Ajax's Champions League Winning Team

[@YlliksenMummo]

I think Tifo undersold the role of Jari Litmanen. He was magnificent that season!

[@glede9377]

Suomi perkele

[@slappeslang890]

For real man they should have made his important role in the team way bigger

[@WvdL81]

No printer

[@LuisFigo4]

Litmanen was incredible. If he was Brazilian or French he'd be thought of as a past great.

[@tamunotamuno3564]

@@bobbythekush4778 kanu was a skilled technician. I dont understand what you r saying pls clarify.

[@chradikaali]

Tifo's way of downplaying Jari Litmanen's role is a bit sad. He was pivotal in that Ajax team. He scored 17 in the PTT telecomp. and 6 in the Champions League, being the third highest scorer in the former and the second highest scorer in the latter competition. One year earlier, he had already scored 26 in the Dutch league and there was no question whether he was able to match Bergkamp's role in the team. As a result, his playing time in the 94/95 season was the 7th highest in that heavily rotating Ajax team with 3439 minutes in all competitions. He was nominated for the Ballon d'Or in 1995 after their CL success, but Klinsmann from Bayern and the winner, George Weah from Milan were voted above him. Still, as the highest rated Ajax player of that year, I think he deserves a little more respect than just "number 10, usually Litmanen", because Litmanen was, de facto, the number 10 of Ajax 94/95, and most of us (but still too few) remember his silky smooth touch, vision, hard work, goal scoring ability, as well as, his passing ability (probably his best ability) as one of the main driving forces that led Ajax to its success in those years.

[@randommadness1021]

Good to see you here Jari👍

[@coachhbosoccer]

@@randommadness1021 bruh😅😂😭💀

[@coachhbosoccer]

Bro your stats need their own IG page 😂 However I agree 100% about Litmanen. If you wanted to stop Ajax' offensive flow, you had to stop him. He was pretty much a false 9, and would have been an absolute star today. He is unappreciated probably because he wasnt healthy/consistent at Barca or at Liverpool

[@gambit0913]

agreed Jari Litmanen was crucial especially his in game intelligence and their success in games depended on him more so than anyone else....i would say Bergkamp is sort of overrated due to his english influence....

[@TheFreshestLyrics]

Shame about all his injuries without them he would have made an even bigger mark in the football world.

[@Mlaargaar]

My friend is an avid Liverpool fan. All in all, he's seen 3 separate eras, watched Gerrard, Hyypia, some real quality players. And even he says that the best player he's ever seen play for his club was Jari Litmanen. The man was a genius.

[@otto_jk]

If a player can take the place of Dennis Bergkamp, no questions asked then he must be a genius.

[@Metalton95]

Not to take anything away from Jari, but did your friend miss the 13/14 season?

[@glede9377]

Even xavi said that whenever he played at barca he was the best player in the team.

[@metalhammer5]

​@@Metalton95 exactly my question. Joe Allen was out of this world that season...

[@kaneessey3839]

@@Metalton95 Suarez is a great player but litmanen is better.

[@vb2388]

its almost sad nowadays how nobody discusses on how good Rijkaard was during his prime playing years...right up with Lothar Matthäus imo as one of the Best CDMs of All Time..

[@EnglishforFOOTBALLFANS]

I agree - he is in my lifetime 'Best XI' (so is Lothar Matthaus :) Every team he Rijkaard played for was successful.

[@pkingglazersout6665]

Lothar Matthaus was a beast, for me he is the most complete mid fielder of all time

[@abhaagrawal5780]

Definitely agree. People forget how good rjikaard was as a player.

[@12thMandalorian]

I just think of THAT Germany game

[@reenot3174]

@Mosaab its an opinion

[@j.d.bolick8657]

This squad is why I became an Ajax supporter. When ESPN2 was a brand new channel in 1994, they broadcast Eredivisie matches and I was amazed at the style and quality of Ajax.

[@angusloughran8144]

I agree i was commentator in 1994 for ESPN2!

[@thebeatnumber]

Been waiting for someone to analyze this Ajax Team. If memory serves me well, they were also the youngest team to win the CL.

