At Sjaak's rondo, everyone feels young again

Johan Cruijff, Marco van Basten, Rafael van der Vaart, Frank Rijkaard, Simon Tahamata, Keje Molenaar and Freek de Jonge all once took part in the same football game organised by the man who made more appearances for Ajax than anyone else.

The sun is shining brightly over the artificial pitch at Zeeburgia this week. Everyone is waiting for the birthday boy to arrive. And what do former footballers do when they're waiting, and there's a ball nearby? Exactly. Nobody wastes the opportunity to knock the ball around, keep it in the air or exchange a few playful digs before the session gets underway.

'We're all fourteen again'
It's the atmosphere that makes it so special for everyone involved. For an hour and a half, life's worries simply disappear. "Twice a week, for an hour and a half, we're all fourteen again," says Waas, who has been one of Swart's regular friends for many years.

The Amsterdam-born comedian played in Ajax's academy himself and was involved with the club's youth system for years. It's all about one-touch football, moving the ball quickly before an overenthusiastic teammate comes flying in with a sliding tackle. Waas plays with sweat on his forehead and a broad smile on his face. "No matter how old you are or how difficult it becomes to move, you're young in your head here. You don't bring your worries onto the pitch."

At 64, Waas is still one of the younger members of the group. He watched Swart during his playing days and idolised him as a youngster. Now he gets to play alongside him. "This group exists because of Sjaak. Everyone is here because of him. For all of us, it's a great day out. But Sjaak is also the centre of the group. He's a phenomenon."

While Waas looked up to Swart in an Ajax shirt, Hiddink (79) is more of a contemporary. Their friendship began many years ago on the pitch and has remained as strong as ever. "Sjaak is still sharp and full of energy. He's injured from time to time and doesn't always join the rondo, but even when he's just watching, he still tears us apart. I love that."

Straight to the point
Hiddink naturally starts reminiscing about the first time they met, more than fifty years ago. "As a player, I looked up to the famous Ajax front three: Sjaak, Johan and Piet. No surnames needed. We would occasionally stay in touch, and that became even stronger when I became PSV head coach."

Just how close the two football icons have become is illustrated by a more recent memory. "When I was working at PSV, Sjaak presented me with one of the first copies of his book at the ArenA. I thought that was a wonderful gesture. Our friendship goes beyond the rivalry between Ajax and PSV. Sjaak is a true football lover with a huge Ajax heart. He's completely unapologetic. But that's Sjaak, and it should always stay that way."

The driving force behind the rondo remains hugely popular, not only among Ajax supporters but especially among his friends at Zeeburgia. For Hiddink, the twice-weekly game has been a permanent fixture in his diary for years.

"In Amsterdam, you shouldn't hand out compliments. If you do, people won't trust you. You've got to tease each other instead. We've been playing this game for forty years. Rain or shine. If 1 January falls on a Monday or Thursday, we don't play. Other than that, we're always here."

Even during his coaching career at the highest level, Hiddink made sure he never missed it if he could help it. "When I was managing Russia, I'd spend the weekend watching players over there. If I had a flight to Amsterdam on Monday, I could choose between 6:00 in the morning or 3:00 in the afternoon. I always took the 6:00 flight, just so I could be here. Brilliant."

Weekly contact with Sjaak
Donny van de Beek is there as well. He may not take part in the rondo itself, but he happily came to Zeeburgia for what he calls "my extra grandfather". "We've had a very close bond ever since I was fifteen. We still speak every week. We talk about everything, not just football but life as well. I've got so many wonderful memories with Sjaak. Although when Ajax lost, he could be quite fiery," the former Ajax midfielder laughs.

By now, the birthday boy has arrived. Clearly surprised by the group of friends waiting for him. His eyes immediately fall on the shirts everyone is wearing, each bearing the number 8 – his number. In a short speech, Sjaak thanks everyone for coming and speaks warmly about what their friendship means to him.

Before long, attention turns back to what everyone came for: the rondo. It is Hiddink who gets things started. "Sjaak, if you're joining the rondo, you're going in the middle." It's exactly that kind of humour and camaraderie that makes Sjaak's rondo what it is.