Article by Daniel Grigore – Published Monday, December 29, 2025, 08:37 / Updated Monday, December 29, 2025 08:38
Ajax Amsterdam announced the installation of Jordi Cruyff (51 years old), son of the great Johan, as technical director. The move marks Jordi's return to the club after 37 years!
Ajax, third in the Netherlands, announced that it had reached “a verbal agreement with Jordi Cruyff regarding the position of technical director”.
Cruyff's hiring was not finalized, however, with the process in the “final stages”. Ajax says “the target is for Jordi to be able to start work in February 2026”.
After 37 years, Johan Cruyff's son returns to Ajax
The “lancers” also announced that they intend to appoint Jordi as a full-fledged administrator (statutory director). The agreement runs until the summer of 2028.
This deal marks Jordi Cruyff's return to the club after almost 38 years. A former footballer, Jordi spent his first junior years at Ajax, so that in the summer of 1988 he followed his father to Barcelona, where Johan had been hired as a coach.
Jordi started his professional career at the Catalan club and also had spells at Manchester United, Celta Vigo, Espanyol and Alaves. He hung up his boots in 2010 playing for Malta's Valletta FC.
After retiring, Jordi worked as an official at AEK Larnaca, Maccabi Tel Aviv and FC Barcelona. Now he returns to the club that became synonymous with his father's career, both as a player and as a coach. Ajax's stadium is not called “Johan Cruyff Arena” for nothing.
Jordi will replace Alex Kroes in the role in what has been an up-and-down season for Ajax. After a poor start to the season, Ajax sit 3rd in the Eredivisie and only got their first win in the Champions League in the latest round of the competition after five consecutive defeats.