[@Kourumeme]

Never lost a game both domestic and in the cl. Well they lost in the knvb cup

[@pkingglazersout6665]

People often forget that it was van gaal who bought together that legendary team, too bad that among today's youth he is ridiculed for his stint at Manchester United

[@supervarun777]

Jose deserves some respecc too😂😂

[@tamunotamuno3564]

exactly i feel what happened at Mu was d board didnt back him and gave him either players that didnt want to be there (di maria) or second or third choice players

[@LeFreud]

MU did him dirty. If he would have had stronger backing they could have been higher up the ranks than they are now. Also, swapping out Van Gaals tactical genius for Mourinho's farmer style obnoxious football is such a shame. All his teams are shit to watch.

[@supervarun777]

@@LeFreud that's true ... van gaal took a very shaky Netherlands to the semis.

[@murrayde630]

He basically created rashford out of nowhere. Gave many youth players their first senior games like Muller, xavi and alaba.

[@kriznan97]

Thats some crazy team. World class quality at every position!!! Ajax is really something special.

[@Evemeister12]

The 1990s were truly football's golden era.nnot just because of ajax, but barcelona, real madrid, milan, sao paulo, national aides of italy, Brazil, netherlands, portugal, argentina. Attack mindedness, great players in all teams big and small. When money was influential but not overwhelmingly so.

[@davidkerr7065]

The animator hates Van Der Saar, pass it on.

[@vaaggasje]

It is Van der Sar

[@ashley09691]

english speakers more often than not sure van der saar, cant blame them, it was how the premier league showed his name

[@tiely13]

This side was influential for Dutch football. I was born in 93, but my entire youth (till I was 18) I played in this system against most team who also played this system.

[@marianchicago4002]

Great team that got picked apart by vultures after Bosman ruling, lot of players were on 1 or 2 year contracts, that team could had dominated Europe for the next 5-10 years

[@shotgunpete5117]

They probably could have been what Barça became under Guardiola. Imagine that team losing Messi, Xavi, Iniesta and Puyol...they wouldn't have been able to keep dominating like that either lol.

[@LndnJazzHour]

@@shotgunpete5117 Barca didn't really dominate Europe that era, 2 out of 3 CL's.

[@braksammarak6862]

@@LndnJazzHour *2 out of 4

[@TheFreshestLyrics]

Sadly Dutch clubs can't hold on to their star players for that long. If they could Ajax would probably be a top 10 club in Europe.

[@slappeslang890]

Best team ever in word football :) Jari Litmanen the absolute superstar has been a bit underrated in this video imo

[@jordyramos9522]

My favorite club and my favorite team in history just got the Tifo Football treatment. I can die peacefully now.

[@Tifo]

Please don’t.

[@jordanlee6778]

Litmanen was underrated as hell

[@aidygooner]

Yeah by football fans in general but definitely not by Ajax fans where he's still adored. 🇫🇮💙

[@Timliu92]

The greatest Finnish player ever. Sadly not many people acknowledge his talent nowadays.

[@franklin7387]

Not in Amsterdam!

[@xp3r1]

Tifo's upload schedule matches my sleep schedule lmao

[@paballomatlala2125]

No lies detected here

[@TurnitMo]

Same

[@connoredward354]

Thats a fact

[@llssneN]

Litmanen! Fantastic!

[@shaf0723]

To really appreciate how good this team was, in that season of 94/95 en route to the Final, they matched up with AC Milan not just in the Final but two more times in the Group Stage. That Milan team was filled with experienced players and managed by Capello. They really imposed their game against that Milan side. Out playing Milan.

