A European giant - but what's happened to the modern-day Ajax?
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Ajax were on course to play Liverpool in the 2019 Champions League final, had it not been for a dramatic second half hat-trick from Tottenham's Lucas Moura
Six years ago, Ajax were minutes away from reaching the Champions League final - had it not been for a dramatic Lucas Moura hat-trick which sent Tottenham through instead.
The Dutch giants lost the chance to add another Champions League trophy to their 1994-95 title - after last making the final in 1996.
Ajax are now on track for their fourth straight season without a top-flight title or success in Europe.
But what has happened to the four-time European champions since their brief resurgence to the upper echelons under Erik ten Hag?
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How are Ajax performing this season and in recent campaigns?
Ajax are 36th and bottom in the Champions League table after five games this season
Ajax's 2-0 loss at home to Benfica on Tuesday was their fifth in as many games in the Champions League this season, leaving them rock bottom of the table.
The club sacked manager John Heitinga in early November, less than six months after he joined from his role as Liverpool assistant coach.
Domestically, interim head coach Fred Grim's side are sixth in the Eredivisie standings. After 13 games, they already trail high-flying PSV Eindhoven by 14 points.
It is a continuation of a tough few years for the club since winning three straight titles between 2018-19 and 2021-22.
Since their last title win, Ajax have finished third, fifth and second in the last three Eredivisie campaigns. Last season's second place was decided by a single point, with Ajax conceding a dramatic stoppage time equaliser to Groningen in their penultimate match of the season, that ultimately cost them the title.
In Europe, Ajax have struggled since those four straight first-place league finishes, registering no better than runs to the last 16 of all three European club competitions.
The departure of two prominent Ajax figures
Marc Overmars and Edwin van der Sar worked alongside each other at Ajax between 2016 and 2022
In July 2012, former Ajax player Marc Overmars became the club's director of football.
The appointment came shortly after the conclusion of a renaissance, sparked by club legend Johan Cruyff publishing an explosive De Telegraaf column titled 'This isn't Ajax any more' in September 2010.
Cruyff expressed frustration at the club supposedly losing it's identity and settling for mediocrity.
Between 2010 and 2022, Ajax went on to win seven of 11 Eredivisie titles.
For the latter part of that period, Overmars' former teammate Edwin van der Sar served as a the club's CEO, and between them the duo found great success at the club on and off the pitch.
The period of decline began in February 2022, when Overmars was relieved of his duties following inappropriate behaviour towards female colleagues.
He apologised for his conduct, and described his behaviour as "unacceptable".
Another departure soon followed when Van der Sar resigned from his role in May 2023, 15 months after Overmars' departure.
"Two of the big giants, both former players, with the DNA of Ajax and knowing how it works falling away led to other people becoming in charge," De Telegraaf journalist and Dutch football expert Marcel van der Kraan told BBC Sport.
"That, when you want to keep the culture of a club together, has cost them a lot."
Who have Ajax sold?
Antony and Lisandro Martinez were among the Ajax players to follow Erik ten Hag to Manchester United
The side that were part of that Champions League exit to Tottenham six-and-a-half years ago quickly moved on to pastures new and sparked the beginning of the end for Ajax's modern day revival.
While Frenkie de Jong, Matthijs de Ligt, Hakim Ziyech and Sven Botman were among the key names to leave in the first year following that semi-final defeat, recent years have also seen big names depart the club.
Ryan Gravenberch, Lisandro Martinez, Antony, Noussair Mazraoui, Andre Onana, Jurrien Timber, Calvin Bassey, Edson Alvarez, Mohammed Kudus, Jordan Henderson, Jorrel Hato, Brian Brobbey and Bertrand Traore have all departed for Premier League football since 2022.
The lack of star names and big talents signed in their absence, as well as the talents they can acquire quickly departing shortly after, forms part of Ajax's issues and struggles on the pitch in recent times.
Van der Kraan says that Ajax have become too much of a ‘selling‘ club in recent years, and that signing replacements has been done poorly and has also blocked chances for youth products, the very essence of the club's DNA.
"You want to sell and that's always been in a league like the Dutch league has been a problem on one side and also a benefit for clubs because money comes in.
"But you can't keep selling and it's difficult for players to turn down very lucrative offers, but as a club, you have to stand for the culture. What you what you've had for years.
What's next for Ajax?
Jordi Cruyff had worked as an advisor to Barcelona and the Indonesia national team in recent years
The 2022 departure of Erik Ten Hag for Manchester United has proven to be the turning point for the Dutch side and their bid to return to success.
"The fact that from the top of my head, there's been eight managers in the last two and a half years, says a lot about the club," Van der Kraan adds.
"It is not a coincidence that [Ten Hag] has been top of the list last summer. He's declined the offer now two or three times."
Among the names that have been in charge since 2022 are Alfred Schuester, Maurice Steijn, Hedwiges Maduro, Johan van't Schip and Michael Valkanis.
Last season was comfortably Ajax's best in the post-Ten Hag era under the stewardship of Francesco Farioli.
Ajax spent the final months of the season top of the Eredivisie, but picked up just four points from the final five matches to lose the title by a single point - leading to Farioli's departure.
Now, just over 15 years on from Cruyff's column, De Telegraaf republished the article this week - likely linked to the fact that Cruyff's son, former Manchester United and Barcelona midfielder Jordi, is reportedly set to become the club's next sporting director.
Jordi also spent seven years in Ajax's academy prior to signing for Barcelona as a teenager.
Van der Kraal sees the potential return of a Cruyff to the club as a positive move.
"Johann Cruijff has brought so much to the club in the past... he could have a very strong stance on the management of the club and he used to kick against what we'd say was the shins of board members, the shins of the wrong people in the club, and he would kick them out.
"I think the strong ruling of the Cruyff DNA, which is the Ajax DNA, will come back into the club."
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