Patrick Kluivert's Victory Goal: The Story Of A Substitute Player Brings Ajax Amsterdam To Win The 1995 Champions League

18-year-old Patrick Kluivert lifted the Champions Cup after his team Ajax Amsterdam beat AC Milan 1-0 in the final at Ernst Happel Stadium, Vienna, Austria (24/5/1995). (Hollandse Hoogte/Pim Ras)

JAKARTA - Patrick Kluivert once filled the list of elite Dutch football national team strikers. The way of success was initiated by being part of the football academy, Ajax Amsterdam. His presence was able to give the spirit of the team he defended. Even though he was too young.

He was able to penetrate the young team to senior Ajax Amsterdam. He answered the opportunity with achievements. His goal was to determine Ajax Amsterdam's victory against AC Milan in the 1995 Champions League final.

Football is not always seen as a sport. Many also consider football as a way of life. This view was shared by the young Partrick Kluivert. The man who was born in Amsterdam July 1, 1976, seemed to donate himself to football.

He made his own father an example of success. His father, Kenneth Kluivert, was once listed as a professional football player from Suriname a Dutch colony area. He began to be motivated to hone his talent for his football on the streets.

Later fate led him to enter Ajax Amsterdam's football academy. At that time he was still seven years old. Kluivert took the right advantage of the opportunity to enter a football academy. He realized that Ajax Amsterdam's academy was one of the best in the world.

His efforts were paid off because he was able to penetrate the fierce competition of the academy. He was able to enter the Ajax junior team. He also entered the Dutch national team at an early age. His stunning appearance and thirst for goals were admired by many people.

This condition made him play in Ajax Amsterdam's senior team. He proved himself as a striker by scoring a goal in his debut with Ajax Amsterdam. His first goal was scored when Ajax fought Feyenoord on August 21, 1994.

At that time he was 18 years old. This condition made Ajax coach Louis van Gaal even more attracted by Kluiver's talent. Later he relied on Kluiver's services to bang on the goal from Ajax Amsterdam's opponents, from regional to European levels.

Van Gaal's speech is a real example of common sense. Van Gaal has personally fostered some great Ajax youths - Patrick Kluivert's 18-year-old class player, Netherlands' top scorer, and Total Seedorf, Edgar Davids, and other players who made Ajax an admired club on the European continent."

Ajax has been educating boys aged 8 or 9 years, educating them in every way, teaching them to take care of their bodies (of their sports tools). Starting with Johan Cruyff, whose mother cleaned the stadium stairs, and now continuing with the younger first-team players the only problem is the pause from too many competitions," Rob Hughes said in his article The New York Times newspaper A Game Ingrained With Greed (1995).

Kluivert services are actually not always relied on as part of the starting eleven (initial player list). This condition can be seen from his debut season 1994-1995. Kluiver did not give up. He understands the coach's wishes.

He felt Ajax chose to attack again. However, when Van Gaal started to end up. Kluivers enter and change things. Take for example in the 1994-1995 Champions League event.

Van Gaal is like saving Kluivers for important moments. Ajax with the formula of his young academy players, especially Edgar Davids toriklan Seedorf appeared as a dark horse. Ajax was not seeded in the competition because of the lack of senior players.

However, the young star was the answer that Van Gaal was able to appear convincing in the Champions League. Ajax was able to win the group until the Champions League final. Ajax Amsterdam finally got a flying ticket to Vienna, Austria. They will host AC Milan at the Ernst Happel Stadium on May 24, 1995.

Van Gaal tried to save Kluiver first. Kluiver also tried to monitor the match from the bench. The match went fiercely. Buy and sell attacks occurred. The final heat pressure was served.

Van Gaal's strategy was hampered. No one was able to break into AC Milan's goal. A bold decision was taken in the 70th minute. Van Gaal replaced Jari Litmanen with Kluiver. The decision in fact brought blessings. Kluiver replied to Van Gaal's trust by scoring a goal.

The goal was created in the 85th minute. Kluivers also celebrated by using the upside down jersey until the name and number 15 of the back was highlighted by the camera. The goal lasted the final whistle sounded.

Kluivert is happy not to play. He didn't bring Ajax to win, but Kluivert was able to make himself the youngest player to score in the Champions League final. That experience is an important asset for Kluiver's future career. He also listed himself as one of the best Dutch strikers.

Ajax performed better, Frank Rijkaard (defensive midfielder) went deeper to see more pitch, but the impact wasn't too big. It was a boring spectacle, just a little bit better when Van Gaal tried to force the problem.

"He entered Kanu to replace Seedorf who appeared below the standard. The entry of Kluiver, 20 minutes from the end of the match, is another bold step," said Nick Right in his writing on The Guardian's page entitled 'A Volcano that Exploded': The '95 Ajax Side that Changed European Football (2020).