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Insight

Rising Star: Ryan Gravenberch

The second installment of the Rising Star series sees our focus shift to a certain Dutch midfield maestro

The Ajax midfielder is the latest young talent under the Champions League spotlight

Age: 19  
Club: Ajax
Nationality: Dutch
Position: Central midfield
Senior appearances/goals/assists: 69/9/8

What’s this, a player who’s come through the Ajax youth academy?

Yep, who’d have thought it? And Gravenberch won the club’s Abdelhak Nouri Trophy in 2018, which recognises the standout graduate each year – so that was a good starting point.

How’s he done for the senior team?

Well, if you’re going to show youthful promise at a club that’s renowned for it, there’s probably no better way to do so than by becoming the youngest ever debutant (aged 16 years and 130 days) in the Eredivisie – and nicking that honour off Clarence Seedorf in the process. Just for fun, he’s also their youngest ever scorer.

The Ajax midfielder is the latest young talent under the Champions League spotlight

Age: 19  
Club: Ajax
Nationality: Dutch
Position: Central midfield
Senior appearances/goals/assists: 69/9/8

What’s this, a player who’s come through the Ajax youth academy?

Yep, who’d have thought it? And Gravenberch won the club’s Abdelhak Nouri Trophy in 2018, which recognises the standout graduate each year – so that was a good starting point.

How’s he done for the senior team?

Well, if you’re going to show youthful promise at a club that’s renowned for it, there’s probably no better way to do so than by becoming the youngest ever debutant (aged 16 years and 130 days) in the Eredivisie – and nicking that honour off Clarence Seedorf in the process. Just for fun, he’s also their youngest ever scorer.

Read the full story
Sign up now to get access to this and every premium feature on Champions Journal. You will also get access to member-only competitions and offers. And you get all of that completely free!

Commendable. What’s he like as a player?

Depends who you listen to. He’s been compared to Netherlands team-mate Frenkie de Jong – and has even admitted to modelling his game on the Barcelona star. But he’s a bit taller, standing at 1.9m, so “the Dutch Vieira” is a moniker that’s been doing the rounds; he’s also mentioned in the same breath as Paul Pogba. Oh, and his youth coach has said that he plays like Frank Rijkaard.  

He’s good then. Has he got previous experience in the Champions League?

He certainly has. He played in all six of Ajax’s group stage games last season and his debut goal in the competition was a 25-yard rocket against Midtjylland. Alas, it wasn’t enough to get them into the knockout stages, so he’ll be hoping for better this time around. So far so good: Ajax top Group C after two games, with a goal difference of plus-six.  

Anything else we should know?

He’s described himself as both a contortionist and a snake when asked to describe his playing style.  

Sounds slippery.

Yesssssssss.

The Ajax midfielder is the latest young talent under the Champions League spotlight

Age: 19  
Club: Ajax
Nationality: Dutch
Position: Central midfield
Senior appearances/goals/assists: 69/9/8

What’s this, a player who’s come through the Ajax youth academy?

Yep, who’d have thought it? And Gravenberch won the club’s Abdelhak Nouri Trophy in 2018, which recognises the standout graduate each year – so that was a good starting point.

How’s he done for the senior team?

Well, if you’re going to show youthful promise at a club that’s renowned for it, there’s probably no better way to do so than by becoming the youngest ever debutant (aged 16 years and 130 days) in the Eredivisie – and nicking that honour off Clarence Seedorf in the process. Just for fun, he’s also their youngest ever scorer.

Rising Star: Ryan Gravenberch
Insight

Rising Star: Ryan Gravenberch

The second installment of the Rising Star series sees our focus shift to a certain Dutch midfield maestro

The Ajax midfielder is the latest young talent under the Champions League spotlight

Age: 19  
Club: Ajax
Nationality: Dutch
Position: Central midfield
Senior appearances/goals/assists: 69/9/8

What’s this, a player who’s come through the Ajax youth academy?

Yep, who’d have thought it? And Gravenberch won the club’s Abdelhak Nouri Trophy in 2018, which recognises the standout graduate each year – so that was a good starting point.

How’s he done for the senior team?

Well, if you’re going to show youthful promise at a club that’s renowned for it, there’s probably no better way to do so than by becoming the youngest ever debutant (aged 16 years and 130 days) in the Eredivisie – and nicking that honour off Clarence Seedorf in the process. Just for fun, he’s also their youngest ever scorer.

