Over the years, Dutch giant Ajax has become renowned for the quality of players that their youth academy has produced. Some of the world’s greatest-ever players, such as Johan Cruyff and Marco van Basten, came through the club’s youth ranks, as well as a vast plethora of top players in recent decades.
Ajax’s reserve team, or Ajax Jong, has been crucial in helping players transition from youth team football to the first team.
A brief history of Ajax Jong
The Dutch giant’s second team began on March 18th 1900, and has been playing football as long as the senior team. The team previously operated under the name Ajax ll, as traditionally, the big clubs from the Netherlands used the ‘ll’ to identify their reserve or second teams.
In 1992, Ajax entered the newly founded Beloften Eredivisie, a division comprising reserve teams, including Jong PSV, Jong FC Groningen and Jong AZ.
Unsurprisingly, Ajax Jong was highly successful in the Beloften Eredivisie, winning the title a record eight times in seasons 1994, 1996, 1998, 2001, 2002, 2004, 2005 and 2009. They have also lifted the KNVB Reserve Cup on three occasions.
Winning the Beloften Eredivisie qualified Ajax Jong for the KNVB Cup. They have reached the semi-finals of the competition three times, including in the 2001/02 season, when they lost to Utrecht on penalty kicks.
The ironic aspect of the defeat was that Ajax’s senior team advanced to the final of the competition, where they would have faced their reserve team.
In the 2013/14 season, Ajax Jong made their debut in the Jupiler League, which is now the Eerste Divisie, the second tier of the Dutch football senior pyramid. Moving to the second tier meant that Ajax Jong players could no longer move to the first-team mid-season.
The two teams have to register squads before the beginning of each campaign, and players can only move during transfer windows or if the player has made fewer than 15 appearances for either team. If the latter is the case, then a player is free to move within teams.
As the team is now in the Dutch professional second tier, Ajax Jong is no longer eligible for promotion to the Eredivisie or to participate in the KNVB Cup.
In season 2017/18, Ajax Jong won the Eerste Divisie title, with the team containing the likes of Noussair Mazraoui, Noa Lang and Danilho Doekhi. It was the first and only time that a reserve team had won a professional title in Dutch football.
Which players have played for Ajax Jong?
While the Dutch club has produced some major legends of the game, Ajax have also produced some players who are currently active in the game.
Current Ajax first-team players who have played in the Ajax Jong team are Devyne Rensch, Jorrel Hato, Owen Wijndal, Kenneth Taylor, Brian Brobbey, Youri Baas, Davy Klaassen Branco van den Boomen and Kian Fitz-Jim.
Barcelona and Netherlands international midfielder Frenkie de Jong is one of the biggest and most valuable former Ajax Jong players still plying his trade in the game.
Current Manchester United centre-back Matthijs de Ligt is another player who played for Ajax Jong. He also played for the likes of Juventus and Bayern Munich before his 2024 summer switch to United. At Ajax, he was considered one of the best young centre-backs in the game. However, he has arguably yet to fulfil his potential fully.
Another current United player, Cameroon international Andre Onana, started his football career playing for a few seasons in the club’s reserve team before getting his chance in the first team.
PSV Eindhoven’s mercurial winger Noa Lang, who is highly rated, began his career playing for four years at Ajax Jong, making 47 appearances. He later went on to impress in Belgium for Club Brugge before his return back to his homeland with PSV in 2023.
What is happening at Ajax Jong in season 2024/25?
While former Ajax Jong players have made a big impact in the beautiful game, the current batch of players in the squad will be looking to make a similar sort of impact in the game.
As previously mentioned, the squad is full of homegrown players. They are an example of what the current crop of Ajax Jong players needs to do to forge a successful career at one of Europe’s most historic clubs.
However, Ajax Jong is struggling in the Eerste Divisie table in 17th place. The players in the current squad will need to improve their performances and help their team move up the table if they are to follow in the footsteps of those illustrious former teammates in the Ajax first team.