The Ajax Youth Academy (Dutch: ''Ajax Jeugdopleiding'') is a

football Football is a family of team sports that involve, to varying degrees, kick (football), kicking a football (ball), ball to score a goal (sports), goal. Unqualified, football (word), the word ''football'' generally means the form of football t ...

youth academy based in

Amsterdam Amsterdam ( , ; ; ) is the capital of the Netherlands, capital and Municipalities of the Netherlands, largest city of the Kingdom of the Netherlands. It has a population of 933,680 in June 2024 within the city proper, 1,457,018 in the City Re ...

Netherlands , Terminology of the Low Countries, informally Holland, is a country in Northwestern Europe, with Caribbean Netherlands, overseas territories in the Caribbean. It is the largest of the four constituent countries of the Kingdom of the Nether ...

, from where the organization manages a total of 13 youth teams (ages 7–18). The academy is the primary youth clinic of Dutch football team

Ajax Amsterdam Amsterdamsche Football Club Ajax (), also known as AFC Ajax, Ajax Amsterdam, or commonly Ajax, is a Dutch professional Association football, football Football team, club based in Amsterdam, that plays in the , the top tier in Dutch football. ...

. The club depends heavily on the youth academy as they move promising youngsters from the youth teams to the senior team where they can showcase their talent and develop into stars. On 11 September 2020, the CIES released their annual rankings of the clubs having trained the most players active in 31 top divisions of

UEFA The Union of European Football Associations (UEFA ; ; ) is one of six continental bodies of governance in association football. It governs football, futsal and beach soccer, beach football in Europe and the List of transcontinental countries#A ...

member associations. The Ajax Youth Academy came in 2nd place to the

FK Partizan Academy The FK Partizan Youth School (/Омладинска школа фудбалског клуба Партизан), also known as Belin–Lazarević–Nadoveza youth school, is the youth school for Serbian football club Partizan Belgrade. It was f ...

from Serbia with 77 players footballers trained, while the Serbian side topped the list with 85 footballers trained. In accordance with the UEFA definition, players who were considered have been playing for the club for at least three seasons between 15 and 21 years of age.

History

The Ajax youth system is famous fo
having produced
and still producing many great Dutch internationals like

Sjaak Swart Jesaia Swart (born 3 July 1938), commonly known as Sjaak Swart, is a Dutch former professional footballer who played as a winger for Ajax. During his career at Ajax, he amassed a total of almost 600 matches, a record for the club. Biography Sw ...

Johan Cruijff Hendrik Johannes Cruijff (25 April 1947 – 24 March 2016), internationally known as Johan Cruyff (), was a Dutch professional football player and manager. Regarded as one of the greatest players in history and as the greatest Dutch footballe ...

Frank Rijkaard Franklin Edmundo Rijkaard (; born 30 September 1962) is a Dutch former footballer and former manager who played as a defensive midfielder. Regarded as one of the greatest midfielders in footballing history, Rijkaard was described by British broa ...

Dennis Bergkamp Dennis Nicolaas Maria Bergkamp (; born 10 May 1969) is a Dutch professional Association football, football coach and former Football player, player who was most recently the Assistant manager of Ajax. Originally a wide midfielder, Bergkamp was ...

, Frank and

Ronald de Boer Ronaldus de Boer (; born 15 May 1970) is a Dutch former professional footballer who played as a right or attacking midfielder or right winger. He played for the Netherlands national team as well as a host of professional clubs in Europe. He i ...

Edgar Davids Edgar Steven Davids (; born 13 March 1973) is a Dutch former professional association football, footballer. Davids was nicknamed "The Pitbull" because of his marking ability, aggression, and hard tackling style of play. After beginning his care ...

Clarence Seedorf Clarence Clyde Seedorf (; born 1 April 1976) is a Dutch former professional Association football, football manager and player. He is regarded by many as one of the greatest midfielders of all time. He is currently working primarily remotely as ...