[@Tifo]

This is correct

[@JulioLeonFandinho]

I watched this team play in a summer trophy they came to play in my town. The first half Overmars played the side of the pitch I was sitting. The guy was like a rocket. The way this team played the ball, their physical conditioning to play without the ball... I don't have words to describe it, it's one of the best squads that ever graced this planet

[@iReece4498]

Feel like Louis van Gaal is disrespected too often in modern football, most known for his underwhelming stay at Manchester United, where the football was often mind numbingly boring, although there were a few bright spots where you could see what he was going for with his philosophy, such as Uniteds strong run of form in the spring of his first season which included comfortable wins against Spurs and City at home and Liverpool away before a Michael Carrick injury seemed to make the system fall apart. There was also some good stuff near the end of his second season, as he was forced to play more of the youth and there was some exciting games from that. He wasn't a success at United of course and maybe he was just past his best, but I'm curious as to what his vision would have looked like had he got the players he wanted and saw out his three year contract.

[@nazrighazali]

I remember this Ajax team. Very impressive achievement with strong team throughout but the team was broken up bit by bit after winning the Champions League

[@coachhbosoccer]

In the group stages they beat and passed Milan silly. In the final, Milan really dominated that game. but were shut out of operating in the box. Great Memories TIFO! In Nigeria at the time we were thrilled to see Finidi and Kanu in the Champions League! And Litmanen would have been an absolute star today....

[@susheelramadoss]

That's one potential star studded team, just like the Monaco team that went to the Champions League semifinal.

[@nazimh]

So proud to be an Ajax fan till I die!!!!

[@sCoryvo]

Louis van Gaal, Rijkaard, the De Boer brothers, Davids, van der SAR, Overmars, Litmanen, Kluivert, Reiziger, George, Kanu. This is one hell of a team

[@joachimschmidt7662]

Can't believe I'd never heard of this team assembled. Only player who isn't familiar by reputation is Reiziger, maybe Blind too..

[@tededmunds8476]

Every single player mentioned was a gem - a star of the 90s (and in some cases beyond). Couldn't help but smile and feel nostalgic every time one was mentioned. What a team this was. And the connections to other teams, managers, and footballing successes. Just wonderful.

[@andresgirardo8481]

Best Ajax team ever. World class level at every position.

[@lucastegers]

Kuromori first of all. It is unfair to compare teams from different era’s/generations. Within Ajax club history the 66-73 period is seen as the golden age. And the period 1989-1997 as the second golden age. The key difference between the periods is that in the Michels/Cruijff era there were a lot of transfer restrictions. Basicly the only two foreign players to win the ECI in the 1970’s with Ajax were the Velibor Vasovic (71’ captain) and Horst Blankenburg (centerback). In the 1990’s football had become a global industry that was becoming more and more money driven. The uniqueness of the 94/95 achievment from Ajax is the combination of home grown talent and sensible transfers. That combined with a strong footballing identity to beat clubs like AC Milan, Bayern Munich and in the 95/96 destroying Real Madrid away.

[@Flippityflap]

Every amateur football team played like this when i was young. I remember always having to make the field big in possession and small while defending. Seedorf, Davids and Kluivert were local boys from Amsterdam and will always be heroes in our city. But the biggest legend was Finnish maestro Litmanen. He was loved by fans of all clubs. Sad he had to deal with many injuries. The story of another commenter about people massively naming their children Jari is actually true. Also me encountered plenty in my live.

[@jrivas4038]

What a team, I would love to watch full matches of this season.

[@coachhbosoccer]

For those comments saying TiFO is underplaying Litmanen's role with Ajax, I believe the point is to emphasize how effective the system is no matter who is playing. It's not a slight on Litmanen, who sometimes had a deputy in Kanu.

[@karlsylvain]

absolute perfection!! perfect vid. everything makes sense. This is my favorite team of all time!!magnificient!

[@buhendran]

United fans disgraced LVG. He did his best with that squad he had. LVG has to go down as one of the best managers in history.

[@sakhinjobe8420]

He was also stubborn.United were impressive against the big clubs but failed against the smaller teams.Louis had talented players but they were not Ajax academy graduates so discipline had to be prioritized

[@maggotbrain7499]

Winston Bogarde, defending attack, very important in the team.

[@templarsamurai]

He will go down as one of the greats to grace the game. The English press never treated him with respect. Sacked him multiple times on paper in his second season and Man Utd board did him dirty by sacking him hours after the cup final victory. Shame.

