Amsterdamsche Football Club Ajax, also known as AFC Ajax, Ajax Amsterdam, or commonly Ajax, is a Dutch professional football club based in Amsterdam, that plays in the Eredivisie, the top tier in Dutch football. Historically, Ajax is the most successful club in the Netherlands, with 36 Eredivisie titles and 20 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.
Johannes Jacobus Neeskens was a Dutch football manager and player. A midfielder, he was an important member of the Netherlands national team that finished as runners-up in the 1974 and 1978 FIFA World Cups and is considered one of the greatest midfielders of all time. In 2004, he was named one of the 125 Greatest Living Footballers at a FIFA Awards Ceremony, while in 2017 he was included in the FourFourTwo list of the 100 all-time greatest players, at the 64th position.
Marinus Jacobus Hendricus "Rinus" Michels was a Dutch football player and coach. He played his entire career for Ajax, which he later managed, and played for and later managed the Netherlands national team for four spells. Throughout his career, he played as a forward. He is regarded as one of the greatest managers of all time.
Rudolf Jozef "Ruud" Krol is a Dutch former professional footballer who was capped 83 times for the Netherlands national team. Most of his career he played for his home town club, Ajax. He became a coach after retirement. Regarded as one of the best defenders of all time, Krol mainly played as a sweeper or left-back, though he could play anywhere across the back line, or in midfield as a defensive midfielder, due to his range of passing with both feet, temperament, tactical intelligence, and his ability to start attacking plays after winning back the ball.
Petrus Johannes "Piet" Keizer was a Dutch professional footballer who played as a left winger.
Johan "Jan" Mulder is a Dutch former footballer, writer, columnist, and TV personality.
Arend "Arie" Haan is a Dutch football manager and former player who played as a midfielder. He scored 6 goals in 35 matches for the Netherlands national team of the 1970s. At club level, he enjoyed a successful career with AFC Ajax, R.S.C. Anderlecht, Standard Liège and PSV Eindhoven.
Antonis Antoniadis is a Greek former professional footballer who played as a striker. He scored 243 goals during his 22-years long career. He started his career in 1964 playing for Aspida Xanthi before moving to Panathinaikos on 31 July 1968. Antoniadis scored his first official goal for Panathinaikos on 27 October 1968 in a 1–0 victory over Apollon Athens. During his time at Xanthi, he was sometimes used as a goalkeeper because of his height. His nickname was "the Tall"(Greek: "Ο Ψηλός).
Pallacanestro Varese, also called by its current sponsor's name, the Openjobmetis Varese, is an Italian professional basketball club based in Varese, Lombardy. Founded in 1945, the team plays in the Italian first division LBA.
Horst Blankenburg is a German former professional footballer, who played as a sweeper. He is best known for the early 1970s period, during which he played for Ajax and won the European Cup three times, the European Super Cup twice, the Intercontinental Cup once (1972) and the Dutch championship and the KNVB Cup twice. In 1976, he won the German Cup and the European Cup Winners' Cup in 1977 with Hamburger SV. He was never selected for the West Germany national team.
Wilhelmus Lourens Johannes Suurbier was a Dutch professional footballer and among others assistant coach of the Albania national team. He played as a right back and was part of the Netherlands national team and AFC Ajax teams of the 1970s.
Matheus Wilhelmus Theodorus "Theo" Laseroms was a Dutch football defender who made a name for himself when he played for Feijenoord. He gained six caps for the Netherlands national team.
Gerardus ("Gerrie") Dominicus Hyacinthus Maria Mühren was a Dutch footballer who played as a midfielder. He was the older brother of Arnold Mühren, who likewise played for the Netherlands national team.
Dirk Wouter Johannes "Dick" van Dijk was a Dutch professional footballer who played as a forward for FC Twente and Ajax Amsterdam. He was a member of Ajax's European Cup victory in 1971. He earned seven caps for the Netherlands national football team.
Bernardus Adriaan "Barry" Hulshoff was a Dutch footballer who played for Ajax Amsterdam and was part of their European Cup victories in 1971, 1972 and 1973. He earned 14 caps for the Netherlands national football team.
Heinz Stuy is a Dutch former football goalkeeper who played for AFC Ajax and was part of their European Cup victories in 1971, 1972 and 1973.
The 1972 Intercontinental Cup was an association football tie held over two legs in September 1972 between the winners of the 1971–72 European Cup, Ajax, and the winners of the 1972 Copa Libertadores, Independiente.
In Dutch sports, The Big Three or The Three Top Clubs ) are the nicknames for the three most successful rivalling football clubs in the Netherlands: Ajax from Amsterdam, Feyenoord from Rotterdam and PSV from Eindhoven. Collectively they amounted to 77 of the 134 Dutch Football Championships ever played, and 62 of a possible 70 championships since the introduction of professional football in 1954. The three clubs generally end up sharing the top three positions and contending for the title. None of them 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.
HZC De Robben is a swimming club in Hilversum, Netherlands. The association organizes swimming lessons and also has sections for the competition sports water polo and swimming competitions. HZC De Robben uses the pool Lieberg. The club's colors are blue and orange.
