Aarran Summers 

Standing in the home dugout at the Amsterdam Arena, I looked to my left at the goalposts. It was there just three months earlier when Lucas Moura stunned Ajax and effectively destroyed an incredible team.

As we learned of their demise on a specially conducted tour, it became clear that the defeat had rocked the club to its very foundations. It was also a day when we had earlier read that their captain Matthijs de Ligt had just a huge deal to sign for Juventus. As I sat in his seat in the dressing room, I could only imagine the distress of that room, in the aftermath of that terrible night of Wednesday 8th May 2019. 
 
Ajax was on the verge of securing their place in the UEFA Champions League Final for the first time since 1996. The Dutch capital city, Amsterdam, was rocking. It was an incredible night. The club’s rising star, de Ligt, had doubled the host’s advantage on aggregate. Hakim Ziyech swept Tottenham’s chances of reaching their first final away, by adding the second on the night. Or so they thought. 
 
Disaster struck. Lucas Moura scored a hat-trick, his final goal with virtually the last kick of the semi-final plunged a dagger into the heart of the once formidable Ajax. Tottenham’s late winner knocked Ajax out of the competition. It was the end of other Champions League journey, but this was their greatest chance yet in many a year. Ajax endeared themselves to the competition’s elite. Impressive wins over then holders Real Madrid, and Juventus, gave rise to a new legion of supporters. Ajax was simply a joy to watch. 

The current team drew parallels of the once-legendary teams from the 1970s, 80s and 90s. Footballing greats have played at the Amsterdam Arena – including the legendary, Johann Cruyff, who the stadium is officially named after. A tour of the stadium will quickly make you realise just how successful the team were. 
 
In 1973, Ajax won a third consecutive European Cup and Dutch Championship. They only just failed to secure a second successive treble. With Cruyff leaving for Barcelona that year, it also ended the highly regarded ‘twelve apostles’. It was the beginning of the end for the likes of Arie Haan, Johan Neeskens, Gerrie Muhren and Johnny Rep, players who were central to their chances in the Netherlands and abroad. 
 
Ajax’s fresh brand of Total Football ensured a lasting legacy. A strong philosophy was attractive and intrigued. The club’s dynamism flowed beautifully into the national team. The 1974 World Cup Final saw the Dutch go close to winning their first international title. 
 
Traditionally well supported, Ajax has historically been one of the most successful clubs in Europe and one of the most highly regarded. It is also a club that has faced incredible highs and painful lows in its long and illustrious history. 
 
As I left the Amsterdam Arena last year, it became evident to me that this was the end of a phase for the capital giants. This phase was the end of an era for many. De Ligt and Frenkie de Jong were both sold in the summer of 2019.

The nucleus and the flair died along with their departures. Ajax was no longer the once complete side. They will, however, return to the elite. With a passionate fanbase in Amsterdam, the history and heritage of the club, the once sleeping giant that is Ajax, will once again awaken.