Anita was born in Willemstad in 1989. When he was eight months old, he moved to the Netherlands with his family. The family later returned to Curaçao, where a young Vurnon played both football and baseball. His parents recognised their son’s talent and decided to move back to the Netherlands to give him the opportunity to pursue his football dream.
That dream came true at an early age. On 19 March 2006, Anita made his debut for Ajax’s first team at the age of sixteen. At the time, that made him the youngest debutant in the club’s history after Clarence Seedorf. In Amsterdam, he developed into a versatile player and won, among other honours, two league titles and three Dutch Cups.
But before he broke through in Amsterdam as a young footballer, his story began in Curaçao. In Nonke: Vurnon Anita’s Dream, he returns to the place where it all started.
Road trip
During a special road trip across the island, Anita visits his parents’ plantation, where he is reunited with his family after a long time. He also returns to his former primary schools, gives a clinic at his former football club C.V.V. Willemstad and meets up with his friend Willem de Bruin of The Opposites. He also pulls on a shirt once again for a game of football with his former team-mates.
In the documentary, Anita reflects on his career, but the main focus is on the people, places and memories that have shaped him. Because no matter how far his football journey has taken him, Curaçao remains the place where his story began.
Nonke: Vurnon Anita’s Dream will be available on Ajax’s channels on Thursday evening.
