Illustrious and triumphant, 1995 was a special year for Ajax football club. Under the tactical philosophy of Dutchman Louis Van Gaal, Ajax certainly finished the season in domestic folklore. After winning the Dutch Super Cup in August 1994 and going on to achieve a league title in an undefeated season in the Eredivisie, it was in Europe that Ajax propelled their dominance, the European titans were back, and it began under Louis Van Gaal.

Born on August 8^th, 1951, Louis was part of a large family that contained four brothers and four sisters; he was the fifth boy and the youngest of the bunch. Living in a strict Catholic household and growing up in an environment that relied on self-assurance and discipline played a significant role on his coaching career and philosophy.

At the tender age of 21 he married his childhood sweetheart Fernanda Obbes at a time when his footballing career had only just begun. He left Ajax as a player in the early 70’s because of his lack of playing time and his ill-fated relationship with Johan Cruyff and would eventually settle down a regular starting spot at Sparta Rotterdam. At Ajax the talent and genius of Johan Cruyff stopped Van Gaal from first team action because they played a similar attacking position and coupled with little pace, Van Gaal found it difficult to nail down a starting spot. Louis was a full time footballer and a part-time teacher, he taught P.E. in an inner city school and it was in the classroom where his foundations and ethics were born and would later be camouflaged onto the football pitch in Amsterdam.

In September 1991 Van Gaal was appointed Ajax head coach and would go on to command a significant trophy haul with the club. Van Gaal implemented a 3-4-3 diamond formation which relied on hard work and fluency. The four fundamentals to Van Gaal’s philosophy were preparation, training, analysis and evaluation. Intelligence and possession were key fundamentals to controlling the ebb and flow of a game, the ball had to be constantly moving, keeping the opponent constantly in fear of a sudden break past the defensive lines. Harmony, clarity and transparency in Van Gaal’s own words were the aim of the game, cut from the specific cloth he sewed. His players almost resembled the kids he taught in the classroom, he had the last word, he wanted his players to remember they had a job to do so no messing around, no excuses, sometimes referred to as the Dictator, Van Gaal had a strong belief in the collective, don’t think Gramsci or Bakunin, think only Van Gaal. The first piece of silverware Van Gaal would get his hands on was the 1992 UEFA Cup after defeating Torino, the first leg was played in Italy and finished 2-2 and the second leg in Amsterdam finished 0-0, Ajax had won on the away goals rule, his second piece of silverware came a few months later in the Dutch Cup final, Ajax were resounding 6-2 winners against SC Heerenveen, three goals in the final 8 minutes showed Ajax’s clinical nature and set the tone for the following years. Van Gaal would go on to win two Dutch Super cups and the Eredivisie in 1994, Ajax finishing first, three points ahead of Feyenoord. The height of success he had reached so far proved to be a daunting and quite emotional task for Van Gaal, for amongst all the smiles and success, Van Gaal was battling personal trauma, his beloved wife Fernanda was diagnosed by doctors with liver and pancreatic cancer. It was inescapable and it even reached the football pitch.  At one Ajax match rival fans displayed a banner that read ‘’van gaal heeft een Kankerwijf’’ which roughly translates to ‘’Van Gaal has a cancer bitch’’.  This inexcusable act traumatized Van Gaal; the beautiful game that he so cherished and adored could produce such diabolic and evil behaviour. That same year his wife who was terminally ill sadly passed away. It’s impossible to imagine the pain and devastation, a family man, Van Gaal had been married to Fernanda for 22 years. Van Gaal was broken, empty and even considered bringing to an end his managerial career.  Revealed years later, he offered his resignation to the Ajax board, but his two daughters Brenda and Renate encouraged him to stay on.  The only thing that Van Gaal abandoned was his belief in god.

The 1994–95 UEFA Champions League was the 40th edition of UEFA’s elite European club football competition and Ajax were placed in Group D along with Italian giants, AC Milan, Austrian outfit Casino Salzburg and Greek club AEK Athens. The first champion’s league game of the new campaign saw Ajax host AC Milan in Amsterdam. Looking to make a statement, the starting eleven consisted of youth and experience; the goalkeeper Edwin Van Der Saar was 23 years old and it’s was his first bout in the Champions League.  The tall and lanky shot stopper with his bowl haircut commanded his penalty area with authority and conviction. He played the sweeper role for Ajax, cleaning up any misplaced passes but from time to time he was prone to his own. Reiziger, Rijkaard and Frank De Boer occupied the back three. Rijkaard at thirty-three was the oldest player in the starting eleven and his experience would prove key to Ajax and Van Gaal’s success. The diamond midfield contained a mixture of youth, experience and flair. Blind occupied the role in front of the back three, Ronald De Boer and Edgar Davids occupied the right and left side of the midfield and Finish International Jari Litmanen played in behind the number nine. On the wings the hard working Finidi George took the right side and the quick feet and flair of Marc Overmars was on the left side. The number nine was Patrick Kluivert, at the tender age of 18 years; Kluivert was given his big chance by Van Gaal to demonstrate his ability after making a move up from the youth ranks.

