Loek den Edel has passed away at the age of 88, Ajax announced in a press release on Monday evening. The former attacker was the first player to score on behalf of the team from Amsterdam in the Eredivisie. Den Edel played for Ajax between 1945 and 1959 and played a total of 108 matches in which he scored 56 times.
Den Edel became an official member of Ajax at the age of twelve. One of his first trainers in Amsterdam was Jack Reynolds. Den Edel went through the youth academy at the club, but then had to do military service. After twenty months without football, he returned to Ajax’s fourth team. Den Edel immediately made three hits, which meant that he went from the fourth, via the third and second team, to Ajax 1 within a few weeks. He proved himself in all teams by scoring three goals on his debut, Ajax writes on the website.
Rest in peace, Luke????
— AFC Ajax (@AFCAjax) August 1, 2022
After the former attacker also made a hat-trick during his official debut in Ajax 1, he wrote history in 1956. Den Edel provided the only goal in Ajax’s first Eredivisie match ever (with NAC Breda, 1-0). Later that season, Ajax could also immediately celebrate the national title. In total, Den Edel thus scored 56 hits, which earned him a place in the top fifty of the most scoring Ajax players.
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