AFC AJAX
Amsterdamsche Football Club Ajax also referred to as AFC Ajax, Ajax Amsterdam or simply Ajax (after the legendary Greek hero), is a Dutch professional football club based in Amsterdam. The club is historically one of the three clubs that dominate the Dutch national football league (Eredivisie), the others being PSV and Feyenoord.
Ajax is historically 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. 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 European treble by winning the Dutch Eredivisie, KNVB Cup, and the European Cup; to date, they are the only team to keep the European Cup and accomplish the European treble. Ajax's last international trophies were the 1995 Intercontinental Cup and the 1995 Champions League, where they defeated Milan in the final; they lost the 1996 Champions League final on penalties to Juventus.
They are also one of three teams to win the treble and the Intercontinental Cup in the same season/calendar year; This was achieved in the 1971–72 season. Ajax, Juventus and Bayern Munich are the three clubs to have won all three major UEFA club competitions. 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.Ajax plays at the Amsterdam Arena, which opened in 1996. They previously played at De Meer Stadion and the Amsterdam Olympic Stadium (for international matches)
Ajax was founded in Amsterdam on 18 March 1900. With five national championships (1931, 1932, 1934, 1937, 1939), Ajax was the most successful Dutch team of the nineteen thirties.
Ajax won the UEFA Champions League 1994-95 and the league title. The season saw an unbeaten run in the national league and the final season for Frank Rijkaard, while striker Patrick Kluivert came off the bench to score a late winner to beat AC Milan in the final of the Champions League. Ajax went on to beat Brazilian side Grêmio on penalties to win the Intercontinental Cup. The following season, Ajax lost to Juventus on penalties in the European Cup final.Managed by Louis van Gaal, Ajax won the 1992 UEFA Cup. Dennis Bergkamp scored six goals in the competition and was the top goalscorer in Dutch football in 1991 and 1992.
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. However, when, under manager Jack Kirwan, the club got promoted 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.
Ajax' first stadium was built in 1911 out of wood and was simply called "The Stadium". Ajax later played in the stadium built for the1928 Amsterdam Olympics. 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. The stadium 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.
This was built by the Amsterdam city authority at a cost of $134 million. The stadium is capable of holding approximately 52,000 people. 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 2008–2009 season groundstaff introduced an artificial lighting system that has finally reduced this problem considerably.
Ajax was founded in Amsterdam on 18 March 1900. With five national championships (1931, 1932, 1934, 1937, 1939), Ajax was the most successful Dutch team of the nineteen thirties.
In 1955, professional football was finally permitted in the Netherlands. Ajax achieved their first Eredivisie championship in 1957 and again in 1960.
The 1971 European Cup final saw Ajax beat Panathinaikos 2–0 with goals from Dick van Dijk and Arie Haan. Ajax completed the treble of European Cup, Dutch National Championship and the KNVB Cup in 1972 before adding the Intercontinental Cup. In 1973, Ajax won a third consecutive European Cup and another Dutch championship.
The departure of Johan Cruijff for FC Barcelona in 1973 signalled the end of this period of success. In 1977, Ajax won their first domestic championship since 1973. Johan Cruijff returned to the club in 1981, with the club producing some talented youngsters in the mid-1980s such as Marco van Basten and Frank Rijkaard.
Cruijff returned in 1985 as the new manager and Ajax ended the season with 120 goals, of which 37 were from van Basten. Ajax won the '87 Cup Winners Cup and reached the final again the following season. Cruijff departed prior to the second Cup Winners Cup final and with most of the 80's stars such as van Basten also leaving, Ajax once again declined.
Managed by Louis van Gaal, Ajax won the 1992 UEFA Cup. Dennis Bergkamp scored six goals in the competition and was the top goalscorer in Dutch football in 1991 and 1992.
Ajax won the UEFA Champions League 1994-95 and the league title. The season saw an unbeaten run in the national league and the final season for Frank Rijkaard, while striker Patrick Kluivert came off the bench to score a late winner to beat AC Milan in the final of the Champions League. Ajax went on to beat Brazilian side Grêmio on penalties to win the Intercontinental Cup. The following season, Ajax lost to Juventus on penalties in the European Cup final.
Feyenoord from Rotterdam are Ajax's arch rivals. Every year both clubs play the "Klassieker" ("The Classic"), a match between the teams from the two largest cities of the Netherlands. The 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.
PSV is also considered a rival, 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 and the supposed opposition between the Randstad and the province.
Ajax' first stadium was built in 1911 out of wood and was simply called "The Stadium". Ajax later played in the stadium built for the1928 Amsterdam Olympics. 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. The stadium 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
The much-loved De Meer stadium 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, nowadays in place on the façade of the youth training grounds De Toekomst near the Amsterdam Arena.