In the first half neither team dominated proceedings and quality was lacking from both outfits, but the second half was much different. Ajax starting the brighter took the lead in the 50^th minute thanks to a clever clipped finish from Ronald De Boer, Ajax carved the Milan defense in half, quick passing, excellent movement and deadly finishing, Ajax had finally arrived. They took a 2-0 nil lead in the 64^th minute and after intelligent wing play from Marc Overmars his left foot cross managed to find Litmanen unmarked and he struck the ball into the Milan net, the game finished 2-0 and Ajax playing tough Italian opposition came away with three points.

The second group game saw Ajax make the trip to Athens where they would take on a tough tackling and composed AEK Athens side. Van Gaal made one change to the starting line up, Rijkaard was dropped and 18-year-old Clarence Seedorf was brought in with Blind switching to the back three and Seedorf installed into the midfield position. The first half was action packed and full of pace, AEK took the lead in the 30^th minute with excellent inter play and Savaveski put the ball comfortably past the on rushing Van Der Saar. Ajax responded three minutes later and it all started from the back, Van Der Saar hit a pass to Frank De Boer and De Boer hit an incredible left footed lobbed pass through the AEK defense and Litmanen ice cool put the ball into the AEK net with his right foot which would become a regular occurrence throughout the competition. It was 1-1 at half time with plenty to play for. The second half started in similar fashion to the first and Ajax went 1-2 ahead in the 63^rd minute after incredible play from Litmanen, the Finnish attacker nutmegged an AEK defender and played a superb pass to Kluivert who took it in his stride and smashed it into the back of the net with his left foot, composure and deadly finishing for someone at such a young age, the game finished 1-2 and Ajax were top of the group, two wins in two, with plenty of players catching the eye.

The following two games were home and away fixtures against Casino Salzburg and in an uneventful game in Vienna the match finished 0-0 and the return fixture two weeks later finished 1-1 with Litmanen scoring another goal and showing the world his flair, intelligence and his eye for goal.

The fifth group game saw Ajax travel to Italy where they would meet AC Milan, five times winners of the European competition. Milan had two wins, one draw and one loss (to Ajax) but were docked two points from their game at home to Salzburg because of crowd trouble. Van Gaal made several alterations to his team, Rijkaard came back into the fold and into midfield, Blind was in the middle of the back three, Van Vossen came into the left flank in place of Overmars, Seedorf moved to the right side of the midfield and Ronald De Boer was moved to the forward position. Ajax made the dream start and who other than the Finnish magician Litmanen to get on the scoresheet inside two minutes. Ronald De Boer executed a brilliant little lob over the Milan defense, Litmanen came racing through and with complete composure, he put the ball into the Milan net.  Ajax were in dream land, the real test, they had started expertly. As the game went on Milan struggled to find their rhythm and they created a few half chances but nothing concrete. Ajax were dominating in midfield, Rijkaard controlled the tempo with ease, Seedorf with energy and creative ability troubled Milan and Edgar Davids tough tackling, Pitbull-nature was a joy to behold. It got even better for Ajax when in the 65^th minute Baresi put the ball into his own net after a great bursting run from Finidi George down the right flank and his cross flicked off the head of the Milan defender and ended up in the back of the net, 0-2 to Ajax.  They were cruising and the game finished 0-2. The perfect performance, the aerial authority of Ronald De Boer troubled Milan’s defense, the controller Rijkaard with his passing ability and composure surrounded by the creative and dog like intercepting ability of Seedorf and Davids were a joy to watch. Litmanen was in the spotlight again, an incredible performance in behind De Boer, his dribbling, vision and finishing ability on show. Ajax stepped up when needed and booked their place in the Quarter Finals of the Champions League, a proud moment for Van Gaal and his players.

Ajax played at home to AEK Athens in what would be the final game of the group and with the Quarter Finals already in sight, they had a chance to relax but relax they didn’t.

