–72 European Cup Winners' Cup, it actually went ahead as 'a celebration of the Centenary of Rangers F.C.' (See below) because Rangers were serving a one-year ban at the time imposed by UEFA for the misbehaviour of their fans. That victory meant Ajax had won every tournament (5 in total) they entered that year, a feat Celtic achieved in 1967 (with 6 trophies) and Barcelona (also 6 trophies) repeated in 2009)
1972[129]
1972, 1995[128]
  • Karl Rappan Cup: 1
1962[8]

Other trophies

Ajax have won numerous friendly tournaments, unsanctioned by UEFA or FIFA, including the Amsterdam Tournament, Bruges Matins Trophy, Trofeo Santiago Bernabéu, Eusébio Cup, Ted Bates Trophy, Jalkapalloturnaus and Chippie Polar Cup. (For a complete list, see main article)

Club Awards
1995
1969, 1971, 1972, 1973
  • Dutch Sports Team of the Year : 5
1968, 1969, 1972, 1987, 1995[130]
  • Sports Team of the Year : 1
1990
  • Dick van Rijn Trophy : 1
1995
2011, 2013, 2014[131]
  • ING Fair Play Award : 2
2013, 2014[132][133]
  • Fair Play Cup : 1
1995
20th Century
20th Century
  • Best Dutch club after 50 years of professional football : 1
2004[134]
  • Football shirt of the Year : Ajax away shirt by adidas
2013–14[135]
  • The Four-Four-Two Greatest Club Side Ever : Ajax (1965–1973)
2013[136]
  • VVCS Best Pitch of the Year : 1
2012

Honorary club members

Ajax have a total of 45 honorary club members, from people who have been invested within the club's administrative engagements, to committed players who have excelled in the athletic department. Of those 45 members 40 have since died. Five members still remain, having been reduced from eight members after Piet Keizer renounced his membership, seven after the passing of Johan Cruyff and six after the passing of Uri Coronel.[137]

The remaining 40 honorary members who have since died:[138]

Results

Domestic results

Below is a table with Ajax's domestic results since the introduction of the Eredivisie in 1956.

Continental results
Main article: AFC Ajax in European football

Team records
Main article: List of AFC Ajax records and statistics

Club van 100
Main article: Club van 100 (AFC Ajax)

The Club van 100 is the official list of Football players who have appeared in one hundred or more official matches for AFC Ajax. The club currently has a total of over 150 members.[139] The record for league appearances is held by Mr. Ajax himself Sjaak Swart, who appeared in 463 league matches for Ajax.[140] There is a beneficiary team called Lucky Ajax, which was initiated by Sjaak Swart. Lucky Ajax participate in at least one match a year, usually in the name of charity, and commonly at football ceremonies to bid farewell to retiring players. One of the prerequisites for playing on Lucky Ajax, which is invitational only, is that you are a member of the Club van 100, having made at least 100 official match appearances for Ajax in the first team of the club.[141]

Lucky Ajax

Lucky Ajax are a beneficiary team that was initiated by Sjaak Swart in the seventies, competing in at least one match a year, usually in the name of charity and/or to bid farewell to retiring former Ajax players. The team is made up of various members of the Club van 100 of Ajax who will come out of retirement for this match to face the Ajax squad that is current of that year.[142] Past participants have included Barry Hulshoff, Sonny Silooy, Simon Tahamata, Ronald Koeman, Tscheu La Ling, Gerrie Mühren, John van 't Schip, Brian Roy, Stanley Menzo, Peter van Vossen and Fred Grim.[143] The name Lucky Ajax is derived from the famous "Lucky Ajax" nickname from how people used to refer to the club when Ajax would either win a match by chance, by a decision of a referee, or by coincidence such as was said to be the case during the infamous Mistwedstrijd ("Fog Match").[144]

Number 14 shirt
Main article: list of retired numbers in association football

As of the 2007–08 season, no player could wear the number 14 shirt at Ajax after the club decided to retire the shirt out of respect for Johan Cruyff,[145] "the legendary number fourteen".[146] Cruyff himself laughed off the tribute, saying the club had to let its best player play with number 14.[147] Spanish midfielder Roger was the last player to wear the number. Marvin Zeegelaar wore the shirt number In preparation for the 2011–12 season in one preseason match, while Aras Özbiliz wore the number 14 shirt in one pre-season match ahead of the 2011–12 season as well. The club stated that this was, in fact, not done in error.[148]

Below is a list of all players to wear the number 14 shirt since Johan Cruyff's departure.[149]

From 1983–1997, reserves no longer received permanent shirt numbers.

