Ajax U19 1993/1994:
Top row from left to right: Donny van Pinxteren, Patrick Kluivert, Rosco Viereck, Kiki Musampa, Marco van Gulik, Dave van de Bergh, Danny Landzaat.
Bottom row from left to right: Robel Goitom, Mark Heimgartner, Robert Gehring, Nordin Wooter, Jerry de Koning.
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After a training session with the U19 talents, we meet Musampa in the canteen at the Toekomst training complex. "Kizito is my real name. Kiki is a nickname I got from home as a kid. Most people know me as Kiki, but you won’t find that nickname in my passport", Musampa says with a laugh.
These days, he's the assistant coach for Ajax U19 and feels perfectly at home in this role. "A lot of what the U19 players experience is familiar to me. Some days, they show up at the club with less energy, often because of the long commutes." Musampa himself used to travel from Ede to Amsterdam to play for Ajax, so he understands exactly how the youth players feel. "Because I also used to travel long distances, I can empathize with them now as a coach."
Dream
Before Musampa joined Ajax, he was anything but certain about his future in football. "When I was thirteen, I wasn't even focused on football. School was my top priority. If I didn't do well in school, my parents would've pulled me out of football", the former Ajax player explains.
When Musampa joined Ajax, his dreams became reality. "Playing for Ajax was something I never even dared to dream about." He was quickly moved up to play with an older team. "From that moment on, I started to believe in a professional career."
A1
Smiling, Musampa looks at the team photo of the A1 squad from the 1993/1994 season. "That season was very special for me, because it was my first time moving up to an older team." Under the leadership of his coach at the time, Antoine Spitz Kohn, Musampa took on the role of captain and led the A1. "The coach always said: in the end, it’s all about playing between the four floodlights at 'De Meer'. That saying has always stuck with me."
Musampa was teammates with former Ajax player Nordin Wooter. "I already knew Nordin from a previous youth team. Alongside Patrick Kluivert, Wooter was one of the biggest talents on our team." Despite transitioning to an older squad, Musampa quickly found his place in the team. "Because Nordin took me under his wing, I got to know everyone quickly."
Musampa says, "We had an amazing season where we went undefeated and became champions. That's pretty rare, I think." According to the former midfielder, the A1 was a close-knit team. International tournaments helped the players grow closer. "We played a tournament in Japan, which we all thought was incredible. I built friendships with teammates, and I still see some of them regularly today."
Demonstration in Madrid
In 1995, Musampa traveled abroad for the first time with Ajax's phenomenal squad that conquered the Bernabéu. Before the trip, then-assistant coach Gerard van der Lem approached the talented A1 midfielder to break the news. "He told me I needed to report to the first team. I didn't see that coming at all", Musampa recalls.
A very young Musampa started that match in the lineup. "I knew my place and went to Madrid with the mindset that I'd be starting on the bench. If I wasn't part of the quad, I'd just join the A1", Musampa remembers. ?During the final training session before the match, Frank de Boer left the field injured. The coach asked the next day: are you ready? Of course, you say 'yes'", Musampa chuckles.
Louis van Gaal's team dominated the match in the Spanish capital. After the 0-2 victory, the Amsterdam squad received a standing ovation from the crowd. Musampa had passed his baptism of fire with flying colors and proudly received praise from Van Gaal. "The coach was very happy. He gave me a hug, which was really special because it showed he trusted me."
Krajicek Playground Kiki Musampa
Musampa's first introduction to football was on a small grass field near his childhood home. "I played on a little field, often against bigger and older guys. That's where I fell in love with the sport." Today that field has become his Krajicek Playground. At Musampa's request, the field was renovated. "I wanted to associate myself with that field because I have such a history there. So we went to the local government and got the field fixed up."
Every year, Musampa visits his playground for a tournament day. "My story might inspire others. It would be amazing if kids could make their dreams come true thanks to this field."
