Ajax was one of eight invited teams competing in this new international event. In the first group, Ajax faced strong opponents such as Bayern Munich, Manchester City and FC Rosengård. The second group included Manchester United, Benfica, Paris Saint-Germain and AS Roma.
Familiar face
Before the tournament began, the teams were welcomed at a festive opening dinner organised by the hosts. Here, the Ajax Women encountered a familiar face: all-time top scorer Romée Leuchter, who now plays for Paris Saint-Germain. She was also competing in the seven-a-side tournament with her new team. "It’s really nice to see everyone again. Happy and familiar faces, I really enjoy it," she said with a smile.
On the opening day, we spoke to midfielder Rosa van Gool during the final training session. She was eagerly awaiting the tournament kick-off: "It's really great to be here and I’m so excited for the tournament. I can't wait, so I’m really looking forward to tonight."
Technical manager Dolf Roks was also enthusiastic about getting started. He was clear about Ajax's objectives: "Our ambition is to win the tournament, but also to show what Ajax stands for. We hope to entertain the crowd with our creativity and joy of playing."
End of the season
Ajax lost their opening match against Bayern Munich, with the German side proving too strong in a 4-2 result. The second game against Manchester City ended in a penalty shootout after a late equaliser, but Ajax again came up short. This meant their third group match against FC Rosengård would be their final game in Portugal.
However, the Ajax Women finished the tournament on a high note, with a convincing 2-0 victory over the Swedish side. Midfielder Lily Yohannes described the tournament as a fitting conclusion to a difficult season: "The season hasn't gone how we wanted. But being able to finish like this, under the sun in Portugal, playing against strong opponents and having the chance to show ourselves as a team and as individuals on this stage, that’s something we should all appreciate."
