De Klassieker


De Klassieker is the main football rivalry of the Netherlands, between Ajax and Feyenoord, two of the traditional Big Three football teams from the Netherlands. The record attendance was on 9 January 1966, when 65,562 watched in Rotterdam.

Background

The rivalry between these two clubs goes beyond the football rivalry, transcending into the city rivalry between Amsterdam and Rotterdam. This rivalry began when these two cities first received their city rights in the 13th century. The football clubs are the pride of these cities; Ajax to Amsterdam and Feyenoord to Rotterdam.
The inhabitants of these cities differ significantly in both attitudes and cultures which is clearly reflected on the football pitch. The clash is seen between the artists of Amsterdam and the workers of Rotterdam. Amsterdam is renowned for its culture, having produced many artists and actors. Ajax’s style of play has long been a source of pride for the supporters, and one of irritation for the Feyenoord fans. The Rotterdammers feel that those hailing from Amsterdam possess delusions of grandeur, and there is a saying to reflect these sentiments: "While Amsterdam dreams, Rotterdam works".
Rotterdam was forced to work after being bombed heavily in the Second World War by the Nazis. A harbor town, its people are proud of their work ethic and resentful of Amsterdam's showiness.

Beginning of the rivalry

The first encounter between these two clubs was on 9 October 1921 in Rotterdam which was surrounded by controversy. The match initially ended 3–2 in Ajax' favour. This was later officially declared 2–2 due to Feyenoords protest to what they believed was a dubious goal by Ajax.
There has also been a competition as who has the biggest stadium between these two clubs which mainly occurred in the 1930s and 1940s. This was done as bragging rights as which city, between Amsterdam and Rotterdam, had the biggest stadium in the Netherlands. The Olympic Stadium was constructed in 1928 and had a capacity of 31,600 which was the biggest in the Netherlands. In 1934 De Meer Stadion was constructed with a capacity of 22,000. Ajax used the Olympic Stadium for European matches and De Meer for domestic matches. The status of the Olympic Stadium being the largest in Netherlands would change in 1937 when Feyenoord opened De Kuip was constructed with a capacity of 64,000. Ajax responded by adding a second ring to Olympic Stadium, also in 1937. After the Second World War, Feyenoord expanded De Kuip to 69,000 in 1949.
From the season 1947–48 up to and including 1955–56 no competitive matches were played between these two clubs. This was due to Feyenoord never winning their regional league in this period and hence not reaching the Championship Playoff where they could face Ajax. In order for these clubs to continue playing each other during this period a number of friendlies were arranged. Once the Eredivisie was introduced in 1956–57, regional leagues were abolished in favour of a single national league and hence no championship playoffs were needed. Therefore, Feyenoord and Ajax were able to play competitive matches against each other once more. The two clubs have faced off twice a year since then.
In the season 1960-61 the highest scoring match between these two occurred. The total number of goals scored was 14 where the score was 9–5 in favour of Feyenoord. This season Feyenoord won the league with Ajax being second place with 2 points behind first place. Four years later in the season 1964-65 the same scoreline was almost replicated by a 9–4 scoreline in Feyenoord's favour.

