The story so far
Taken on by Ajax in 1998, he played the 1998–99 season for their D1 team and signed his first professional contract in January 2004.
On 1 February 2004, just two months after his 17th birthday, Ajax coach Ronald Koeman gave Babel his first team debut in Ajax's 4-0 home win over ADO Den Haag in the Eredivisie. Ajax went on to win the Dutch league title, but Babel didn't feature again that season. Nine months later, on 20 November 2004 Babel scored his first senior goal against De Graafschap in a 5-0 victory.
Later that season, Babel made his international debut on March 26, 2005, away against Romania. He entered the game as a first-half substitute for Arjen Robben and went on to score the second goal in a 2-0 victory. The goal made Babel the youngest goal scorer in 68 years for the Netherlands and the fourth-youngest of all time. Babel had been a first team regular with Ajax in 2004–05 and finished with 7 league goals in 20 appearances.
In June, Babel took part in the 2005 FIFA U-20 World Cup. Babel scored two goals in four games as the Netherlands reached the quarter-finals. There they were defeated by Nigeria, 10-9 in a penalty shoot-out (Babel scored his penalty).
In July 2005 Babel signed a new contract with Ajax. He started the new season by scoring the winning goal in Ajax's 2-1 defeat of PSV Eindhoven in the Dutch Super Cup. Babel scored in both legs of the Champions League third qualifying round against Brøndby as Ajax made it to the group stage. 2005–06 was a tougher season for Babel in general though as he managed only 2 league goals. He did however continue to feature for the national team, and scored his second goal against Italy in November. At the end of the season, Babel came on as a second-half substitute in Ajax's 2-1 victory over PSV in the Dutch Cup final.
That summer, Marco van Basten included Babel in the Dutch squad for 2006 FIFA World Cup. Babel only featured once though, as a second-half substitute for Ruud van Nistelrooy in the group match against Argentina. Van Basten has been quoted as saying Babel "has all the potential to become the next Thierry Henry."
Babel marked the start of 2006–07 with another Dutch Super Cup winners medal, as Ajax defeated PSV 3-1. Babel was linked with Arsenal and Newcastle United during the January transfer window of the 2006-07 season but no move materialised. Amidst the transfer speculation, Babel agreed to a new three-year deal with Ajax on February 2, 2007. In May, Babel got another Dutch Cup winners medal as Ajax successfully defended the title. The match against AZ went to a penalty shoot-out, but Babel was substituted off after 120 minutes.
In June 2007, Babel was part of the Netherlands under-21 team competing in the UEFA Under-21 Championship, being held in the Netherlands. In the group stage, Babel scored a penalty against Portugal, helping the Dutch to secure a semi-final spot and thus qualifying for the 2008 Summer Olympics in Beijing. His second tournament goal came during his man of the match performance in the final as the Netherlands defeated Serbia 4-1 to retaining their title.
Liverpool FC steps in
On July 10, 2007, it was reported that Liverpool had made a £13.5 million offer to the Amsterdam club. On July 12 it was reported that Liverpool and Ajax agreed a fee in the region of £11.5 million, and later Liverpool confirmed that Babel would sign a 5 year contract on 13 July. He was unveiled on July 13 and Babel will wear the number 19 shirt.
Club statistics
All-Time Club Performance
Season League Cups Europe Total
App Goals App Goals App Goals App Goals
Ajax 06-07 27 5 3 0 7 2 37 7
05-06 25 2 1 9 2 35 4
04-05 20 7 2 0 2 1 24 8
03-04 1 0 ? ? ? ? 1 ?
Total 73 14 6 0 18 5 97 19
Career 73 14 6 0 19 5 97 19
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International goals
1 March 26, 2005 Romania 2-0 Won WC 2006 Qual.
2 November 12, 2005 Italy 1-3 Loss Friendly
3 June 1, 2006 Mexico 2-1 Won Friendly
4 February 7, 2007 Russia 4-1 Won Friendly
Honours
Ajax
Winner 2005 & 2006 Dutch Super Cup
2005-06 & 2006-07 Dutch Cup
Netherlands
Winner 2007 UEFA European Under-21 Football Championship
The fans' view
They are a very friendly bunch, the Ajax fans and generous in buying drinks.
The first fans I spoke with were in an Arsenal and Ajax supporting bar near the Anne Frank Museum. What do you think of Babel, I asked? "Very good player, very fast, very good technically, can keep the ball well", said the greying, 6 earring wearing, all in denim clad gent who reminded me uncannily of my former Canadian boss, an affable homosexual who once famously chased a junior colleague around his office, after spending a few months plying him with cases of expensive wine from the Wine Society. But I digress.
"What do you think about the price", I asked, "11.5 million pounds for a 20 year old?". "Prices have become meaningless", said Earring Man, "I can't count anywhere near that far. But it is too much, not jut for him but the amounts being paid for players around Europe. I like Ajax's policy, to bring youngsters through as much as possible. Maybe we don't win some much but it is more real." I couldn't help agreeing with him, just a tad, though my middle class weak socialist disgust at what players command, both in terms of transfer fees and wages has long been tempered by my increasing desire to win the bloody league again. 'Tis easy for an Ajax fan to say, having won 6 league championships since LFC last won one.
I pressed on with his mate. "But who do you think did the better business out of the two clubs, Ajax or Liverpool?" "Good question", said Mate, "let me think about that". He thought for about 3 seconds, the time it took for him to down the remainder of his Leffe, and said, reassuringly for me "actually it is good business for both clubs. Remember that Babel is all potential, with little of it proven. Yes, the experts like van Basten and others do believe that he has enormous talent and is destined for big things, but remember that he has not been a guaranteed starter for Ajax, Not because he isn't good enough, because he does not have the experience for all types of games and we are a young side as it is."
"Ajax have got more or less as much as they could out of Babel, as he is the kind of player who will need a challenge at a higher level to realise his potential and improve further. He will not learn much more by playing with his Ajax team mates and will benefit from playing with world class players. So Ajax gets a lot of money and Liverpool gets a potential world star". I liked what I was hearing.
The next bunch were younger, more brash, edgier. The faded light blue denim gave way to spiky hair (isn't that, like, so last year?), white pointy toed trainers (do these have a name?) and nubile blond girlfriends (nothing relevant to put into these brackets).
"You stole our player, you bloody English, Ryan was going to be our star, rich English bas**rds". After I hastily pointed out that I was only of decent income, not at all English and was born fully two years after my parents were married, they calmed down. "Only every few years does a player like this come along. He can do anything with the ball." Interesting how dropping down a generation leads instantly to the use of first names for a player and a greater reliance on gut feel as opposed to lies, damned lies and Kaizeristics. "Screw it said another, he'll never amount to anything." Now I couldn't tell whether this was sour grapes and disappointment or a real opinion but it did cause a bit of unease.
So it seems to me, on the strength what the Ajax punters feel of that and the strength of his record, that Rafa has taken a bit of a punt on this young man's talent. It is the kind of punt that can pay off spectacularly and we could have got our hands on a player that is going to be one of the lynch pins of our team for a number of years or this may be a player that we sell to Valencia, Sevilla, Bremen or even PSG in three years' time.
Methinks I'll trust Mr Benitez on this for the moment. The beer goes down easier that way.
Logged
