Ajax title celebrationGetty

Ajax crowned Eredivisie champions as Dutch giants claim 35th title following Ten Hag contract renewal

Ajax have claimed their 35th Eredivisie title after the Dutch giants won the league on Sunday with three games to spare.

Sunday's 4-0 victory over Emmen was enough to lift Ajax back to the top of Dutch football after seeing last season abandoned due to the coronavirus, while also securing a domestic double after beating Vitesse Arnhem 2-1 in the cup final two weeks ago.

In total, Ajax have won the title in five of the last 10 seasons.

Article continues below

What was said?

“We were very solid throughout the season, we had a fairly high lower limit," said manager Erik ten Hag, who recently signed an extension with the club amid interest from Tottenham.

"That’s why we lost very few matches. And we peaked at the right times. We also had the worst schedule.”

Asked to rate the campaign out of 10, Ten Hag added, “It is very high. A 7.5 or an 8, I don’t know. It’s hard to say, I’ll leave that to you.”

'I'm always hungry' 

Midfielder Dusan Tadic, who joined the club from Southampton in 2018, says he remains hungry for more trophies with Ajax, especially after missing out on the title last season.

Ajax were top of the table last season when the season was cancelled, leaving the Eredivisie without a champion. Now back atop Dutch football, Tadic has claimed his second title with the Dutch side, but he doesn't want it to be his last.

"I wanted this, the club wanted this and the people want this," Tadic told NOS. "I'm always hungry, that's the most important thing."

Tadic added that he was disappointed to lift the trophy in an empty stadium, although Ajax fans did gather outside the stadium in celebration.

"This is different," says Tadic. "We play for the people."

Defender Daley Blind added: "We are living in a difficult time. We have to stick to the rules, but let the fans go wrong. Personally, I think it's fantastic that they are outside."

Further reading

Advertisement