Big Three (Netherlands)

For the other groups of entities known as "Big Three" or "The Big Three", see Big Three (disambiguation).

Ajax, Johan Cruyff Arena

Feyenoord, De Kuip

PSV, Philips Stadion

In Dutch sports, The Big Three (Dutch : De Grote Drie) (or The (Traditional) Top Three (Dutch : De (Traditionele) Topdrie)) or The Three Top Clubs (Dutch : De drie Topclubs)) are the nicknames for the three most successful rivalling football clubs in the Netherlands: Ajax from Amsterdam, Feyenoord from Rotterdam and PSV from Eindhoven. ^[1] Collectively they amounted to 78 of the 135 Dutch Football Championships ever played (as of 2025), and 63 of a possible 69 championships since the introduction of the national Eredivisie in 1956 (as of 2025). The three clubs generally end up sharing the top three positions and contending for the title.

None of the three clubs have been relegated from the Eredivisie either, having been participants in all editions since Dutch football was merged into a single top-level competition in the 1956–57 season. ^{[2] [3]} The only other team not having relegated from the Eredivisie is FC Utrecht, which inherited the place from DOS in the highest Dutch league after the merger of DOS, Velox, and USV Elinkwijk per July 1970. ^[4]

Ajax

Feyenoord

PSV

class=notpageimage|

Location of the three clubs in the Netherlands

Champions outside Big Three

Several other clubs outside the "Big Three" have won the Dutch league, with HVV Den Haag having the fourth most national titles behind the "Big Three" in the Netherlands with 10 in total; however, the last time they clinched the national title was in 1914. ^[5]

After the Eredivisie was established in 1956, the only other champions, outside the “Big Three” clubs, were AZ Alkmaar (twice: 1981 and 2009), DOS (1958), Sparta Rotterdam (1959), DWS (1964) and FC Twente (2010). ^[6]

International successes

Ajax, PSV and Feyenoord are the only Dutch clubs which have won European and international competitions.

Feyenoord won the European Cup in 1970 and the UEFA Cup in 1974 and 2002, as well as the Intercontinental Cup in 1970. The club lost the final of the 2021-22 UEFA Europa Conference League.

Ajax won the European Cup three consecutive times in 1971, 1972 and 1973, and a fourth time after it was rebranded to the UEFA Champions League in 1995. Ajax also won the UEFA Cup in 1992, the UEFA Cup Winners' Cup in 1987, the Intercontinental Cup of 1972 and 1995, as well as the European Super Cup of 1972, 1973 and 1995. The club lost the European Cup final in 1969, the UEFA Cup Winners' Cup final in 1988, and the UEFA Europa League final in 2017.

PSV won the European Cup of 1988 and the UEFA Cup in 1978.

Besides the “Big Three”, FC Twente and AZ Alkmaar also played in UEFA Cup finals, in 1975 and 1981. They were both runners-up to Borussia Mönchengladbach and Ipswich Town, respectively.

Trophies

Team	Major national				International
	ED	KB	JCS	National total	CL	CWC	EL	UECL	USC	IC	International total	Grand total
Ajax	36	20	9	65	4	1	1	–	2	2	10	75
PSV Eindhoven	26	11	15	52	1	–	1	–	–	–	2	54
Feyenoord	16	14	5	35	1	–	2	–	–	1	4	39

Last updated following the 2025 Johan Cruyff Shield.

Footballers who have played for all three clubs

• Ruud Geels (Feyenoord 1966–1970, Ajax 1974–1978, PSV 1981–1982) ^[7]
• Ronald Koeman (Ajax 1983–1986, PSV 1986–1989, Feyenoord 1995–1997) ^[8]

Managers who have managed all three clubs

• Hans Kraay Sr. (Ajax 1974–1975, Feyenoord 1982–1983, PSV 1986–1987) ^[9]
• Ronald Koeman (Ajax 2001–2005, PSV 2006–2007, Feyenoord 2011–2014) ^[10]

Miscellaneous

• Jaap Stam (PSV: player 1996–1998 ^[11] ; Ajax: player 2006–2007 ^[12] ; Feyenoord: manager 2019 ^[13] ) ^[14]
• Peter Bosz (Feyenoord: player 1990–1996, director 2006–2009; Ajax: manager 2016–2017; PSV: manager 2023–present) ^[15]

See also

• Big Three (Belgium)
• Big Three (Greece)
• Big Three (Portugal)
• Big Three (Turkey)
• Big Three (Sweden)

References

1. Goldblatt, David (2009). "Dutch Clubs: The Big Three". The Football Book. London: Dorling Kindersley. pp. 180–181. ISBN   9781405337380.
2. "Groningen en Cambuur degraderen: deze clubs degradeerden nooit uit de Eredivisie". voetbalnieuws.nl (in Dutch). 8 May 2023. Retrieved 28 December 2025.
3. "FC Groningen niet alleen: meer historische clubs in de problemen". voetbalplus.nl (in Dutch). 4 April 2023. Retrieved 28 December 2025.
4. "Historie FC Utrecht". vi.nl (in Dutch). 28 August 2007. Retrieved 29 December 2025.
5. "HVV: De vierde Nederlandse club met een ster op het shirt". KNVB.nl (in Dutch). 9 December 2017. Retrieved 28 December 2025.
6. "Historie VriendenLoterij Eredivisie". KNVB.nl (in Dutch). Retrieved 28 December 2025.
7. "Oud-topspits Ruud Geels op 75-jarige leeftijd overleden" [Former top striker Ruud Geels dies at age 75]. NOS.nl (in Dutch). 18 November 2023. Retrieved 28 December 2025.
8. "Ronald Koeman". soccernews.nl (in Dutch). Retrieved 28 December 2025.
9. "Hans Kraay sr. (81) overleden" [Hans Kraay sr. (81) dies]. NOS.nl (in Dutch). 27 October 2017. Retrieved 28 December 2025.
10. "Ronald Koeman nieuwe bondscoach Nederlands elftal" [Ronald Koeman new manager Netherlands national team]. KNVB.nl (in Dutch). 6 February 2018. Retrieved 28 December 2025.
11. "Jaap Stam: 'Die kale schedel maakte indruk'". helden.media (in Dutch). 26 March 2019. Retrieved 28 December 2025.
12. "Jaap Stam bij Ajax". afc-ajax.info (in Dutch). Retrieved 28 December 2025.
13. "Stam stapt op bij Feyenoord: 'Beter voor iedereen'". ad.nl (in Dutch). 28 October 2019. Retrieved 29 December 2025.
14. "Jaap Stam - Profile". worldfootball.net. Retrieved 28 December 2025.
15. "Peter Bosz- Profile". worldfootball.net. Retrieved 28 December 2025.