Patrick Kluivert Patrick Stephan Kluivert (; born 1 July 1976) is a Dutch football coach and former player who is currently the head coach of the Indonesia national team. As a player, he played as a striker for Ajax, Barcelona and the Netherlands national te ...

Rafael van der Vaart Rafael Ferdinand van der Vaart (; born 11 February 1983) is a Dutch former professional association football, footballer who played as an attacking midfielder. Van der Vaart began his career at AFC Ajax, Ajax's Ajax Youth Academy, youth academ ...

Wesley Sneijder Wesley Sneijder (; born 9 June 1984) is a Dutch former professional footballer. Noted for his playmaking ability, he was considered one of the best midfielders in the world during his prime. A product of the Ajax Youth Academy, Sneijder started ...

John Heitinga John Gijsbert Alan "Johnny" Heitinga (born 15 November 1983) is a Dutch football coach and former player who is currently the assistant manager at Premier League club Liverpool. He will become the manager of Eredivisie club Ajax on 1 July 2025. ...

Nigel de Jong Nigel de Jong (born 30 November 1984) is a Dutch former professional footballer who played as a defensive midfielder. He is currently the technical director of the KNVB, the national Dutch football federation. He has also worked as an English ...

Maarten Stekelenburg Maarten Stekelenburg (; born 22 September 1982) is a Dutch former professional footballer who played as a goalkeeper. Stekelenburg began his career at Ajax, playing 282 matches over nine seasons in his first spell there and winning nine honours ...

, and

Gregory van der Wiel Gregory Kurtley van der Wiel (born 3 February 1988) is a Dutch former professional association football, footballer who played as a right-back. Born in Amsterdam, Van der Wiel is a product of the AFC Ajax youth system. In 2010, he was awarded t ...

Notable former players

1900-1970s *

Gerrit Fischer Gerrit Fischer (28 August 1916 – 22 November 1984) was a Dutch footballer who played for Ajax as a right winger. Club career Ajax Fischer was discovered at a school football match at the age of sixteen, by Ajax coach Jack Reynolds, after ...

Cor Geelhuijzen Cornelis Johannes Geelhuijzen (4 February 1929 – 25 November 2020) was a Dutch footballer who played as a defender for Ajax Ajax may refer to: Greek mythology and tragedy * Ajax the Great, a Greek mythological hero, son of King Telamon and ...

Eddy Pieters Graafland Eduard Laurens Pieters Graafland (5 January 193428 April 2020) was a Dutch professional football player and coach. As a player, he was the goalkeeper of Ajax, Feyenoord and the Netherlands. In 1970, his last season as a professional, he won the ...

Bobby Haarms Bobby Haarms (8 March 1934 – 6 June 2009) was a Dutch professional football player and coach. Playing career A midfielder, Haarms joined the youth team of Ajax in 1947 and made his professional debut in 1952. Between 1952 and 1960, Haarms made ...

Barry Hulshoff Bernardus Adriaan "Barry" Hulshoff (30 September 1946 – 16 February 2020) was a Dutch footballer who played for Ajax Amsterdam and was part of their European Cup victories in 1971, 1972 and 1973. He earned 14 caps for the Netherlands national ...

Piet Keizer Petrus Johannes "Piet" Keizer (14 June 1943 – 10 February 2017) was a Dutch professional footballer who played as a left winger. As part of the "Total Football" Ajax Amsterdam team of the 1960s and 1970s, Keizer was particularly notable durin ...

Wim Kieft Willem Cornelis Nicolaas "Wim" Kieft (born 12 November 1962) is a Dutch former professional footballer who played as a centre forward. Kieft went into punditry in 2001, occasionally appearing on football talk show '' Voetbal Inside'' A prolific ...

Ruud Krol Rudolf Jozef "Ruud" (or "Rudi") Krol (; born 24 March 1949) is a Dutch former professional footballer who was capped 83 times for the Netherlands national team. Most of his career he played for his home town club, Ajax. He became a coach afte ...

