The defender who made his debut in the main squad in the cup match against FC Den Bosch in January this calendar year was handed the award by John Heitinga.
Rotterdam native Hato played in Sparta's youth academy from the age of nine. He made the transfer to Ajax in summer 2018. The Ajax player was 12 at the time of the switch.
Hato's first minutes
On 4 November 2022, the young defender made his debut in professional football for the Ajax youth team against FC Den Bosch. That happened under coach John Heitinga. His first minutes in the main squad followed just two months later. In the cup game with FC Den Bosch in early January, he filled in for fellow defender Owen Wijndal.
Aged 16 years and 310 days during that debut, he joins an illustrious list of Ajax players; only Ryan Gravenberch (16 years and 130 days), Clarence Seedorf (16 years 210 days) and Naci Ünüvar (16 years and 223 days) were younger during their professional debut for Ajax in all competitions.
Hato played in no less than four(!) different teams this season: Ajax U17, Ajax U18, Ajax youth team and the Ajax 1st team.
Since 2018, the biggest talent in the youth academy has been awarded the Abdelhak Nouri Trophy. Previously, the award was named after 'Mr. Ajax', Sjaak Swart. The winner of the Trophy will be offered a 'Schoolplein 14' (football facility donated to a recipient of his choice) by Ajax and the Cruyff Foundation.
Here is the complete list of winners of the award for the Biggest Talent of the Future:
2021/2022: Charlie Setford
2020/2021: Amourricho van Axel Dongen
2019/2020: Devyne Rensch
2018/2019: Naci Ünüvar
2017/2018: Ryan Gravenberch
2016/2017: Justin Kluivert
2015/2016: Matthijs de Ligt
2014/2015: Donny van de Beek
2013/2014: Aschraf El Mahdioui
2012/2013: Damon Mirani
2011/2012: Mickey van der Hart
2010/2011: Davy Klaassen
2009/2010: Christian Eriksen
2008/2009: Aras Özbiliz
2007/2008: Daley Blind
2006/2007: Siem de Jong
2005/2006: Donovan Slijngard
2004/2005: Murat Yildirim
2003/2004: Hedwiges Maduro
2002/2003: Kenneth Vermeer
2001/2002: Wesley Sneijder
2000/2001: John Heitinga
1999/2000: Rafael van der Vaart
