Ajax 1971-1972 Home Jersey (European Champion Club’s Cup Final)

Season: 1971-1972

Player: Johan Cruyff

Tournament: UEFA European Champion Club’s Cup

Manufacturer: Le Coq Sportif

In the 1970-1971 season, Ajax may not have won the Dutch championship but as the holder of the European Champions Cup they participated again in the top European tournament in 1971-1972. With Romanian coach Stefan Kovács now in place of Rinus Michels and the core of the team remaining the same, led by Johan Cruyff, Ajax again made an impressive run.

The Dutch initially eliminated Dynamo Dresden with 2-0 and 0-0 while in the second round, despite being behind in the score, they prevailed with 1-2 of Marseille in the first match and similarly in the second match they overturned the loss of 0-1 to 4-1 and advanced to the quarterfinals.

In the quarterfinals, Ajax found their way to English champions Arsenal. The English were ahead with a goal by Kennedy in the game of Amsterdam but with two goals by Mühren Ajax won. In Highbury, an own goal by Graham was enough for Stefan Kovács's team to go 0-1 and find themselves in the semifinals again. In two games against Benfica, Ajax took a 1-0 victory with a goal from Swart at home and a 0-0 draw in Lisbon and found themselves in the final for the second consecutive year.

The final was held on Dutch soil but in Rotterdam, at the De Kuip Stadium. Ajax's opponent was Inter, which had already won the trophy twice by then (1964, 1965). Ajax was impressive and with two goals from the top player of the team, Johan Cruyff, took the victory with 2-0 and won the second and in a row consecutive European Champions Cup without having suffered any defeat in this route.

Ajax, who at the end of the year won both the championship and the Dutch cup, wore this jersey in the period 1971-1972. It is characteristic that again there is no team emblem but now there is the logo of the sports company Le Coq Sportif. The design of the numbers on the back is also special as they are long and narrow enough to fit in the middle red stripe. Cruyff, as usual, wore the number 14 in all the season and was in addition the most valuable player of the final and top scorer of the Champions Cup with 5 goals, as did Andal Dunai, Lou Macari and Silvester Takac.

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