Amsterdamsche Football Club Ajax, 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 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 that have dominated that competition.
Hamburger Sport-Verein e.V., commonly known as Hamburger SV or Hamburg, is a German sports club based in Hamburg, with its largest branch being its football department. Though the current HSV was founded in June 1919 from a merger of three earlier clubs, it traces its origins to 29 September 1887 when the first of the predecessors, SC Germania, was founded.
Johannes Jacobus Neeskens is a Dutch football manager and former 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 has been included in the FourFourTwo list of the 100 all-time greatest players, at the 64th position.
Günter Theodor Netzer is a German former professional football player, executive and pundit. He achieved great success in Germany with Borussia Mönchengladbach in the early 1970s and, after moving to Spain in 1973, with Real Madrid. A technically gifted playmaker, Netzer played as an attacking midfielder and is considered one of the greatest passers in the game's history. He was voted German Footballer of the Year twice, in 1972 and 1973.
RudolfJozef 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, however 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.
The Eredivisie is the highest level of professional football in the Netherlands. The league was founded in 1956, two years after the start of professional football in the Netherlands. As of the 2023–24 season, it is ranked the 6th-best league in Europe by UEFA.
Petrus Johannes "Piet" Keizer was a Dutch professional footballer who played as a left winger.
Arnold Johannes Hyacinthus Mühren is a Dutch football manager and former midfielder. His older brother Gerrie, also a midfield player, won three European Cup titles with Ajax in the early 1970s. Mühren is among the few players to have won all three major UEFA-organised club competitions, the European Cup (1972–73), the Cup Winners' Cup (1986–87) and the UEFA Cup (1980–81). The last of these was won with Ipswich Town, while the other titles were won while playing for Ajax. He is also one of the two Dutch players, together with Danny Blind, to have won all UEFA club competitions.
Arend "Arie" Haanˈɦaːn]; born 16 November 1948) 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.
Manfred Kaltz is a German former football player and manager, who played as a right-back.
Johnny Terney Hansen is a Danish former professional footballer who played as a defender. He most notably played six years as a professional for German club Bayern Munich, with whom he won multiple domestic and international titles. He played 45 matches and scored three goals for the Denmark national football team between 1965 and 1978, and won the 1967 Danish Player of the Year award.
Heiko Westermann is a German former professional footballer who played as a central defender.
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 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.
Jesaia Swart, commonly known as Sjaak Swart, is a Dutch former professional footballer who played as a winger for Ajax. During his career at Ajax, he amassed a total of almost 600 matches, a record for the club.
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.
Tscheu La Ling is a Dutch former professional footballer who played for clubs in the Netherlands, Greece and France. His name has been spelled in various ways throughout his career, but usually as Tscheu La Ling; he was generally uninterested in how it was spelled but revealed in a February 2007 interview that his name was officially Ling Tshen La. This name uses Chinese naming customs. The family name is Ling. In June 2015 he was appointed to the advisory board of Ajax Amsterdam. He is also the owner of the Slovak football club AS Trenčín.
Horst Buhtz was a German football manager and former football player who played as a midfielder.
AFC Ajax is one of the most successful clubs in Dutch football. Historically, Ajax is the most successful club in the Netherlands, with 36 Eredivisie titles and 20 KNVB Cups.