Rivalry building up

This rivalry heated up considerably in the early 1970s when these two clubs were arguably the best in the world and riots started to break between the sets of fans. During the early 1970s Ajax won 3 European Cups and 1 Intercontinental Cup, Feyenoord had won one European Cup, one Intercontinental Cup and one UEFA Cup. All these trophies won by Feyenoord at the time were the first to be won by a Dutch club. This success led to the Netherlands squad being filled with a majority of Ajax and Feyenoord players. These players would be important during the 1974 FIFA World Cup and 1978 FIFA World Cup in which they displayed what is known to be Total Football.
During the season 1980-81, Feyenoord legend Wim Jansen, who played for Feyenoord for 15 years, made the leap to Ajax which created much anger for the Feyenoord fans. On his debut for Ajax, which happened to be an away game against Feyenoord, a Feyenoord fan threw an iceball in Jansen's eye, forcing him to leave the field for treatment. The rivalry intensified even further during the 1983-84 season when Ajax legend Johan Cruyff made the transfer from Ajax to Feyenoord. This was after a contract dispute between Cruyff and Ajax; Cruyff wanted a contract extension, but Ajax balked on account of his age. This transfer angered both fanbases; Ajax fans were outraged that Cruyff had jumped to their biggest rival, while Feyenoord fans did not like the fact that an Ajax legend would be joining their club. Some Feyenoord fans protested his arrival by hanging banners saying "Feyenoord Forever, Cruijff Never" being one of the more civilised ones. Many fans would also whistle and jeer at the newcomer during the friendly pre season games and whenever his name was announced in the stadium. Some fans even refused to enter the stadium whilst Cruyff played there. In the 1983-84 season, Feyenoord and Cruyff lost 8–2 to Ajax in Amsterdam which was Feyenoord's worst loss to them ever. However, Feyenoord won their home game 4-1, and Feyenoord ended up winning the league and cup that season.
Both clubs have fallen from grace over the years, while fan violence has increased, and there is always a heavy police presence at the derby. The most serious incident occurred in the Beverwijk clash in 1997 when Ajax fan Carlo Picornie was killed and several others injured. The riots of 2005 were also a depressing chapter in the history of the two clubs.
On 7 April 2024, Feyenoord beat Ajax 6–0, the biggest win ever for Feyenoord over Ajax and the biggest loss ever for Ajax in the Eredivisie.
De Klassieker scheduled for 1 September 2024 was suspended after a police strike was announced.

Violence between Ajax and Feyenoord

Since the 70's there have been many clashes between the supporters of both clubs, including destructions inside stadiums. The Beverwijk in 1997 was most infamous. One Ajax fan, Carlo Picornie, was beaten to death by rival supporters, triggering more strict policies from the Dutch football association KNVB to tackle hooliganism. As a result of the incident, the two Klassiekers in 1997-98 were played without away fans.
In 2004 Feyenoord player Jorge Acuña was taken to hospital with head, neck and rib injuries after Feyenoord players were attacked by Ajax hooligans during a match between the reserve teams of both clubs. Another Feyenoord player, Robin van Persie, had to be rescued by Ajax coach John van 't Schip and player Daniël de Ridder.
In April 2005, riots took place around Feyenoord's ground involving hooligans from both sides and the riot police. Travelling Ajax fans had demolished the train transporting them to Rotterdam after the train was sent back to Amsterdam before arriving in Rotterdam. The second train arrived in Rotterdam but the fans were forced to wait outside the stadium until the match was over. Meanwhile, Feyenoord supporters who had just seen their team lose 2-3, were determined to clash with rivals from Amsterdam, who had not seen the match.
Hooligans filmed by police were shown on national TV. Virtually every hooligan on TV handed himself in.
In February 2009, the mayors of Amsterdam and Rotterdam made an agreement with the KNVB to ban visiting fans from the away games for the next five seasons in an effort to curb the violence. However, after Ajax fans threw fireworks on the field during the 2014 KNVB Cup Final, Ajax banned its supporters from traveling to Rotterdam through at least the 2016-17 season.
In March 2015, the Ajax clubhouse was burned down for which the cause is officially unknown. However the police and Ajax fans suspected Feyenoord fans to have been behind this event. Ajax hooligans planned a revenge attack on Feyenoord fans but were stopped by police.
In February 2016, an incident took place in Amsterdam Arena where an effigy of Kenneth Vermeer, who made the crossing from Ajax to Feyenoord, was hanged from a stand occupied by the Ajax ultra group VAK410. In response, Ajax closed the sections normally used by VAK410 for the next edition of De Klassieker at the Arena, and banned season ticketholders from those sections from attending the match.
Hooligans often chant antisemitic slogans when their team faces Ajax. That is because Ajax has had a long association with the city's Jewish community. And Ajax supporters sometimes refer to themselves as Jews and use the Star of David symbol.
In May 2019, an amateur match between AVV Swift, of Amsterdam, and SC Feyenoord in Amsterdam was marred by fan trouble after the game when Feyenoord fans travelled to Amsterdam to show support for SC Feyenoord and came into contact with Ajax fans who were there to show support for AVV Swift. Later in the same month, there was an incident during the U19 league title deciding game between Ajax and Feyenoord at De Toekomst in Amsterdam. Before the game, Ajax fans threw stones the players bus of Feyenoord U19. After 30 minutes, the match had to be suspended due to Ajax fans trying to attack the Feyenoord players' families in the stands. The match had to be rescheduled to a later date where no fans were allowed to attend the fixture.
On 5 April 2023, during a KNVB Cup semifinal, Ajax player Davy Klaassen was hit with a lighter from the stands during the 62nd minute of the game. The match was suspended for 30 minutes and he was substituted as a result of a head injury.
The match between the clubs on 24 September 2023 was suspended until further notice after Ajax fans, with Feyenoord winning 3–0, threw flares onto the pitch. After the match fans clashed with police. The game was resumed on 27 September 2023, which ended with Feyenoord winning 4-0 behind closed doors.