[@jagmaharesi2486]

That's why it's never coming home

[@Banditanddilcuy]

This is amazing team!Davids, seedorf, kluivert, overmars etc🚀

[@Hyde_Hill]

Small correction. Most Dutch teams would NOT use 2 attackers at this time, the defense would just go man for man or either Rijkard/Blind would cover depending on the skills of the striker. It was mainly international that more teams use 2 strikers. Davids would play on the left of midfield and Seedorf on the right btw. Ronald De Boer would also quite often play right midfield with Seedorf taking any of the three forward midfield roles. Could have also mentioned that Van Gaal and Cruyff heavily disagreed with each other and it created a behind the scenes power struggle at times at Ajax.

[@subodhadavadkar7158]

Jari Litmanen is criminally underrated in this video

[@izzojunior]

Very very important was the shadow striker in those periods especially the mid to late 90s and good for Tifo to highlight Bergkamp’s tactical genius in that nature ✅✅✅✅✅👍🏿👍🏿

[@DannyB_7]

The more I see of this team the more I think Rijkaard was probably the most important player. This formation takes tactical acumen most players dont have never mind being the CDM/CB and overall shape changer.

[@mayukhmukherjee1611]

The best one was litmanen imo

[@Tifo]

Probably true

[@Ironborn4]

''Not a team of superstars'' Almost every player on that team turned out to be an all time great in their positions.

[@Tifo]

Yes but not at that point, and without egos. That’s the point we’re making.

[@LndnJazzHour]

@@Tifo lol yes but it is ironic. Unreal talent. Reminds me slightly of the Parma team that won the Uefa cup with Crespo, Thuram etc... insane.

[@aseq2]

Props for getting the pronunciation on the names correct, although 'van der Saar' at 4:52? And 4:20 Nwank Wokanu, lol?

[@Saulvdz]

It's Van Ghaal not Van Haal

[@xBatboys4]

Ajax was also the best team in the world in the 95/96 season. But there was this Italian team called Juventus that used doping to win matches. That's why Ajax should still deserve the 95/96 Champions League Title

[@magentalane27]

So funny that in LVG's view at that point, he preferred youth players over "stars," when so many of those names would go on to be world class.

[@MrOmarthegangsta]

Yh Van Gaal is and was an elite at developing players

[@grandnoobian2685]

I remember people used to bring GIANT flags with Jari Litmanen's likeness on them...'the magician' they called him.

[@cuma4893]

Clarence Seerdorf ♥️

[@joshuacoombs1955]

marc overmars...........he was so fast !!! underated.......very underrated

[@tamunotamuno3564]

bro i dont think there are many ppl whu underrate overmars imo ppl underrate litmanen not really overmars considering the fact i never heard of litmanen b4 today 🤣 from what i heard he sounds like a legend

[@eddymutebi9449]

The one thing i needed to watch before i go back to school

[@bryandollars406]

It was something special with the fact that many who were in the team were teenagers or players in their early twenty's who turned out to be world class players in the future. Van Gaal is a tactical genius, his time in United made him look like an average Coach

[@oldskoolmusicnostalgia]

One of the most lovely and likeable teams to win the Champions League, a team of very young players like Seedorf and Kluivert with old heads such as Blind and Rijkaard, masterminded by van Gaal. F*** UEFA and then European COmmission for making sure we'll never witness such feats again.

[@JR-ee4xf]

I love the sound of the narrator...... It's so... Classic

[@GandWizard]

Excellent tactical video about my favorite club and team! A few corrections though: - Johann Cruyff should have been written as Johan Cruijff - 2:58: Davids played on the left of midfield and Seedorf on the right - Van der Saar should have been called Van der Sar

[@wazzosports]

Truly an amazing team, so many top players.

[@telephonic]

My favourite non LFC CL winner, i was in awe of this team watching as a teenager.

[@Prederick]

Ooh! New artist is that Tifo? Very nice.

[@wilseph1]

What a team. So many homegrown talents making it to the first team win the Champions League title.