Penalty Pedigree

Etiam erat velit scelerisque in dictum non. Dictum non consectetur a erat nam at. Scelerisque felis imperdiet proin fermentum leo. Nibh tortor id aliquet lectus proin nibh nisl. Nulla at volutpat diam ut venenatis. At urna condimentum mattis pellentesque id nibh tortor id aliquet. Leo a diam sollicitudin tempor id eu nisl nunc mi. Dui vivamus arcu felis bibendum ut. Pharetra convallis posuere morbi leo urna molestie. Adipiscing at in tellus integer feugiat scelerisque. In arcu cursus euismod quis. Dictum non consectetur a erat nam at lectus urna duis. Facilisi nullam vehicula ipsum a arcu cursus. At tempor commodo ullamcorper a lacus vestibulum sed arcu non. Ipsum dolor sit amet consectetur adipiscing elit pellentesque habitant. Vitae sapien pellentesque habitant morbi tristique senectus. Eget nullam non nisi est sit amet facilisis. Ipsum consequat nisl vel pretium lectus quam. Elit sed vulputate mi sit amet mauris commodo quis. Pretium fusce id velit ut tortor pretium viverra suspendisse potenti.

The Ajax midfielder is the latest young talent under the Champions League spotlight

Age: 19  
Club: Ajax
Nationality: Dutch
Position: Central midfield
Senior appearances/goals/assists: 69/9/8

What’s this, a player who’s come through the Ajax youth academy?

Yep, who’d have thought it? And Gravenberch won the club’s Abdelhak Nouri Trophy in 2018, which recognises the standout graduate each year – so that was a good starting point.

How’s he done for the senior team?

Well, if you’re going to show youthful promise at a club that’s renowned for it, there’s probably no better way to do so than by becoming the youngest ever debutant (aged 16 years and 130 days) in the Eredivisie – and nicking that honour off Clarence Seedorf in the process. Just for fun, he’s also their youngest ever scorer.

Read the full story
Sign up now to get access to this and every premium feature on Champions Journal. You will also get access to member-only competitions and offers. And you get all of that completely free!

Commendable. What’s he like as a player?

Depends who you listen to. He’s been compared to Netherlands team-mate Frenkie de Jong – and has even admitted to modelling his game on the Barcelona star. But he’s a bit taller, standing at 1.9m, so “the Dutch Vieira” is a moniker that’s been doing the rounds; he’s also mentioned in the same breath as Paul Pogba. Oh, and his youth coach has said that he plays like Frank Rijkaard.  

He’s good then. Has he got previous experience in the Champions League?

He certainly has. He played in all six of Ajax’s group stage games last season and his debut goal in the competition was a 25-yard rocket against Midtjylland. Alas, it wasn’t enough to get them into the knockout stages, so he’ll be hoping for better this time around. So far so good: Ajax top Group C after two games, with a goal difference of plus-six.  

Anything else we should know?

He’s described himself as both a contortionist and a snake when asked to describe his playing style.  

Sounds slippery.

Yesssssssss.

The Ajax midfielder is the latest young talent under the Champions League spotlight

Age: 19  
Club: Ajax
Nationality: Dutch
Position: Central midfield
Senior appearances/goals/assists: 69/9/8

What’s this, a player who’s come through the Ajax youth academy?

Yep, who’d have thought it? And Gravenberch won the club’s Abdelhak Nouri Trophy in 2018, which recognises the standout graduate each year – so that was a good starting point.

How’s he done for the senior team?

Well, if you’re going to show youthful promise at a club that’s renowned for it, there’s probably no better way to do so than by becoming the youngest ever debutant (aged 16 years and 130 days) in the Eredivisie – and nicking that honour off Clarence Seedorf in the process. Just for fun, he’s also their youngest ever scorer.

Penalty Pedigree

Etiam erat velit scelerisque in dictum non. Dictum non consectetur a erat nam at. Scelerisque felis imperdiet proin fermentum leo. Nibh tortor id aliquet lectus proin nibh nisl. Nulla at volutpat diam ut venenatis. At urna condimentum mattis pellentesque id nibh tortor id aliquet. Leo a diam sollicitudin tempor id eu nisl nunc mi. Dui vivamus arcu felis bibendum ut. Pharetra convallis posuere morbi leo urna molestie. Adipiscing at in tellus integer feugiat scelerisque. In arcu cursus euismod quis. Dictum non consectetur a erat nam at lectus urna duis. Facilisi nullam vehicula ipsum a arcu cursus. At tempor commodo ullamcorper a lacus vestibulum sed arcu non. Ipsum dolor sit amet consectetur adipiscing elit pellentesque habitant. Vitae sapien pellentesque habitant morbi tristique senectus. Eget nullam non nisi est sit amet facilisis. Ipsum consequat nisl vel pretium lectus quam. Elit sed vulputate mi sit amet mauris commodo quis. Pretium fusce id velit ut tortor pretium viverra suspendisse potenti.

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