Honours

Ajax and Feyenoord are the first and third most successful clubs in the Netherlands respectively, with Ajax winning more silverware than Feyenoord in nearly every competition: 75 to 39. This total includes both domestic and international trophies. Both clubs had their greatest international success in the early 1970s, when they were considered to be two of the best clubs in the world. During this time, Ajax won three European Cups, whereas Feyenoord won one European Cup and one UEFA Cup.
AjaxDomestic honoursFeyenoord
36Eredivisie 16
20KNVB Cup14
9Johan Cruyff Shield5

AjaxInternational honoursFeyenoord
4European Cup / UEFA Champions League1
1UEFA Cup Winners' Cup0
1UEFA Cup / UEFA Europa League2
2Intercontinental Cup1
2UEFA Super Cup0

Results (since 1921)

GameSeasonDateResultTournament
Feyenoord – Ajax1930–3110 May 19315–2Kampioenscompetitie
Ajax – Feyenoord1930–313 June 19312–2Kampioenscompetitie
Feyenoord – Ajax1931–321 May 19322–4Kampioenscompetitie
Ajax – Feyenoord1931–325 May 19321–3Kampioenscompetitie
Ajax – Feyenoord1933–348 October 19337–11ste Klasse
Feyenoord – Ajax1933–347 January 19341–41ste Klasse
Ajax – Feyenoord1934–3511 November 19344–01ste Klasse
Feyenoord – Ajax1934–3510 March 19352–41ste Klasse
Ajax – Feyenoord193520 October 19350–1Friendly
Ajax – Feyenoord1935–3619 April 19361–4Kampioenscompetitie
Feyenoord – Ajax1935–3614 June 19363–6Kampioenscompetitie
Feyenoord – Ajax1936–3711 April 19373–0Kampioenscompetitie
Ajax – Feyenoord1936–3723 May 19372–0Kampioenscompetitie
Feyenoord – Ajax1938–392 October 19371–01ste Klasse
Ajax – Feyenoord1938–3922 January 19395–01ste Klasse

GameSeasonDateResultTournament
Feyenoord – Ajax19505 March 19502–2Friendly
Ajax – Feyenoord195019 March 19501–4Friendly
Ajax – Feyenoord19515 May 19512–2Friendly
Feyenoord – Ajax19521 March 19522–1Friendly
Feyenoord – Ajax195514 August 19553–3Friendly
Feyenoord – Ajax1956–5711 November 19567–3Eredivisie
Ajax – Feyenoord1956–5717 March 19571–0Eredivisie
Ajax – Feyenoord1957–5813 October 19571–2Eredivisie
Feyenoord – Ajax1957–5830 March 19581–3Eredivisie
Ajax – Feyenoord1958–599 November 19583–1Eredivisie
Feyenoord – Ajax1958–595 April 19590–5Eredivisie
Ajax – Feyenoord1959–6020 December 19594–1Eredivisie
Feyenoord – Ajax1959–6022 May 19603–0Eredivisie
Ajax – Feyenoord1959–6026 May 19605–1Eredivisie play-offs
Ajax – Feyenoord1959–606 June 19601–6Plaatsing Europacup
Feyenoord – Ajax1959–6018 June 19604–2Plaatsing Europacup