[@nazimh]

And national team🤗

[@Sparkledash1]

I feel like Ajax sometimes does not get the credit that other great european clubs get. I mean sure, you have teams that had more starts and more international titles like Real Madrid, FC Liverpool, AC Milan and Bayern Munich etc. But Ajax always build the backbone of the dutch national team, a national team that comes from a country of only 17 million people and they managed to be one of the most respected international sides in the world and most of the ajax youth would go on to play in alot of renomated european clubs in England, Spain, Italy and Germany. Yes, the Eredivisie is certainly not the best league with the highest quality. But that should never downplay Ajax influence in Football.

[@MrReese]

Even though Van Gaal is a household name in world football I don't think he gets the credit he deserves these days. This man is an amazing coach and was super successful long before many of today's football fans were either born or old enough to comprehend what was going on.

[@rooneye]

Probably the most interesting formation ever IMO It's so unique. This is one of those tactics that me and many others love to TRY and recreate on Football Manager. You can get close, but the FM tactics engine just isn't intricate enough for it. The defense is the hardest part to get right. Play them as a normal 3 like in a 3-5-2 and they're way to narrow. Play them as normal fullbacks and they're too wide in defense. FM just can't handle this next level shit.

[@tamunotamuno3564]

ive tried but it only works for a few games and then gets figured out especially if u have average players. however, if u have execptional players i think it will work better but i dont play with big teams tho (cause i like big challenges 😎)👌🏾

[@jonathanmogale1396]

The system improved the players. This is the only system that allows a team to have a diamond in midfield and still have genuine width with the wingers. It also allows having a 6 and a 10 at the same time. This is a big advantage anyway you look at it.

[@bryandollars406]

Danny Blind himself was something else, his pairing with Rijkaard helped the defence, Van Gaal must have wanted his son to play in that manner 😅

[@__Logan]

Such a shame Justin Kluivert has been hampered by so many injuries so far. Tons of talent, just like his father.

[@FatStarZzzz]

Nope

[@jagmaharesi2486]

Different positions

[@sebastianj.1255]

Kanu never played the No.10 role, he was mostly a back-up for striker or even right winger. And yeah Litmanen deserved much more attention in this analysis.

[@davrothelegend]

Name drop after name drop. What a stable of players.

[@theinkysquid7661]

This was 2 years after I was born. The only team in history I’m really sad I never got to see in its heyday

[@sylvainmirouf4683]

In van Gaal's mind - and by his own words - it was a 4-3-3, with Rijkaard considered a defender who stepped in midlfield when Ajax had the ball.

[@Kourumeme]

About this team that’s interesting is that this was a group of players from one class. There’s not going to be another team like Ajax that has this much talent from one class

[@formless4541]

One of the best teams ever and the most under rated and ignored ever. And they were the best team in 96 too.

[@habaalshem9266]

Hi, man, nice to meet you. I totally agree with you that Ajax was the best team in 96' and should win, if it's not for a doping Juve team. Now look, about the legacy of the 95' team, that uniqe team is widelly regarded as the best club team ever, alongside Pep's Barca. I would like you to tell me which articles you have read, which all-time great teams lists have you seen and which sources have you got about conversations/debates on the greatest Football teams in history? I'm very interested. Thank's 😉

[@MarkLaw13]

Dennis Berkamp left too soon, eh? Still a legend and I couldn't believe he didn't fly out for games. When talking about Midfielders can someone put respect on Seedorf's name?!

[@Tifo]

Seedorf was extraordinary. Played various positions at Real, player as a 10 at Inter. The man could do everything

[@MarkLaw13]

@@Tifo I knew him best at Ac Milan. He was phenomenal. He and Pirlo controlling everything. Schevchenko and Inzaghi ate in front of goal

[@iwanbottos5128]

In theory it was not bad , but how the narrator can claim that Ajax did not contain superstars like Bah calona is beyond me. Ajax was one big superstar , from coaching staff to the last substitute this team was extremely talented and perfectly coached . All players did great after leaving Ajax even in teams where there qualities were not optimally used. The whole system was based on passing and receiving the ball . Played fast and accurate . The football in Amsterdam has always been based on technique rather than power.And that was perfect for the system v Gaal wanted to play . And as former teacher he managed to somehow lay the law in/on this group of Mokum street kids.

