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15 greatest Ajax legends: Who are the best Ajax players of all time?
Ciku Njuguna, Cyprine Apindi
updated at May 6, 2023 at 8:43 AM
Did you know Ajax is also known as Amsterdamsche Football Club Ajax, AFC Ajax, or Ajax Amsterdam? This is a Dutch football club based in Amsterdam. It plays in the Eredivisie, and there are multiple Ajax legends who have made the club proud. The club is arguably the most successful in the Netherlands.
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Different Ajax legends have made AFC Ajax a first-tier team in the Dutch Eredivisie. The team has a rich history that spans over a century. Its players are known for their impeccable skills and discipline on and off the field.
Greatest Ajax legends you should know
Below is a look at the top Ajax players of all time who have made the football club successful. These professional footballers have recorded impressive career stats and led the team to multiple victories.
15. Ruud Krol
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- Full name: Rudolf Jozef Krol
- Date of birth: 24th March 1949
- Age: 74 years (as of 2023)
- Place of birth: Amsterdam, Netherlands
Ruud Krol is among the Ajax FC legends of all time. He was capped 83 times for the Netherlands national team. He played for his home town club, Ajax, for most of his career, and he became a coach after retirement.
14. Edgar Davids
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- Full name: Edgar Steven Davids
- Date of birth: 13th March 1973
- Age: 50 years (as of 2023)
- Place of birth: Paramaribo, Suriname
Edgar Davids is among the former Ajax players who left an impeccable record. He started his career with Ajax, where he helped the team win several domestic and international titles. He also played for AC Milan, Juventus, and Barcelona before retiring. He is a coach.
13. Patrick Kluivert
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- Full name: Patrick Stephan Kluivert
- Date of birth: 1st July 1976
- Age: 46 years (as of 2023)
- Place of birth: Amsterdam, Netherlands
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Patrick Kluivert is a former football player, coach, and sporting director. He is among Ajax's legendary players of all time. He was a striker for the team, FC Barcelona, and the Netherlands national team. He coached the Cameroon national football team.
12. Edwin van der Sar
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- Full name: Edwin van der Sar
- Date of birth: 29th October 1970
- Age: 52 years (as of 2023)
- Place of birth: Voorhout, Netherlands
Edwin van der Sar is currently the chief executive of AFC Ajax. He is one of the best players Ajax has produced in history. He began his senior playing career in the early 1990s and was part of the Ajax team that won the 1995 UEFA Champions League.
11. Dennis Bergkamp
- Full name: Dennis Nicolaas Maria Bergkamp
- Date of birth: 10th May 1969
- Age: 53 years (as of 2023)
- Place of birth: Amsterdam, Netherlands
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Dennis Bergkamp is a professional football coach and former player. He started his career as a wide midfielder before becoming a main striker and, later, a second striker. Many people regard him as one of the greatest players of his generation.
10. John Heitinga
- Full name: John Gijsbert Alan Heitinga
- Date of birth: 15th November 1983
- Age: 39 years (as of 2023)
- Place of birth: Alphen aan den Rijn, Netherlands
John Heitinga is a talented football coach and former player who played as a centre-back. He is listed among the best Ajax all time players. He played for Ajax's first squad from 2001 to 2008. He also played for Atlético Madrid and Everton.
9. Danny Blind
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- Full name: Dirk Franciscus Blind
- Date of birth: 1st August 1961
- Age: 61 years (as of 2023)
- Place of birth: Oost-Souburg, Netherlands
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Danny Blind is one of the best Ajax defenders of all time. He played as a defender for Sparta Rotterdam, Ajax and the Netherlands national team. Blind has also coached Ajax and the Netherlands national team.
8. Johan Neeskens
- Full name: Johannes Jacobus Neeskens
- Date of birth: 15th September 1951
- Age: 71 years (as of 2023)
- Place of birth: Heemstede, Netherlands
Johan Neeskens is considered one of the greatest midfielders of all time. He was a crucial member of the Netherlands national team that finished as runners-up in the 1974 and 1978 FIFA World Cups. Today, he is a Dutch football manager.
7. Sjaak Swart
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- Full name: Jesaia Swart
- Date of birth: 3rd July 1938
- Age: 84 years (as of 2023)
- Place of birth: Muiderberg, Netherlands
Sjaak Swart played as a winger for Ajax. During his hay days with the team, he appeared in almost 600 matches, a record for the club. Swart earned 31 caps, scoring ten goals for the Netherlands national team.