GameSeasonDateResultTournament
Feyenoord – Ajax1969–702 November 19691–0Eredivisie
Ajax – Feyenoord1969–7026 April 19703–3Eredivisie
Feyenoord – Ajax1970–7120 December 19701–1Eredivisie
Ajax – Feyenoord1970–7127 May 19711–3Eredivisie
Feyenoord – Ajax1970–717 April 19711–2KNVB Cup
Ajax – Feyenoord1971–727 November 19712–1Eredivisie
Feyenoord – Ajax1971–7215 April 19721–5Eredivisie
Feyenoord – Ajax1972–7317 September 19722–0Eredivisie
Ajax – Feyenoord1972–733 March 19732–1Eredivisie
Ajax – Feyenoord1973–7423 November 19732–1Eredivisie
Feyenoord – Ajax1973–7417 February 19742–2Eredivisie
Feyenoord – Ajax1974–7527 October 19742–1Eredivisie
Ajax – Feyenoord1974–759 March 19750–1Eredivisie
Ajax – Feyenoord1975–761 November 19756–0Eredivisie
Feyenoord – Ajax1975–764 April 19764–1Eredivisie
Feyenoord – Ajax1976–7714 November 19761–1Eredivisie
Ajax – Feyenoord1976–7724 April 19772–1Eredivisie
Ajax – Feyenoord1977–784 September 19772–2Eredivisie
Feyenoord – Ajax1977–7812 February 19781–1Eredivisie
Ajax – Feyenoord1978–7928 October 19780–0Eredivisie
Feyenoord – Ajax1978–7929 April 19791–1Eredivisie
Feyenoord – Ajax1979–8029 September 19794–0Eredivisie
Ajax – Feyenoord1979–809 March 19801–1Eredivisie
Feyenoord – Ajax1979–8017 May 19803–1KNVB Cup

GameSeasonDateResultTournament
Feyenoord – Ajax1990–919 December 19900–4Eredivisie
Ajax – Feyenoord1990–9120 May 19912–0Eredivisie
Feyenoord – Ajax1991–9217 November 19912–0Eredivisie
Ajax – Feyenoord1991–9222 December 19913–1Eredivisie
Feyenoord – Ajax1991–928 March 19921–0KNVB Cup
Feyenoord – Ajax1992–9315 November 19920–3Eredivisie
Feyenoord – Ajax1992–9331 March 19930–5KNVB Cup
Ajax – Feyenoord1992–939 May 19935–2Eredivisie
Feyenoord – Ajax1993–948 August 19930–4Johan Cruyff Shield
Ajax – Feyenoord1993–9424 October 19932–2Eredivisie
Feyenoord – Ajax1993–9427 March 19942–1Eredivisie
Ajax – Feyenoord1994–9521 August 19943–0Johan Cruyff Shield
Ajax – Feyenoord1994–9522 February 19954–1Eredivisie
Ajax – Feyenoord1994–958 March 19951–2 KNVB Cup
Feyenoord – Ajax1994–9518 May 19950–5Eredivisie
Feyenoord – Ajax1995–9616 August 19951–2 Johan Cruyff Shield
Feyenoord – Ajax1995–9622 October 19952–4Eredivisie
Ajax – Feyenoord1995–9624 March 19962–0Eredivisie
Feyenoord – Ajax1996–9724 November 19962–2Eredivisie
Ajax – Feyenoord1996–9723 February 19973–0Eredivisie
Ajax – Feyenoord1997–9826 October 19974–0Eredivisie
Feyenoord – Ajax1997–985 April 19980–1Eredivisie
Feyenoord – Ajax1998–9920 December 19981–1Eredivisie
Ajax – Feyenoord1998–9914 April 19992–1KNVB Cup
Ajax – Feyenoord1998–992 May 19996–0Eredivisie
Ajax – Feyenoord1999–20008 August 19992–3Johan Cruyff Shield
Ajax – Feyenoord1999–200010 September 19992–2Eredivisie
Feyenoord – Ajax1999–200023 April 20001–1Eredivisie

