Ajax legends Kluivert, Rijkaard, VDS, Van Gaal celebrate Finidi at 50

SEVERAL Ajax teammates of Finidi George and their manager Luis Van Gaal gave the former Nigeria international a special birthday shoutout on Thursday.

Finidi turned 50 on Thursday, and his colleagues in the great Ajax team that won the UEFA Champions League in 1995 made a moving video composition celebrating the Super Eagles legend.

In a video on the Ajax Twitter account captioned ‘Happy birthday to a legend from some legends. Finidi George = 50’, the former winger’s teammates wished him well and sang him a special song.

Among those in the video are Danny Blind, Frank Rijkaard, Patrick Kluivert, Marc Overmars, Edwin van der Sar, Michael Reizeiger and their coach at the time Van Gaal.

Others are Jari Litmanen, Kiki Musampa, Frank De Boer and Winston Bogarde.

Blind, whose son Daley still plays for Ajax, said: “Congratulations on your birthday. Fifty years already! We’ll never forget you, my friend.”

Overmars recalls how he and Finidi ran down the flanks, while Litmanen assured the birthday boy that 50 would not change him.

Rijkaard, who took to coaching after retirement and led Barcelona to the UEFA Champions League title in 2006, said he would always remember Finidi. The Dutchman then broke into a song that fans used to sing for the Nigerian.

By the end of the video, all of the Ajax legends are heard chanting ‘Finidi oooooo’. The video then shows shots of Ajax fans doing the chant for the Nigerian, who was once regarded as the best crosser of the ball in the world.

Finidi was at Ajax between 1993 and 1996, three successful years during which he won three straight Dutch League titles, the 1995 Champions League title, the 1995 UEFA Super Cup and the Intercontinental Cup. He also reached the 1996 Champions League final with Ajax when they lost to Juventus.

He subsequently played for Real Betis and Real Mallorca in Spain as well as Ipswich in England.