Zdenek Grygera
Grygera joined Ajax in 2003 from Sparta Prague and immediately went into the first team – helping them win the Eredivisie. The Czech full-back joined a solid back line and really made it impenetrable at times – he, however, remained one of the most underrated players in the title-winning side.
After his time at Ajax, Grygera joined Juventus after the Calciopoli scandal in 2007 and stayed with the Italian giants until 2011 when he joined Fulham. He would end his career in West London and has been trying to regain full fitness ever since.
Nigel de Jong
The tough tackling midfielder grew up in the Ajax youth side and managed to reach the first team in 2002, before becoming a key player in the years to come. He developed a reputation as a no-nonsense midfielder and left Amsterdam for the Bundesliga side Hamburg together with another star of the Ajax side as the German side looked to usher in a revolution.
Moving on to Manchester City and AC Milan in the coming years, De Jong looked to wind down his career in America, joining the LA Galaxy in the MLS. The Dutchman didn’t last long on the West Coast, and now plies his trade in Turkey with Galatasaray and still occasionally plays for the Dutch national side.
