1998–99 AFC Ajax season
During the 1998–99 Dutch football season, AFC Ajax competed in the Eredivisie.
| 1998–99 season | |
|---|---|
| Chairman | Michael van Praag |
| Manager | Morten Olsen (until December) Jan Wouters |
| Stadium | Amsterdam Arena |
| Eredivisie | 6th |
| KNVB Cup | Winners |
| Champions League | Group stage |
| Johan Cruyff Shield | Runners-up |
| Top goalscorer | Jari Litmanen and Benni McCarthy (11) |
Season summary
Having waltzed to the title during the previous season, Ajax suffered a complete collapse this season to finish 6th, 23 points adrift of champions Feyenoord. This was the club's lowest finish since 1965. The club also suffered poor form in Europe, finishing bottom of their Champions League group stage. Manager Morten Olsen had paid for the club's poor form in December with his job; his replacement, promoted reserve-team coach Jan Wouters, was unable to reverse the team's fortunes but managed to lead Ajax to win the KNVB Cup.
Players
First-team squad
Note: Flags indicate national team as defined under FIFA eligibility rules. Players may hold more than one non-FIFA nationality.
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Left club during season
Note: Flags indicate national team as defined under FIFA eligibility rules. Players may hold more than one non-FIFA nationality.
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Jong Ajax
Note: Flags indicate national team as defined under FIFA eligibility rules. Players may hold more than one non-FIFA nationality.
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Transfers
In
Wamberto - .svg.png.webp)
Standard Liège, August.svg.png.webp)
Georgi Kinkladze - 
Manchester City, £5,000,000
Jesper Grønkjær - AaB, £3,500,000, July[1]
Out
Edwin van der Sar - 
Juventus, approx. £5,000,000- Ronald de Boer -
Barcelona 
Mariano Juan - Racing, loan- Michael Laudrup - retired
Andriy Demchenko[notes 3] - 
FC Metalurh Zaporizhya
Results
Group stage
| 16 September 1998 | Croatia Zagreb  | 0–0 | Ajax | Maksimir, Zagreb |
| Report | Attendance: 33,000 Referee: Kim Milton Nielsen (Denmark) |
| 30 September 1998 | Ajax | 2–1 |  Porto | Amsterdam ArenA, Amsterdam |
Rudy  57'Litmanen 86' (pen.) |
Report | Zahovič 68' |
Attendance: 40,000 Referee: Piero Ceccarini (Italy) |
| 21 October 1998 | Olympiacos  | 1–0 | Ajax | Spiridon Louis, Athens |
| Alexandris 39' |
Report | Attendance: 73,250 Referee: Manuel Díaz Vega (Spain) |
| 4 November 1998 | Ajax | 2–0 | Olympiacos | Amsterdam ArenA, Amsterdam |
| Witschge 33' Gorré 88' |
Report | Attendance: 45,000 Referee: Stefano Braschi (Italy) |
| 25 November 1998 | Ajax | 0–1 | Croatia Zagreb | Amsterdam ArenA, Amsterdam |
| Report | Šimić 68' |
Attendance: 46,000 Referee: Marc Batta (France) |
| 9 December 1998 | Porto | 3–0 | Ajax | Estádio das Antas, Porto |
| Zahovič 54', 80' Drulović 73' |
Report | Attendance: 15,000 Referee: Pierluigi Collina (Italy) |
References
- The transfer for Grønkjær was completed in October 1997, but the player remained at his club until the start of the new Dutch football season.
Notes
- Mensah was born in Koforidua, Ghana, but also qualified to represent the Netherlands internationally and represented the Netherlands at U-21 level.
- Hosé was born in Willemstad, Netherlands Antilles (now Curaçao), but also qualified to represent the Netherlands internationally and represented the Netherlands at U-21 level before making his international debut for the Netherlands Antilles in 2004.
- Demchenko was born in Zaporizhzhia, Ukrainian SSR, Soviet Union (now Ukraine), but also qualified to represent Russia internationally and represented Russia at U-19, U-20 and U-21 level.