From quick fix to instantly recognizable as Ajax
Design inspiration for the kit is taken from a team picture taken on September 10, 1911, as far as we know the first ever picture of an Ajax team in the white-red-white kit. This team picture was taken after winning the final of the ‘Gouden Kruis’ (Golden Cross) tournament against Volharding. When Ajax was founded in 1900, the club initially played in an all-black kit, followed by a white-and-red striped kit.
After promotion to the First Division, league regulations called for a unique kit. It was decided to continue in the kit of Amsterdam’s V.V.V. (Veni Vidi Vici), whose football department had been dissolved two seasons earlier. In the team picture, several players have the Amsterdam flag on their jersey, an honor that was reserved for players of the Amsterdam national team.
One also sees players with black socks, in which Ajax played until the 1961/1962 season. The cuff of the socks differ, a detail that is also included in the anniversary sock, with all-red and red with white stripe as two sleeve options. The jersey also features a white label with the Ajax logo, the adidas Originals logo, the club’s founding date of March 18, 1900 and the text 'AFC Ajax 125' in white. The logos of main sponsors adidas, Ziggo and ABN AMRO (Ajax Women) are in red on the red stripe, giving the shirt even more of a historic look.
Debut against AZ
Ajax' first teams will wear the kit once, the men’s team on Sunday, March 16 against AZ, and the women’s team on Sunday, March 30 against ADO Den Haag. The Ajax Legends will wear the anniversary kit during the Beckenbauer Cup on Monday, March 17, a tournament that is organized to celebrate Bayern Munich's 125th anniversary. During the matches, the sleeves of the shirt will be as in 1911; without commercial expressions. The Eredivisie, Vriendenloterij and sleeve sponsor Team Rockstars IT have waived their position for this special occasion.
Available now, in limited edition
The limited-edition jersey is available is men’s, women’s and kids’ sizes, the shorts and socks only in adult sizes. The anniversary collection also consists of a burgundy red track jacket and track pants, with anniversary label and the Amsterdam flag in burgundy red and white, as a playful nod to the original kit and the 750th anniversary of Amsterdam.
The anniversary collection is available in the Official Ajax Fan Shops (Johan Cruyff ArenA, city center and Lelystad), the adidas Stores in the Kalverstraat, Amsterdam and Mall of the Netherlands, and on Ajax.nl and Adidas.com.