GameSeasonDateResultTournament
Feyenoord – Ajax2010–1119 September 20101–2Eredivisie
Ajax – Feyenoord2010–1119 January 20112–0Eredivisie
Ajax – Feyenoord2011–1223 October 20111–1Eredivisie
Feyenoord – Ajax2011–1229 January 20124–2Eredivisie
Feyenoord – Ajax2012–1328 October 20122–2Eredivisie
Ajax – Feyenoord2012–1320 January 20133–0Eredivisie
Ajax – Feyenoord2013–1418 August 20132–1Eredivisie
Ajax – Feyenoord2013–1422 January 20143–1KNVB Cup
Feyenoord – Ajax2013–142 March 20141–2Eredivisie
Feyenoord – Ajax2014–1521 September 20140–1Eredivisie
Ajax – Feyenoord2014–1525 January 20150–0Eredivisie
Feyenoord – Ajax2015–1628 October 20151–0KNVB Cup
Feyenoord – Ajax2015–168 November 20151–1Eredivisie
Ajax – Feyenoord2015–167 February 20162–1Eredivisie
Feyenoord – Ajax2016–1723 October 20161–1Eredivisie
Ajax – Feyenoord2016–172 April 20172–1Eredivisie
Feyenoord – Ajax2017–1822 October 20171–4Eredivisie
Ajax – Feyenoord2017–1821 January 20182–0Eredivisie
Ajax – Feyenoord2018–1928 October 20183–0Eredivisie
Feyenoord – Ajax2018–1927 January 20196–2Eredivisie
Feyenoord – Ajax2018–1927 February 20190–3KNVB Cup
Ajax – Feyenoord2019–2027 October 20194–0Eredivisie
Feyenoord – Ajax2019–2022 March 2020cancelledEredivisie

Records

All-time top scorers

RankPlayerNationalityClubGoals
1.Sjaak SwartAjax 18
2.Cor van der GijpFeyenoord 14
3.Piet van ReenenAjax 13
4.Jari LitmanenAjax 12
5.Ruud GeelsAjax
Feyenoord 		11
5.Henk GrootAjax
Feyenoord 		11
7.Klaas-Jan HuntelaarAjax 10
8.Jaap BarendregtFeyenoord 9
8.Marco van BastenAjax 9
8.Johan CruyffAjax
Feyenoord 		9
11.Ajax 8
11.Peter HoutmanFeyenoord 8
11.Dirk KuytFeyenoord 8
14.Siem de JongAjax 7
14.Ronald de BoerAjax 7
14.Henk SchoutenFeyenoord 7
14.Jon Dahl TomassonFeyenoord 7

Highest-scoring matches (8+ goals)

GoalsScorelineDate
14Feyenoord 9–5 Ajax28 August 1960
13Feyenoord 9–4 Ajax29 November 1964
10Feyenoord 7–3 Ajax11 November 1956
10Ajax 8–2 Feyenoord18 September 1983
9Feyenoord 3–6 Ajax14 June 1963
8Ajax 7–1 Feyenoord8 October 1933
8Feyenoord 5–3 Ajax10 November 1946
8Feyenoord 6–2 Ajax27 January 2019

Crossing the divide

There have been quite a few players who have played for both Ajax and Feyenoord. The most controversial players have been Johan Cruyff, Wim Jansen and, most recently, Steven Berghuis. Hans Kraay Sr. and Leo Beenhakker have trained both clubs, while Peter Bosz was technical director at Feyenoord and later coach at Ajax.
Ruud Geels and Ronald Koeman are the only former players to have played at the traditional 'Big Three' of Dutch professional football, having been a player at Feyenoord, Ajax, and their Eindhoven rivals PSV.
Hans Kraay Sr. was the first person to have coached at all the Big Three teams.
Ronald Koeman also coached all three teams, making him the only person to hold the distinction of both playing and coaching at the 'Big Three'.

From Feyenoord to Ajax

NameNationalityYearDirect / indirect transferReference
Henk GrootNetherlands

From Ajax to Feyenoord

NameNationalityYearDirect / indirect transferReference
Eddy Pieters GraaflandNetherlands