Wonderkid Factories: AFC Ajax
We’re back with our wonderkid factory series after a short break and we’re returning in a big way with our first Dutch team. In fact, Ajax are historically the biggest club in the Netherlands and a huge part of their success has come from the long line of players who have graduated from their academy. The club have won 35 Eredivisie titles, 20 KNVB Cups and 4 European Cups/Champions Leagues.
However, with the huge influx of cash that has come into European football in the last 20 years, the Amsterdam based club have only been able to maintain their competitive edge by using their prestigious academy to promote players to the first team and usually sell them on for a huge profit.
Their run to the Champions League semi-final in 2019 is a perfect example of that. Ajax knocked out Real Madrid and Juventus before eventually succumbing to a miraculous Tottenham comeback, but the team itself was built around a core of excellent young players that the club had produced.
The cornerstone of this philosophy was Johan Cruijff, who lead Ajax to glory in the 1970’s. The club won three consecutive European Cups from 1971 to 1973 and Cruijff was instrumental becoming the only player to have his number retired by Ajax and the team’s new stadium is named after him.
More importantly though Cruijff’s vision for how football should be played is still implemented by the club today and it is the same at Barcelona. His totaalvoetbal vision favoured fluid positional changes, technical ability, short passing moves and high tempo pressing. He was also an advocate for players who came from an urban background because playing in built up areas gives players a unique technical ability that can’t be replicated.
Since then the club has pumped out star after star and their long list of academy graduates includes: Donny van de Beek, Sven Botman, Ryan Gravenberch, Matthijs de Ligt, Wesley Sneijder, Clarence Seedorf, Kenny Tete, Joel Veltman, Johan Cruijff, Edgar Davids, Sergino Dest, Anwar El Ghazi, Nigel de Jong, Patrick Kluivert, Justin Kluivert, Daley Blind, Donyell Malen, Rafael van der Vaart, Noussair Mazraoui, Davy Klaasen and Jurrien Timber.
Not exactly a bad list of players is it.
As ever we’ve also taken a look at some of the players that could become stars of the game in the next few years, that are from Ajax’s academy.
Kenneth Taylor (Centre Midfield)
Taylor has been bouncing between the first team and Jong Ajax this season. He’s made three appearances and got an assist in the Eredivisie whilst scoring 3 goals in 4 games in the second division for the Jong side. At just 19, Erik ten Hag is surely likely to include Taylor in the first team more frequently in the coming seasons.
Naci Unuvar (Left Winger)
Unuvar is only 18 and was recognised by Football Manager as a potential wonderkid two years ago. He’s absolutely lit up the Dutch second division this year for Jong Ajax, notching 5 goals and 5 assists in just 11 games and has now featured twice for the Netherlands U19’s bagging another goal for them.
Sontje Hansen (Centre Forward)
Hansen has come all the way through the ranks at Ajax, and has already made 43 appearances for the Jong team. He also had an unbelievable record for the Netherlands U17 team, scoring 13 goals in 24 games.