Soccer / title

Quite a thrilling one here. A passionate love affair between club and fans. As a background,in all of Europe, only a few clubs can boast the kind of history AFC Ajax has. A club with more than 50 major domestic trophies and four European Cups, Ajax is the seventh most successful football club of the 20th century. They are also proud winners of the Cup Winners' Cup and the UEFA Cup, which makes them one of only four clubs to win all three major UEFA competitions. This Dutch heavyweight won this season's Dutch elite division league, better called the Eredivisie. Precisely, they won it on the 2nd of May,2020 and this is their 35th Eredevisie title, the most by any club in Holland and quite a gap from the next successful club(PSV Eindhoven) with 24 Eredevise titles. What they did with their trophy is so remarkably classy. The club heirarchy decided to share their trophy with their fans,not just figuratively,emotionally or viewing/touching it for a time being, but literally–everyone has the trophy as theirs for keeps. How? They rolled out an ingenious idea to melt the trophy and shaped it into 4,200 miniature silver stars, particularly as a specific gift for season ticket holders who have been forced to stay away from matches all season due to Covid 19 regulations. It's like saying to them,please accept this as our token of respect for your love/commitment for us. On Wednesday(12/5/2021) morning,the club posted a video on Twitter of the Eredivisie trophy going through the melting process, alongside the caption: "Piece of victory, piece of history, piece of Ajax... Literally. For you." I believe as you read this you can even feel the warmth of this kind of gesture. Isn't it? Ajax's General Manager the mercurial former goalkeeper Edwin van der Sar said: “..Previously, when we said 'this title is for you', we were expressing how we were doing it for the fans however sharing the trophy is the ultimate proof that we really are. After a turbulent year, we are ensuring our fans feel part of our championship.” The club captain,Dusan Tadic also commented:"...We have really missed our supporters over the past season here in Amsterdam and during all our matches.." Well just to answer the question this piece might be begging–The Royal Dutch Football Association (KNVB) to the rescue. They have given Ajax a replacement Eredivisie trophy as an exception bearing in mind the unusual situation of a whole season without supporters in the arena,ensuring that the club can place it in their trophy cabinet. So if you still plan a tour to the club,please there is still a trophy there to peruse. Always good to have a replica I think. Folks still remember one time Ajax Goalkeeper, Stekelenburg,who accidentally dropped the trophy off a bus in 2011.Hehe. So it is called "a piece of Ajax"! I couldn't agree more,Ajax has thought outside the box here and I think have left an indelible mark laced with empathy in the heart of their supporters, the heart of neutrals and I dare say, somewhat in the hearts of rival fans. Furthermore, I believe they have just written a story that even people of other sports will be attracted to. As I write distribution of these stars are ongoing. Cheers