Former captains
Dates Name
1970–1971 Velibor Vasović
1971–1972 Piet Keizer
1972–1973 Johan Cruyff
1973–1974 Piet Keizer
1974–1980 Ruud Krol
1980–1981 Frank Arnesen
1981–1983 Soren Lerby
1983–1985 Dick Schoenaker
1985–1985 Frank Rijkaard
1986–1987 Marco van Basten
1987–1992 John van't Schip
1992–1999 Danny Blind[150]
1999–2001 Tomáš Galásek[151]
2001–2003 Cristian Chivu[152]
2003–2004 Jari Litmanen[153]
2004 Rafael van der Vaart[154]
2004–2006 Tomáš Galásek[155]
2006 Julien Escudé[156]
2006–2007 Jaap Stam[157]
2008–2009 Klaas-Jan Huntelaar[158]
2009 Thomas Vermaelen[159]
2009–2011 Luis Suárez[160]
2011 Maarten Stekelenburg[161]
2011–2012 Jan Vertonghen[162]
2012–2014 Siem de Jong[163]
2014–2015 Niklas Moisander[164]
2015–2017 Davy Klaassen[165]
2017–2018 Joël Veltman[166]
2018–2019 Matthijs de Ligt[167]
2019– Dušan Tadić[168]

Team tournaments

Amsterdam Tournament
Main article: Amsterdam Tournament

Established in 1975 as the Amsterdam 700 Tournament to celebrate 700 years of history in the city.[169] The tournament was hosted annually each summer by Ajax until 1992, when the last edition of the original tournament was played. It returned in 1999 with the backing of the International Event Partnership (IEP).[170] Four teams participated in the competition, played in a league format since 1986.[169] Since its return,[171] the tournament used an unusual point scoring system. As with most league competitions, three points were awarded for a win, one for a draw, and none for a loss. An additional point, however, was awarded for each goal scored.[172] The system was designed to reward teams that adopted a more attacking style of play.[173] Each entrant played two matches, with the winner being the club that finished at the top of the table.[174] The original competition was held at De Meer Stadion, Ajax's home between 1934 and 1996.[175] The Amsterdam Arena (now Johan Cruyff Arena) played host to the event since its return until the last edition was played in 2009. Ajax is the most successful team of the tournament, having won it a record ten times, while Benfica from Portugal were the last team to win the tournament, in 2009.

Copa Amsterdam
Main article: Copa Amsterdam

Established in 2005, the Copa Amsterdam is an international friendly football tournament for Under-19 youth teams, that is organized by Ajax and the Amsterdam city council, which takes place at the Olympic Stadium as part of the annual Amsterdam Sports Weekend, a citywide sponsored initiative to promote 'sports and recreation' within the city of Amsterdam.[176] Each Summer the city of Amsterdam and Ajax invite U-19 teams from various top clubs from around the World to participate in the tournament. Seven teams are invited and play in the competition every year. Over the years, clubs such as Barcelona, Juventus, Chelsea and Real Madrid have had their senior youth teams participate in the tournament.[177] Cruzeiro from Brazil are the most successful club in the history of the tournament, having won it three times in total.

Future Cup
Main article: Future Cup

Established in 2010, the AEGON Future Cup is an international friendly tournament for Under-17 youth teams, which is organized by AFC Ajax and their main sponsor, the insurance company AEGON. The tournament is held each year at the Johan Cruyff Arena and at the Sportpark De Toekomst, the team's training ground, which also inspired the name of the competition, since De Toekomst in Dutch means The Future.[178] Every year during the Easter weekend, six U-17 teams are invited to participate in the competition, while the seventh place for the contesters is reserved for the winners of the "Craques Mongeral AEGON Future Cup" in Brazil, the sister competition of the tournament in South America.[179] Youth teams from top clubs such as Manchester United, Bayern Munich, Milan and many more have participated in the competition over the years.[180] Ajax are the most successful club of the tournament, having won the trophy a total of five times.

See also

Bibliography
  • (in Dutch) David Endt, De godenzonen van Ajax, Rap, Amsterdam, 1993, ISBN 90-6005-463-6
  • (in Dutch) Jan Baltus Kok, Naar Ajax. Mobiliteitspatronen van bezoekers bij vier thuiswedstrijden van Ajax, University of Amsterdam, Amsterdam, 1992, ISSN 0922-5625
  • Simon Kuper, Ajax, The Dutch, The War. Football in Europe during the Second World War, Orion Books, London (Translation of: Ajax, de Joden en Nederland ("Ajax, the Jews, The Netherlands)",[181] 2003, ISBN 0-7528-4274-9
  • (in Dutch) Evert Vermeer, 95 jaar Ajax. 1900–1995, Luitingh-Sijthoff, Amsterdam, 1996, ISBN 90-245-2364-8

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