Ajax hopes rejuvenated by kid Kluivert
AMSTERDAM — More than 20 years after the soccer world watched schoolboy Patrick Kluivert lead Ajax to Champions League glory, his son Justin is bidding to help the Dutch giant into the Europa League final.
JustinKluivert,17,isturning heads in the Ajax red and white and some say he’s even more skillful than the father, who went on to enjoy a brilliant career with AC Milan and Barcelona and is now sports director at Paris Saint-Germain.
The kid even looks the spitting image of his father in that unforgettable final, running on to Frank Rijkaard’s pass to give Ajax a 1-0 1995 European final win over Milan before he had even left high school.
“I like it when I am comparedtomydad.Hehadagreat career, and I hope to have one too,” Justin said in a recent interview with FourFourTwo magazine.
Dad Patrick was more of a penalty-area predator.
“Justin possesses speed and courage, and knows how to pass,” former Ajax great Sjaak Swart said of the younger Kluivert last month.
“It’s hard to believe that he’s just 17.”
The second of four Kluivert sons, Justin made his Ajax debut in January 2017 and has since played in the right-wing slot of the classic Ajax 4-3-3 formation.
There was a wave of nostalgia in the Netherlands in March when he scored his first top-flight goal 10 years to the day after his father’s final strike as a professional with Lille.
Given his background, fans will doubtless be praying he can do something in the Europa League against Lyon in their semifinal first leg on Wednesday.
Ajax coach Peter Bosz said his young star is “a product of the Ajax system and terribly effective on one-on-ones”.
The player’s main strength is his mazy runs into the box, dribbling skills he has honed since his days in the youth ranks, where his father served as head coach.
Fans have picked up on the vibe of the situation, with Matthijs de Ligt, also 17, making a first team impact as a defender plucked from the youth ranks and cast into the spotlight.
“This will pay dividends in the coming years,” said Dutch newspaper Algemeen Dagblad.
A recent altercation with PSV Eindhoven’s Juergen Locadia proved Kluivert is not out of place.
“I’m young, but I demand respect. After the match we can have a laugh and relax, but not out on the pitch,” he warned.