Klassieker
Team kits
|
|
| Other names | Ajax vs Feyenoord |
|---|---|
| Locale | Netherlands |
| Teams | Ajax, Feyenoord |
| First meeting |
Feyenoord 2–2 Ajax 1ste Klasse (9 October 1921) |
| Statistics | |
| Meetings total | 187 |
| Most wins |
Total Ajax (82) Feyenoord (58) |
| Largest victory |
Ajax 8–2 Feyenoord 1983–84 Eredivisie ( 18 September 1983) |
| top scorer = Sjaak Swart (18) | mostrecent = Ajax 2-1 Feyenoord Eredivisie (02 April, 2017)| = 2016-17 Eredivisie}}
De Klassieker (The Classic) is the main football rivalry of the Netherlands, between Ajax (of Amsterdam) and Feyenoord (of Rotterdam). It's a highly contested rivalry. The record attendance was on 9 January 1966, when 65,562 watched in Rotterdam.
The rivalry between these two clubs goes beyond the football rivalry, it transcends into the city rivalry between Amsterdam and Rotterdam. This city rivalry began when these two cities first received their city rights in the 13th century. The football clubs are the pride of these cities; Ajax to Amsterdam and Feyenoord to Rotterdam.
The inhabitants of these cities differ extremely in both attitudes and cultures which is clearly reflected on to the football pitch. The clash is seen as between the artists of Amsterdam and the workers of Rotterdam. Amsterdam is renowned for its culture, having produced many artists and actors. Ajax’s style of play has long been a source of pride for the supporters, and one of irritation for the Feyenoord fans. The Rotterdammers feel that those hailing from Amsterdam possess delusions of grandeur, and there is a saying to reflect these sentiments: “While Amsterdam dreams, Rotterdam works”. Rotterdam was forced to work after being bombed heavily in the Second World War by the Nazis. A harbour town, its people are proud of their work ethic, and resentful of Amsterdam's showiness.
The first encounter between these two clubs was on 9 October 1921 in Rotterdam which was surrounded by controversy. The match initially ended 3–2 in Ajax' favour. This was later officially declared 2–2 due to Feyenoords protest to what they believed was a dubious goal by Ajax.
There has also been a competition as who has the biggest stadium between these two clubs which mainly occurred in the 1930s and 1940s. This was done as bragging rights as which city, between Amsterdam and Rotterdam, had the biggest stadium in the Netherlands. The Olympic Stadium was constructed in 1928 and had a capacity of 31,600 which was the biggest in the Netherlands. In 1934 De Meer Stadion was constructed with a capacity of 22,000. Ajax used the Olympic Stadium for European matches whereas De Meer for domestic matches. The status of the Olympic Stadium being the largest in Netherlands would change in 1937 when De Kuip was constructed which had a capacity of 64,000 which Feyenoord would be playing their games at. Ajax responded by renovating the Olympic stadium to increase its capacity to 64,000. This was also done in 1937 but after the construction of De Kuip. After the Second World War, Feyenoord would increase the capacity of their stadium to 69,000 in the year 1949.
...
Wikipedia