Ajax Amsterdam is one of the strongest giants in European football. This club has won dozens of prestigious trophies and produced hundreds of footballers who created great history in the world of football. Not only that, some players of Ajax Amsterdam are even regarded as figures who had important role in making football to be the most popular sports in the world.
In this article, I'd like to discuss fifteen best Ajax Amsterdam players of all time. Not only based on individual abilities, the number of achievements that have been won and the players' loyalty to the club were also taken into consideration for determining the ranking in this list. Indeed, it was very hard to decide the best fifteen among dozens of great Ajax players. I even had to exclude some of great names from the top fifteen, such as Patrick Kluivert, Zlatan Ibrahimovic, Danny Blind, Rinus Michels, Marc Overmars, and many other great players. Please let me know your opinion about this ranking.
15. Luis Suarez
Luis Suarez started his glorious career in the European football at Ajax Amsterdam. Transferred from Groningen in 2007, Suarez managed to show his great talent as a striker in this club. During playing for Ajax from 2007 to 2011, Suarez scored 111 goals in 159 appearances. Not only that, he also presented an Eredivisie title, a KNVB Cup trophy, and became the top scorer as well as the best player of the Dutch League in the 2009-2010 season.
14. Dennis Bergkamp
Before undergoing a period of a very brilliant career at Arsenal, Dennis Bergkamp first shone at Ajax Amsterdam. The striker played for Ajax in the period 1986-1993, winning an Eredivisie title and two KNVB Cups. At Ajax, Bergkamp also became the top scorer of the Dutch League in three consecutive years, in the period of 1991-1993. In total, he scored 122 goals in 239 matches for the club.
13. Jari Litmanen
Jari Litmanen can be regarded as the most successful foreign player ever to play for Ajax Amsterdam. The Finnish striker joined Ajax in the period 1992-2004. He won four Eredivisie titles, three KNVB Cup trophy and a Champions League trophy. Not only that, Litmanen also became the Dutch League top scorer in the 1993-94 season with a total of 26 goals. He could score even more goals if only he weren't hampered by severe injuries.
12. Wesley Sneijder
Sneijder is a product of Ajax Amsterdam Youth Academy and played for the club from 2002 to 2007. He is known as a perfect attacking midfielder who possesses accurate passing ability, creative, visionary, and often scored goals through set-pieces. Before moving to Real Madrid in 2007, Sneijder presented one Eredivisie title and two KNVB Cup trophies for Ajax Amsterdam.
11. Johan Neeskens
Neeskens is a former central midfielder who became one of the main generals of Total Football system which was developed by coach Rinus Michels in the 1970s. Played for four years at Ajax Amsterdam, Neeskens won two Eredivisie titles, two Dutch Cups and three League Cup trophies. As a central midfielder, Neeskens is known to have high stamina, good techniques, and quite prolific in scoring goals.
10. Frank Rijkaard
Frank Rijkaard is one of the world's best defensive midfielders who played for Ajax Amsterdam in the period 1980-87 and 1993-95. With a tall and big stature, accurate passing ability, as well as good physical strength, Rijkaard had become a mainstay of Ajax Amsterdam midfield since his early seasons at this club. During joining Ajax, Rijkaard won five Eredivisie titles, three KNVB Cups, and a Champions League trophy.
9. Edwin van der Sar
Edwin van der Sar is the player who deserves to be named as Ajax's best goalkeeper of all time. He played for the club for nine years, won four Eredivisie titles, three KNVB Cups, and a Champions League trophy. His best individual achievements when ge played for Ajax are named as best goalkeeper of Europe in 1995. Not only that, he also won the title of Dutch Football Goalkeeper of the Year for four consecutive years, from 1994 to 1997.
8. Frank de Boer
Strong in defense, having a great contribution in the team's offense, and can be relied upon as a captain. Frank de Boer is one of Ajax Amsterdam's best central defenders of all time who played for the club in the 1988-1999 period. Along with Patrick Kluivert, Frank Rijkaard, Danny Blind, and Jari Litmanen; De Boer was part of Ajax Amsterdam's golden generation in the mid-1990s that dominated the world of European football.
7. Sjaak Swart
Sjaak Swart is one of the most loyal players ever to play for Ajax Amsterdam. He played for the club for 17 years in the period 1956 to 1973. In total, he played in 596 official matches, which become the most number of appearances of all time at Ajax Amsterdam. Throughout his career, Swart known as an effective striker, prolific in scoring goals, and very loyal. He presented eight Dutch league titles, three Champions League trophies, and one Club World Cup trophy.
6. Marco van Basten
Van Basten is probably the best striker of all time ever raised by the Ajax Youth Academy. This player joined Ajax Amsterdam in the period 1981-1987, scoring a total of 153 goals in 172 appearances. In addition to presenting three Eredivisie titles for Ajax Amsterdam, van Basten also became the top scorer of the Dutch League four years in a row. In his golden age, van Basten is known as a striker with good dribbling skills, high techniques, and perfect finishing ability.
5. Piet van Reenen
Piet van Reenen is Ajax Amsterdam's top scorer of all time. His goal scoring record is quite impressive, with a total of 273 goals in 237 appearances. Played in the 1929-1942 period, van Reenen presented five Eredivisie title for Ajax Amsterdam. Unfortunately, because this player's active period was during the World War II, there aren't many articles, photos, or video that could properly show his great talents as a striker.
4. Piet Keizer
Piet Keizer is a retired winger who played for Ajax Amsterdam for 15 years, in the period 1960 to 1975. Together with John Neeskens and Johan Cruyff, Keizer was a mainstay of Ajax Amsterdam when they won the Champions Cup in three consecutive years, from 1971 to 1973. The 189 goals that he scored during his career at Ajax Amsterdam also prove the quality of a Piet Keizer as an attacker.
3. Wim Suurbier
Wim Suurbier is a former right-back who became a mainstay of the Dutch national team in the 1970s. He is known as a strong defender, fast, and had a major contribution in helping the team's offense. Not only that, Suurbier also has a high loyalty to Ajax Amsterdam, where he played for the club for 13 years. During this period, Suurbier played in over 400 matches and scored 16 goals.
2. Ruud Krol
In addition to John Neeskens and Johan Cruyff, Ruud Krol is one of the major generals of total football tactics. Like most players who played under the strategy of total football, Ruud Krol could play in various positions. His main position is a sweeper, but he could also play as a central defender, wingback, or a defensive midfielder. During his period at Ajax from 1968 to 1980, Krol won eight Eredivisie titles, three Champions Cup trophies, and four Dutch Cups.
1. Johan Cruyff
Without a doubt, Johan Cruyff is Ajax Amsterdam's best player of all time. In terms of individual skills, Cruyff is absolutely perfect. He was a versatile player who possessed great speed, technique, and goal-scoring instincts. Not only that, Cruyff is also very intelligent and sometimes even took a role as a team's strategist. In total, Cruyff played for Ajax for nine years. He won eight Eredivisie titles, three Champions Cups trophies, three Ballon d'Or awards, and five times elected as Dutch Footballer of the Year.