Rinus Michels Marinus Jacobus Hendricus "Rinus" Michels (; 9 February 1928 – 3 March 2005) was a Dutch Association football, football player and coach. He list of one-club men in association football, played his entire career for AFC Ajax, Ajax, which he ...

* Ger van Mourik *

Bennie Muller Bennie Muller (14 August 1938 – 17 January 2024) was a Dutch professional footballer who played as a midfielder for Ajax and the Netherlands national team. Early life Muller was born in the Jewish Quarter of Amsterdam-East. His grandfather ...

* Anton Pronk *

Johnny Rep John Nicholaas Rep (born 25 November 1951) is a Dutch former professional footballer who played as a right winger. He holds the all-time record for FIFA World Cup goals for the Netherlands with 7. Playing career Rep played as a right-footed ...

Joop Stoffelen Johannes Hendricus "Joop" Stoffelen (23 January 1921 – 26 June 2005) was a Dutch footballer who played as a midfielder. Stoffelen mainly played for Ajax, but also had stints at RC Paris, Toulouse, Blauw-Wit Amsterdam and Neerlandia. Career St ...

Wim Suurbier Wilhelmus Lourens Johannes Suurbier (; 16 January 1945 – 12 July 2020) was a Dutch professional footballer and among others assistant coach of the Albania national team. He played as a right back and was part of the Netherlands national team ...

Simon Tahamata Simon Melkianus Tahamata (born 26 May 1956) is a Dutch football coach and former professional player who is the current head of scouting of Indonesia. Throughout his career, he played for multiple Dutch and Belgian clubs. He also played 22 tim ...

1980s *

Marco van Basten Marcel "Marco" Van Basten (; born 31 October 1964) is a Dutch former football manager and player who played as a striker for Ajax and AC Milan, as well as the Netherlands national team. Widely regarded as one of the greatest players of all t ...

John Bosman Johannes "John" Jacobus Bosman (born 1 February 1965) is a Dutch former professional association football, footballer who played as a forward (association football), forward. A prolific goalscorer for both club and country, he played professio ...

Frank de Boer Franciscus de Boer (; born 15 May 1970) is a Dutch former professional footballer and current manager. A former defender, De Boer spent most of his playing career with Ajax, winning five Eredivisie titles, two KNVB Cups, three Super Cups, o ...

Fred Grim Johann Georg Friedrich "Fred" Grim (born 17 August 1965) is a Dutch football coach and former player who is currently manager of FC Emmen. A former goalkeeper, Grim represented Ajax and Cambuur during his playing career. Playing career Grim beg ...

John van 't Schip Johannes Nicolaas "John" van 't Schip (; born 30 December 1963) is a Dutch football manager and former player who played as a winger. He is the current manager of Armenia. Born in Canada, he played for the Netherlands national team for nine ...

Aron Winter Aron Mohammed Winter (born 1 March 1967) is a Dutch football manager and former player who most recently managed Suriname. A midfielder, he played for Ajax and Sparta Rotterdam in the Netherlands, and for Italian sides Lazio and Inter Milan. Born ...

Richard Witschge Richard Peter Witschge (born 20 September 1969) is a Dutch former professional footballer who played as a midfielder. He was known for his technique and passing ability. In an 18-year professional career he played mainly for Ajax, but also repre ...

Rob Witschge Robert Witschge (born 22 August 1966) is a Dutch former professional footballer who played as a midfielder. He spent most of his 14-year professional career with Feyenoord, but started out at Ajax, amassing Eredivisie totals of 281 matches and 3 ...

1990s *

Edwin van der Sar Edwin van der Sar (; born 29 October 1970) is a Dutch association football, football executive and former professional player who played as a Goalkeeper (association football), goalkeeper. He was most recently the chief executive of AFC Ajax, A ...

Mario Melchiot Mario Dino Patrick Melchiot (born 4 November 1976) is a Dutch former professional footballer who played as a defender. He played both as a right-back and as a centre-back, and also occasionally played in midfield. He represented the Netherlands ...