Van Gaal made one change to the starting lineup after the Milan win with Tarik Oulida coming in for Edgar Davids. In the seventh minute of the game Ajax took the lead after sensational wing play from Overmars, beating one AEK defender, he crossed the ball into the box, Litmanen with a deft touch laid it into the path for Oulida who expertly slotted it into the net; wonderful play and a magnificently crafted goal. Ajax controlled the game with ease, intense pressing when AEK were in possession of the ball, energy and confidence, technique and composure. AEK were no match for Ajax and their dominant display paid dividends when they made it 2-0 in the 77^th minute with Oulida getting his second goal of the game.  After a lucky deflection off an AEK defender he coolly slotted the ball past the on-rushing goalkeeper. A brilliant performance from Ajax and they finished top of the group on 10 points and 5 ahead of second placed AC Milan.

In the quarter final stage of the competition Ajax had a tough test against Croatian outfit Hajduk Split. The first leg was played in Croatia and the match finished 0-0 with Ajax the happier of both sides, taking a point into the second leg Ajax had plenty of confidence, unbeaten at home in the competition so far and they were favorites to win. Ajax started the match slowly but as the game went on, they controlled much of the first half and took the lead in the 38^th minute thanks to a superb header from Nigerian youngster Nwankwo Kanu after great work from Litmanen. Four minutes later and another headed goal, George swung in an effortless corner from the right and Frank De Boer rose highest to head Ajax two goals in front going into half time.

The best moment of the game came in the 73^rd minute, Kanu was causing the Hajduk Split centre backs problems and won a free kick twenty seven yards out. Frank De Boer already with one goal in the game so far was destined, the crowd drew it’s breathe, 2-0 ahead with 20 minutes to go, things were going superbly. De Boer placed the ball down, a five-man Hajduk Split wall in front of him, De Boer stepped up with ease, approached the ball and hit it sweetly with his left foot and it landed into the top corner of the goal. A superb free kick capped off a wonderful night in Amsterdam, Van Gaal was ecstatic on the sideline, Ajax were through 3-0 on aggregate and the semi- final awaited them.

Twenty-one days after their Quarter Final display the Ajax team travelled to Munich to play German giants Bayern Munich in the semi-final first leg. Bayern had scraped past Swedish side IFK Göteborg in the Quarter Finals and Giovanni Trapattoni’s side had a difficult task against Ajax, one that proved too daunting.

The first leg was a hotly contested match, Ajax dominated the first half and Kanu playing in the forward role had a great chance to score but missed the target. Seedorf went close with a long range effort but his shot went wide of the post. Bayern came out in full force in the second half but found it difficult to break Ajax down. The game finished 0-0, Ajax left the Olympiastadion with a clean sheet and plenty to play for in the second leg.

42,000 people attended the Olympic Stadium in Amsterdam to watch the second leg. 0-0 from the first leg and with unbeaten home advantage, a stellar performance was required from Ajax to steer past Bayern Munich who under Trapattoni were struggling domestically.  The Champions League was their last hope of major silverware, but the German outfit were blown away. Ajax dominated the first ten minutes of play and in the 12^th minute took the lead, a cross into the Bayern penalty area was flicked on by Frank Rijkaard, Litmanen attempted an over-head kick only for it to be deflected away and almost past the line only for Ronald De Boer to head it back towards the penalty area and Litmanen at the second time of asking headed the ball into the Bayern net with a Bayern defender on the deck. Bayern were incensed, it should have been a free kick for dangerous play, but the Hungarian referee Sándor Puhl was unmoved. Bayern feeling hard done too, had their grievances turned to blushes, as they equalized in the 36^th minute.  A wonderful cross from the right side and a sublime header from Marcel Witeczek bounced over the arms of on rushing Ajax goalkeeper Van Der Saar, 1-1 but the tide soon took a quick dramatic turn. In the 41^st and 44^th minute Ajax scored and took a 3-1 lead into the break. In what was one of the goals of the tournament an exquisite strike from Finidi George landed into the top corner of the Bayern goal after a clever dummy from Litmanen. Ronald De Boer added another three minutes later and Ajax were cruising, Bayern’s Champions League dream was dying and a what a calamitous few minutes it was for Trapattoni’s side and it was about to get even worse.

