That Ajax Heritage, the department that lovingly takes care of all historic Ajax material, manages a great deal of beautiful items is well known. In addition to the many trophies, football shirts and match programmes, the collection also contains countless photographs and slides. More than 125 years of Ajax history has been captured in many ways. Heritage is a treasure chamber.
Stylistically, the photo of the floating Ajacied is the most beautiful. Dressed in a sponsorless, classic Ajax shirt, Cruijff literally leaves three opponents behind him. The young footballer glides stylishly across the pitch, back straight. The captain’s armband, betraying leadership, is tightly wrapped around his right upper arm.
When Cruijff is shown the photo, a broad smile appears on his face. "A beautiful photo, one I have never seen before," he says, before studying the image a little more closely.
"I find it strange that someone is lying on the ground. That lad either tripped or I dribbled past him," Cruijff says with a grin. "What also stands out is that I am dribbling with my right foot here and that I am wearing the captain’s armband, which I always found very special." His eye is then drawn to another detail. "And I have long hair here, don’t I. At least I can show my children that I once had longer hair."
Beacons of hope and expectations
In his time as a youth player, Voorland was the beating heart of the Ajax academy. The youth and amateur complex was located right next to De Meer. The four floodlights of that old Ajax stadium were beacons for the young youth players. Beacons of hope and expectations. Trainers and team staff often pointed to the floodlights during youth training sessions and matches. 'Just make sure you end up playing there'.
They may be slightly less beautiful in terms of composition, but the two photos taken at the Olympic Stadium are certainly striking. In the 1980s and 1990s it regularly happened that two youth teams played a curtain-raiser ahead of a top match. For the young footballers, such a game in a real stadium was an unforgettable experience. For the crowd, the youth match was a pleasant warm-up.
Cruijff: "I can still remember a few of those curtain-raisers. You were incredibly nervous as a little lad, playing in such a big stadium. The fans would gradually start to trickle in. I have special memories of that, just like the tournaments we played abroad."
Curtain-raiser for the ‘big’ Klassiker
We see Cruijff in a blue-and-white away kit putting pressure on Feyenoord’s goalkeeper. A team-mate lurks in front of goal for a possible second chance. "Clyde Wijnhard," Cruijff names, after thinking for a moment, the team-mate in question. "He later also played in England."
Asked about other team-mates from his Ajax days, Cruijff has to dig deep into his memory. "You had André Ooijer, but also, for example, Peter de Waal," says Ajax’s new Technical Director. More names are on the tip of his tongue. "I need to see the squad photos, then I will recognise them all."
A number of other memories from that time are somewhat sharper in Cruijff’s mind. "I can remember the old training complex and the older players you looked up to as a little lad. The Witschge brothers, for example. But I also remember younger players, such as Patrick Kluivert. I recall that his mother came to watch every training session."
When asked, Cruijff says he is looking forward to seeing again people who were already around Ajax during his handful of years as an Ajacied. "Unfortunately, some of them are no longer with us. With many others, the connection goes back a long way; you know what those people meant to us as youth players. It cannot always have been easy working with all those characters."
The nine-time Netherlands international looks back with satisfaction on his first phase as an Ajacied. "It was simply enjoying the ball and the game. Of course you wanted to win and play as many minutes as possible, but it was still without pressure and truly carefree."
Moments from that time will likely flash through his mind more often in the coming period. "It is a part of my life, although it was a very long time ago. The memories have to resurface. Seeing these photos already helps with that. Very nice."
Finally, back to the photos. The curtain-raiser was probably ahead of the 'big' Klassieker played on Sunday 19 May 1985. It concerned a match between the C youth teams of both clubs.
It ultimately turned into a fine Ajax day. In the main event, the home side beat Feyenoord 4-2. Anyone who arrived early at the Olympic Stadium that Sunday afternoon and also caught the curtain-raiser had double luck. Mazzel, as they say in Amsterdam. Because the Ajacieden also scored in the mini-Klassieker against their Rotterdam rivals. The photo in which the then eleven-year-old Jordi is visibly happily retrieving the ball, classic black-and-white panels, from the goal reveals what preceded the moment. Ajax goal! Pure football joy from a very young Ajax talent.