Andy van der Meyde Andy van der Meijde (; born 30 September 1979), anglicised to van der Meyde, is a Dutch former professional footballer who played as a winger. After making a name for himself at Ajax, he went on to represent Inter Milan and Everton, his sp ...

Kiki Musampa Kizito Musampa (born 20 July 1977) is a former professional footballer who played as a left winger. Musampa had a journeyman career, taking in notable spells at AFC Ajax, Bordeaux, Malaga CF, Atlético Madrid and Manchester City. Born Zaire, he ...

* John O'Brien *

Michael Reiziger Michael John Reiziger (; born 3 May 1973) is a Dutch former professional footballer who played mainly as a right back. Reiziger currently manages the Netherlands U21 team. After making a name for himself at Ajax, with whom he won one Champio ...

* Abubakari Yakubu 2000s *

Toby Alderweireld Tobias Albertine Maurits Alderweireld (; born 2 March 1989) is a Belgian former professional association football, footballer who played as a Defender (association football)#Full-back, centre-back. Alderweireld began his professional career at D ...

Thomas Vermaelen Thomas Vermaelen (; born 14 November 1985) is a Belgian former professional footballer who played as a defender. Being left-footed, he usually played as a left-sided centre-back and could play at left-back as well. His key attributes included a ...

Jan Vertonghen Jan Bert Lieve Vertonghen (; born 24 April 1987) is a Belgian former professional footballer who played as a defender. Mainly a centre-back, he also played as a left-back. Vertonghen began his senior career at Dutch club Ajax in 2006, and total ...

Vurnon Anita Vurnon San Benito Anita (born 4 April 1989) is a Curaçaoan professional association football, footballer who plays as a defensive midfielder or full-back (association football), full-back for club FC Volendam, Volendam. Born in Curaçao and rai ...

Ryan Babel Ryan Guno Babel (; born 19 December 1986) is a Dutch former professional Association football, footballer who played as a Forward (association football), forward. Babel began his career at Ajax in 1997, working his way up through the youth tea ...

Daley Blind Daley Blind (; born 9 March 1990) is a Dutch professional footballer who plays for La Liga club Girona. He has been deployed in a variety of defensive roles – as a left-back, centre-back, and defensive midfielder. He is the son of former Ajax ...

Urby Emanuelson Urby Vitorrio Diego Emanuelson (born 16 June 1986) is a Dutch former professional association football, footballer. He is the currently assistant trainer of Jong Ajax. As a product of the Ajax Youth Academy, Emanuelson spent most of his career ...

Siem de Jong Siem Stefan de Jong (; born 28 January 1989) is a Dutch former professional footballer who played as an attacking midfielder or striker. Playing in the youth academies of De Graafschap and Ajax, he made his professional debut for the Amsterda ...

Hedwiges Maduro Hedwiges Eduard Martinus Maduro (born 13 February 1985) is a Dutch professional Manager (association football), football coach and former Football player, player who is currently without a club after being fired as the head coach of Eredivisie cl ...

Aras Özbiliz Aras Özbiliz (; born 9 March 1990) is a former professional footballer who played as a winger. Born in Turkey, he represented the Armenia national team. Early life Özbiliz was born on 9 March 1990 in the Bakırköy district of Istanbul, Tu ...

Kenneth Vermeer Kenneth Harold Vermeer (born 10 January 1986) is a Dutch professional footballer who plays as a goalkeeper for Eredivisie club PEC Zwolle. After graduating from the Ajax Youth Academy, Vermeer played for Jong Ajax, Willem II on loan, and the ...

2010s *

Donny van de Beek Donny van de Beek (; born 18 April 1997) is a Dutch professional footballer who plays as a midfielder for La Liga club Girona. In youth international football, Van de Beek made more than 40 appearances for the Netherlands from under-17 to ...

Frenkie De Jong Frenkie de Jong (; born 12 May 1997) is a Dutch professional footballer who plays primarily as a midfielder for club Barcelona and the Netherlands national team. He is widely regarded as one of the best midfielders of his generation and as one ...