The second half started and Ajax struck once again only one minute after the restart. Kanu played a terrific pass into Litmanen and his close control  and skill took him past one Bayern player, he drove into the box and the ball was in the back of net quicker than you could blink. As the game went on Ajax conceded a penalty in the 75^th minute, when Danny Blind was judged to have committed a handball offense.  What should have resulted in a red card, the referee ignored the suggestion, much to the dismay of the Bayern players. Bayern Munich midfielder Mehmet Scholl stepped up and converted the spot kick but only just, striking Van Der Saar’s outstretched arm on its way to the net. Five minutes later and Bayern showing confidence found themselves in a one on one situation but Van Der Saar equal and alert to the Bayern attack snuffed out the danger and made a magnificent interception. As the eighty-eighth minute approached and Bayern were running out of steam, pushing men forward and leaving gaps at the back Ajax took advantage.  A mistake from a Bayern defender allowed Litmanen and Kluivert to link up.  Kluivert was patient and set up the on-rushing winger Marc Overmars with an intelligent pass and he stuck the ball into the back of the net, quite literally. 5-2 was the final score and Ajax were through to the Champions League final for the first time since they last won it in 1973 and they were up against familiar old foes…

The 1995 European Cup Final took place in Ernst-Happel-Stadion in Vienna, almost 50,000 people were in attendance and Ajax and AC Milan would meet for the third time in the competition that campaign. Milan had pushed aside French side PSG in the semi-finals and were looking to win their sixth European Cup, having won their fifth the previous year. Ajax were looking for their fourth European cup and it had been over twenty years since their last one. Van Gaal made no major changes to his starting 11 and continued with De Boer as a number nine and Rijkaard anchoring the midfield in front of the back three.

The game started off very cagey, both teams were trying to feel each other out. Overmars caused some problems down the flank for the Milan defense with his movement and intensity. Frank De Boer went close with a header from a corner. Milan grew frustrated with their forward play and didn’t create any real clear-cut chances, appealing for a penalty early on but the referee wasn’t even slightly interested. Milan forward Panucci had a decent scoring opportunity but his effort at goal was just over the bar and it remained 0-0. Milan’s petulance grew but their solidity in defense would have kept them hopeful and Baresi had led the back with great authority and leadership. The best moment came just before half time, Milan were awarded a free kick in their penalty area after Ajax attacker Litmanen was judged to be offside but Ajax and Van Gaal were incensed there was dangerous play involved as French international, Desailly cleared the ball away from the box almost striking Litmanen in the head. Van Gaal was furious with the officials and he attempted to re-enact the Desailly incident by jumping into the air with his right foot forward, a vibrant leap of exuberance.  Van Gaal could have been a better choice than Ralph Macchio for the Karate Kid franchise. Van Gaal was warned by officials for the act; the teacher had leapt but the principal had other ideas.

The second half began and five minutes in Van Gaal made a quick change. Seedorf was taken off and Kanu was brought into the fray. De Boer moved into midfield and Kanu took his place upfront. The final 30 minutes saw both sides create chances, Milan’s Massaro had a shot on the turn that went well wide and a few minutes later Simone had a shot at goal but it was straight into the hands of Van Der Saar. Van Gaal could feel the Italian’s intensity growing slightly and Ajax were slow in possession and weren’t creating a lot of chances. The star of the tournament Litmanen was having a quiet game, his creative spark wasn’t there and he was taken off and Kluivert came onto the biggest stage in club football. Dare to dream. With minutes to go and the game closely tied at 0-0 it could go either way.  But in the 85^th minute, Kluivert wrote his name into the history books. Rijkaard approached the Milan defenders with great play on the edge of the box and presented an accurate pass to the 18-year-old Kluivert, who with great tenacity took it in his stride and put the ball past Milan goalkeeper Sebastiano Rossi with his left foot. Patrick Kluivert became the youngest player ever to score in a Champions League final at the tender age of 18 years and 327 days, a record still intact to this very day. Ajax were in uproar, Van Gaal was fist pumping, the crowd jubilant, Ajax were approaching their fourth European Cup. Milan now feeling nervous pushed men forward in search of an equalizing goal and a dangerous cross into the box from a Milan had Ajax draw breath but the bowl-cut, leaping Van Der Saar showed his composure and authority with a great fist away. Milan were trying to crack the Ajax wall but as time was running out grew frustrated. Ajax had a chance on the break to make it two after sublime skill and work from Kanu.  He put Danny Blind into a great goal scoring position where he looked certain to score but Milan’s goalkeeper Rossi pulled off a wonderful save and Milan could breathe again but it was all too late. The whistle was blown, Van Gaal and Ajax leapt to European glory.