For one day, the Dam became the playground for street footballers from across the city. In front of the Royal Palace, teams from seven city districts and the Weesp city area competed in the final of the Cruyff Street League — a special event in celebration of Amsterdam’s 750th anniversary.
In the 10–12 age category, the boys from Oost and the girls from Weesp took the win. In the older group, ages 13–15, the title went to the boys from Noord and the girls from Zuidoost. The Respect Award for sportsmanship was awarded to two girls’ teams: the 10–12 age group from Nieuw-West and the 13–15 group from Centrum.
City Councillor for Sport & Physical Activity, Sofyan Mbarki, officially kicked off the event, after which 32 teams with over 250 players faced off in passionate and spirited matches.
The event drew a large crowd and transformed the birthplace of Amsterdam into a vibrant sporting hub. The teams played in colorful jerseys — each city district had a unique design created by Floor Wesseling as part of the project ‘Pride of the City’. In addition to the matches, visitors could take part in a CPR course organized by the Nouri Foundation, and enjoy performances and music. Children from the Ajax Only Friends team also played a great match.
The Cruyff Street League is the street football tournament in Amsterdam for boys and girls aged 10 to 15. From the late 1970s until 2017, Amsterdam hosted a street football tournament, often ending with a grand final on the Dam. Johan Cruyff was the patron of this “old” tournament until his passing. Every year, young players from primary schools all over the city took part. To mark Amsterdam’s 750th anniversary, the tournament has now been revived.
To celebrate the city’s 750th anniversary, the Johan Cruyff Foundation was invited to organize a major Amsterdam-wide street football tournament in collaboration with the City of Amsterdam and local sports organizations in each district. This initiative is made possible with the support of De Coöperatieve Rabobank, GASSAN, De Telegraaf, Voetbalshop, and many other partners.