Matthijs de Ligt Matthijs de Ligt (born 12 August 1999) is a Dutch professional association football, footballer who plays as a centre-back for Premier League club Manchester United F.C., Manchester United and the Netherlands national football team, Netherlands ...

Jurriën Timber Jurriën David Norman Timber (; born 17 June 2001) is a Dutch professional footballer who plays as a defender for club Arsenal and the Netherlands national team. Timber joined Ajax's youth academy in 2014, from Feyenoord. He made his first- ...

Christian Eriksen Christian Dannemann Eriksen (; born 14 February 1992) is a Danish professional Association football, footballer who plays as a midfielder for Premier League club Manchester United F.C., Manchester United and the Denmark national football team, ...

Steven Bergwijn Steven Charles Bergwijn (born 8 October 1997) is a Dutch professional association football, footballer who plays as a Forward (association football)#Winger, left winger or a Forward (association football)#Inside forward, forward for Saudi Pro Le ...

Nicolai Boilesen Nicolai Møller Boilesen (born 16 February 1992) is a Danish professional Association football, footballer who plays as a left back for FC Copenhagen in the Danish Superliga and the Denmark national football team, Denmark national team. Club car ...

Sergiño Dest Sergiño Gianni Dest (; born November 3, 2000) is a professional Association football, soccer player who plays as a Full-back (association football), full-back for Eredivisie club PSV Eindhoven and the United States men's national soccer team, U ...

Viktor Fischer Viktor Gorridsen Fischer (born 9 June 1994) is a Danish former professional footballer who played as an attacking midfielder or winger for clubs such as Ajax and Copenhagen as well as for the Denmark national team. Widely considered among the ...

Anwar El Ghazi Anwar El Ghazi (; born 3 May 1995) is a Dutch professional association football, footballer who plays as a Winger (association football), winger or a Inside forward (association football), forward for club Cardiff City F.C., Cardiff City. Club ...

* Ryan Gravenberch *

Davy Klaassen Davy Klaassen (born 21 February 1993) is a Dutch professional Association football, footballer who plays as an midfielder for Eredivisie club AFC Ajax, Ajax and the Netherlands national football team, Netherlands national team. Club career Earl ...

Justin Kluivert Justin Dean Kluivert (born 5 May 1999) is a Dutch professional footballer who plays as a winger or forward for club Bournemouth and the Netherlands national team. The son of former Dutch international football player Patrick Kluivert, and g ...

* Noussair Mazraoui *

Abdelhak Nouri Abdelhak "Appie" Nouri (born 2 April 1997) is a Dutch former professional footballer who played as a midfielder. He operated primarily as an attacking midfielder, but could also be deployed as a winger. A youth product of Eredivisie club Ajax ...

Ricardo van Rhijn Ricardo van Rhijn (born 13 June 1991) is a Dutch professional footballer who plays as a right-back for club AFC. Club career Early career Born to an Antillean mother and a Dutch father, Van Rhijn began his football career at RKSV DoCoS, wh ...

Quinten Timber Quinten Ryan Crispito Timber (; born 17 June 2001) is a Dutch professional footballer who plays as midfielder for Eredivisie club Feyenoord, which he captains, and the Netherlands national team. He is the twin brother of Arsenal defender Jurri� ...

* Joël Veltman

Ajax Online Academy

Central is the style of play (4-3-3, with goalkeeper), training, behavior and house rules. Ajax has developed the so-called TIPS model, which stands for Technique, Insight, Personality and Speed. For each part there are ten criteria. P and S are generally innate properties, but I and T can always be developed further. Ajax coaching sessions always consists of 8 important football ingredients. Together with TIPS, they form the core to the Ajax success philosophy. 1. Coordination training 2. Kicking, Passing and Throw-in 3. Moves to beat an opponent 4. Heading 5. Finishing 6. Position play 7. Position Game play 8. Small sided games

Teams

Board and staff

Current staff

Chairman * Frank Eijken Head coach * Frank Peereboom Assistant managers * Yuri Rose *

Technical director (''upper-level A-C'') * Saïd Ouaali Technical director (''mid-level A-C'') * Patrick Ladru Technical director (''lower-level D-F'') * Michel Hordijk

List of technical directors

Facilities

Sportcomplex De Toekomst

Sportcomplex De Toekomst is the training grounds of

AFC Ajax Amsterdamsche Football Club Ajax (), also known as AFC Ajax, Ajax Amsterdam, or commonly Ajax, is a Dutch professional Association football, football Football team, club based in Amsterdam, that plays in the , the top tier in Dutch football. ...

