Ajax to name stadium after Johan Cruyff from next season

Ajax’s Amsterdam ArenA will be named the Johan Cruyff ArenA from the 2018-19 season onwards, the club have confirmed.

The decision has been made following discussions between the Eredivisie club and the local authority, which co-owns the venue.

Ajax will unveil a new logo for the ground on April 25, on the day Cruyff would have turned 71.

The Netherlands and Barcelona great died in 2016 after a battle with lung cancer.

Ajax CEO Edwin van der Sar told the club’s official website: “Johan Cruyff is the greatest football player Ajax have produced. Partly thanks to him, Ajax are a big name, at home and abroad. It’s nice that the stadium is named after him.”

Cruyff’s family added in a statement: “We’re pleased with this news, and that the stadium can now officially be called the Johan Cruyff ArenA from the new football season.”

Cruyff won a wealth of honours in two spells with Ajax as a player, including eight Eredivisie titles and three consecutive European Cups.

He returned as coach in 1985 and won two KNVB Becker trophies and the UEFA Cup Winners’ Cup in 1987.

#vooraltijdnr14 pic.twitter.com/tQRwiTYuDj

— AFC Ajax (@AFCAjax) April 5, 2018