[@jeroenmoree8919]

4:51 van der Saar?

[@tranphuongnam1860]

@@thanvish6962 It's Van der Sar not Saar

[@supervarun777]

@@thanvish6962 maybe because then it sounds like m saar or I saar.

[@Mehdicto]

google van der sar 95 images you'll understand 😂

[@theskankingpigeon965]

@@tranphuongnam1860 this sounds like a Harry Potter reference lol

[@killingjoker5424]

Thil today you hardly see anyone to implement a 3-4-3 diamond shape so well like they did in that season, i understand you need top quality players to make this system work, but when it does... it roll stomps everything.

[@gideondavid8944]

I think u underrated Kanu

[@jamesgorham8170]

What a midfield,what a team!

[@fpupesh]

this team was indeed one of the best i've ever seen. all of these players except litmanen and george became global super stars.

[@Taine0_]

What about pep 08/09

[@fpupesh]

@@Taine0_ eh?

[@mohawahba]

Was my favorite team that time

[@aziemhisham2930]

I hope you can make videos about who started to play out from the back

[@basalbers3900]

Litmanen was the best player in this team. He was what messi is now for barcelona

[@MyTyrel]

my favorite team of all time 🤗

[@Drunken_Master]

I always played with Ajax in Sensible World of Soccer on Amiga :)

[@jgerardo231208]

Basically they had the whole dutch team of the following years

[@amerwaseem3735]

The formation (with different roles ofcourse) is very similar to Bielsa's 3-3-1-3... But with alot of key differences...

[@MrKAKARONALDOMESSI]

How I wish I could go back to 1994-95

[@Alb3rť-4]

Young Davids & Seedorf was their midfield 😮

[@theamunra]

jesus christ, what a team that was :D

[@aroundtheworldwithfootball4460]

top 10 fastest (recovery pace) defenders in 2020

[@Jobby1872]

The De boar brothers are under appreciated

[@sanjaybaniya6449]

Make a video on Kompany's Anderlect

[@slickboxingidentityveritas1932]

The greatest single season team of all time

[@williamoldaker2437]

You had me at Edgar Davids

[@Gabe-cv4yr]

man made wide centerbacks a thing before it got put in fm2022

[@peacefulliberal5641]

Lets not forget Bayern Munich was also unbeatable in 2019/2020 at Champions League.

[@Kourumeme]

Yes. But Ajax went unbeaten in their domestic league that season. You gotta mention Ajax destroyed Bayern 5-2 in the second leg of the semis in 1995.

[@nischayjitsingh4453]

Please discuss about Koeman's Barca

[@Jugi]

i honestly think this season or the one after(can't remember) that litmanen was the best in europe or close to it. literally no one talks about him anymore except us in finland lol

[@LndnJazzHour]

I am in London Jugi, Litmanen is thought of very highly in England.

[@YuvrajSingh-bd5gf]

Why has Libero role dissapreared?

[@otto_jk]

Because nowadays the goalkeeper usually does some of the tasks libero would do Ederson for example runs out of his box to kick back long balls. Some back 3 systems have a libero type of player for example David Luiz in Conte's Chelsea

[@Tifo]

Have a look: m.kzbin.info/www/bejne/iXWqdXuforeoapI

[@YuvrajSingh-bd5gf]

Tifo Football thanks a lot

[@asikkanarya]

What a Squad No Wonder they were unbeaten

[@brainbrown1084]

I would love to see you do a story on mesult ozil

[@alexsupertramp5600]

Ah yes the famous Dutch football legends Johann Cruijff and Edwin van der Saar

[@augustthuesen3028]

Can you do a video of FC Midtjyllands Road from the 2nd division to the Champions league

[@LuisFigo4]

This was slander against Jari Litmanen.

[@MrJakewray]

Bergkamp playing that Muller role before muller played football

[@tamunotamuno3564]

i feel muller goes off in search of space like more out wide than bergkamp i feel bergkamp exploit space down the middle especially behind the striker muller is more out wide