, with a capacity of 5,000 it serves as home grounds for the reserves team

Jong Ajax Jong Ajax (; ), also referred to as Ajax II or Ajax 2, is a Dutch association football team. It is based in Amsterdam and competes in the Dutch Eerste Divisie. Jong Ajax is the only reserve team to have won a title in Dutch professional foot ...

, its women's team Ajax Vrouwen, its amateur team Ajax Zaterdag as well as for the full youth system. The entire complex consists of seven fields and a trainings center.

adidas miCoach Performance Centre

Established in 2011, the adidas MiCoach Performance Centre is situated on Sportpark De Toekomst. Built by Poly-Ned, it teaches football innovation and training methods and is used by both the first team, as well as the youth teams. Here the players are trained in a scientific manner based on motion analytics to enhance speed, distance, dribbling, heading and shooting. On 28 October 2013 the ceiling of the main hall of the facility had collapsed, which the club in turn had to have rebuilt.adidas-hal op de Toekomst ingezakt
ajax.nl, 28 October 2013

Honours

National titles

*A-junioren Eredivisie : 13 :: 1992–93, 1993–94, 1994–95, 1995–96, 1996–97, 1997–98, 2001–02, 2003–04, 2004–05, 2005–06, 2010–11, 2011–12, 2013–14 *A-junioren Eerste Divisie : 4 :: 2004–05, 2007–08, 2008–09, 2010–11 *B-junioren Eredivisie : 4 :: 2002–03, 2007–08, 2009–10, 2011–12 *B-junioren Eerste Divisie : 1 :: 2006–07 *C-junioren Algeheel landskampioen : 1 :: 2011–12 *C-junioren Eerste Divisie : 2 :: 2008–09, 2011–12 *C 2 kampioen : 2 :: 2009–10, 2011–12 *D-junioren Algeheel landskampioen : 1 :: 2011–12 *D-junioren Eerste Divisie : 7 :: 2001–02, 2002–03, 2003–04, 2006–07, 2007–08, 2010–11, 2011–12 *D 2 District West 1 kampioen : 4 :: 2004–05, 2005–06, 2009–10, 2010–11 *D 3 kampioen : 1 :: 2009–10 *E 1 kampioen : 1 :: 2004–05 *E 2 kampioen : 2 :: 2009–10, 2010–11 *E 3 kampioen : 1 :: 2009–10 *F 1 kampioen : 2 :: 2009–10, 2010–11

National cups

*A-junioren Cup : 1 :: 2009–10 *B-junioren Cup : 2 :: 2008–09, 2012–13 *D-junioren Cup : 1 :: 2012–13 *F-pupillen District Cup : 1 :: 2009–10

Dutch Super Cup

*A-junioren Supercup : 4 :: 2005, 2006, 2011, 2014 *B-junioren Supercup : 2 :: 2009, 2012 *C-junioren Supercup : 2 :: 2012, 2014 *D-junioren Supercup : 1 :: 2010

References

External links

*
The academy spotlight: Ajax and Barcelona
– ''These Football Times'' (2015)
Ajax FC Youth Academy in Amsterdam
– ''Soccer Tricks'' (2022) {{AFC Ajax

Youth Youth is the time of life when one is young. The word, youth, can also mean the time between childhood and adulthood (Maturity (psychological), maturity), but it can also refer to one's peak, in terms of health or the period of life known as bei ...

Football academies in the Netherlands UEFA Youth League teams NextGen series