The 22-year-old has had to deal with personal trauma amid his rise to stardom with Ajax, whom he has put on the verge of the Champions League final
Ajax’s journey to the Champions League semi-finals has been an inspirational tale of a daring and exciting team upsetting bigger European rivals with fast, unpredictable football.
Powered by a group of promising homegrown stars, they have all of the hallmarks of a classic Ajax side.
And if there is one young man, among the many heroes in Erik ten Hag’s team, who most fits the profile of a typical Ajax player, it is Donny van de Beek.