Ajax of Amsterdam is one of the most successful clubs in Dutch football and is widely admired for its youth academy, known as De Toekomst, which means The Future.
A philosophy of development
Young players at Ajax are trained to play a technical, attacking style from an early age. The club has long believed that every position should be able to handle the ball and understand space.
Cruyff and Total Football
Johan Cruyff, who came through the club, became the face of the great Ajax side of the early 1970s. The team won the European Cup three times in a row, in 1971, 1972 and 1973, and won again in 1995.
An ongoing production line
Ajax continues to develop and sell talented players to the biggest clubs in Europe, which is a key part of its business model.