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6. Frank De Boer
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- Full name: Franciscus de Boer
- Date of birth: 15th May 1970
- Age: 52 years (as of 2023)
- Place of birth: Hoorn, Netherlands
Frank De Boer is a Dutch football manager and former player who was most recently the head coach of the Netherlands national team. The former defender helped the team win one Intercontinental Cup, five Eredivisie titles, one UEFA Champions League, two KNVB Cups, three Super Cups, and one UEFA Super Cup.
5. Jari Litmanen
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- Full name: Jari Olavi Litmanen
- Date of birth: 20th February 1971
- Age: 52 years (as of 2023)
- Place of birth: Lahti, Finland
Jari Litmanen was named the Ajax best player of the season in 1993. He was the first-choice captain of the Finland national team between 1996 and 2008. During his club career, he represented Reipas, HJK, MyPa and Lahti in Finland. He also represented Ajax, Barcelona, Liverpool, Hansa Rostock and Malmö FF internationally.
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4. Marco Van Basten
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- Full name: Marcel van Basten
- Date of birth: 31st October 1964
- Age: 58 years (as of 2023)
- Place of birth: Utrecht, Netherlands
Marco Van Basten played for Ajax, AC Milan, and the Netherlands national team. He is widely regarded as one of the greatest strikers of all time. He scored 300 goals in a high-profile career and retired at 28 due to an injury.
3. Frank Rijkaard
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- Full name: Franklin Edmundo Rijkaard
- Date of birth: 30th September 1962
- Age: 60 years (as of 2023)
- Place of birth: Amsterdam, Netherlands
Frank Rijkaard played as a defensive midfielder for Ajax, Real Zaragoza, AC Milan, and the Netherlands national team. In his managerial career, he was at the helm of FC Barcelona, the Netherlands national team, Sparta Rotterdam, the Saudi Arabia national team, and Galatasaray.
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2. Piet Keizer
- Full name: Petrus Johannes Keizer
- Date of birth: 14th June 1943
- Date of death: 10th February 2017
- Age at death: 73 years
- Place of birth: Amsterdam, Netherlands
Piet Keizer played as a left winger. He was in the Total Football Ajax Amsterdam team of the 1960s and 1970s. Keizer appeared in 490 official matches for Ajax and scored 189 goals between 1961 and 1974.
1. Johan Cruyff
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- Full name: Hendrik Johannes Cruijff
- Date of birth: 25th April 1947
- Date of death: 24th March 2016
- Age at death: 68 years
- Place of birth: Amsterdam, Netherlands
Johan Cruyff was a football player and manager. He was a proponent of Rinus Michels' football philosophy known as Total Football. He led the Netherlands to the final of the 1974 FIFA World Cup with three goals and three assists.
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Recap of the greatest Ajax legends you should know
Rank | Name |
1 | Johann Cruyff |
2 | Piet Keizer |
3 | Frank Rijkaard |
4 | Marco Van Basten |
5 | Jari Litmanen |
6 | Frank De Boer |
7 | Sjaak Swart |
8 | Johan Neeskens |
9 | Danny Blind |
10 | John Heitinga |
11 | Dennis Bergkamp |
12 | Edwin van der Sar |
13 | Patrick Kluivert |
14 | Edgar Davids |
15 | Ruud Krol |
Who are Ajax's biggest rivals?
Feyenoord is Ajax's archrival. Every year, the two clubs play the De Klassieker, a match between the teams from the two largest cities of the Netherlands.
Who is the greatest Ajax player of all time?
Johann Cruyff is arguably the greatest Ajax player of all time. Others are Piet Keizer, Frank Rijkaard, Marco Van Basten, Jari Litmanen, Frank De Boer, and Sjaak Swart.
Why is Amsterdam called Ajax?
Ajax’s full name is Amsterdamsche Football Club Ajax. The club is often called Amsterdam because it was founded in Amsterdam in 1900 by Floris Stempel, Han Dade, and Carel Reeser.
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Who are some former Ajax players still playing football in 2023?
Some of the former Ajax players who are currently playing for other football clubs are Arkadiusz Milik, Filipe Luis, Matthijs de Ligt, Frenkie de Jong, Toby Alderweireld, and Jan Vertonghen.
Notable Ajax legends have kept the football club at the top of the Eredivisie championships. The team has recorded impressive results since it was established over a century ago.
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Ciku Njuguna
Ciku Njuguna is a journalist with 3 year’s experience in content creation based in Kenya. She currently covers sports personnel as well as team biographies.
Cyprine Apindi
Cyprine Apindi is a content creator and reporter with over 4 years of experience based in Kenya. She holds a Diploma in Mass Communication from Kenyatta University.
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