DutchNews.nl - DutchNews.nl brings daily news from The Netherlands in English

23 May 2025
Newsletter Donate Advertise
  • News
  • Life in the Netherlands
  • Jobs
  • Podcast
  • About us
  • Search
  • Home
  • Economy
  • Art and culture
  • Sport
  • Europe
  • Society
  • Environment
  • Health
  • Housing
  • Education
  • News
    • Home
    • Economy
    • Art and culture
    • Sport
    • Europe
    • Society
    • Environment
    • Health
    • Housing
    • Education
  • Life in the Netherlands
    • Latest
    • Opinion
    • Books
    • Travel
    • 10 Questions
    • Learning Dutch
    • Inburgering with DN
    • Food & Drink
    • Ask us anything
  • Jobs
  • Podcast
  • About us
    • Team
    • Donate
    • Advertise
    • Writing for Dutch News
    • Contact us
    • Privacy
    • Newsletter
  • Search

Three Little Birds make it onto new Ajax kit

August 23, 2021
Photo of Ryan Gravensberch kitted up: courtesy of Universal Music Group
Ryan Gravensberch kitted up Photo: courtesy of Universal Music Group

Amsterdam football club Ajax’s Bob Marley inspired new jersey presented on Friday has sold out in a single day.

The design of the club’s third kit for the 2021/2022 season, a deal between Adidas, the club and the Marley family, features red, yellow and green accents and three small birds embroidered just below the collar on the back of the shirt in reference to Bob Marley’s iconic song.

The story goes that Ajax fans took Three Little Birds to their hearts during a friendly against Cardiff FC. When they were asked to wait before leaving the stand at the end of the game, the stadium DJ played it for them to while away the time. It has since become the club’s anthem. In 2018 Ky-mani Marley, Bob Marley’s son, came to the Ajax stadium to sing the song to an enthusiastic crowd.

Ajax commercial director Menno Geelen said the club had expected fans to be keen on the new kit but that the sales exceeded expectation. ‘We sold a record number of shirts in one day, four times as many as any other Ajax shirt to date. It’s unique,’ Geelen said.

Reportedly tens of thousands of shirts were snapped up by fans.

Bob Marley’s daughter Cedella Marley said she was ‘beyond touched’ the song had been made into the club’s anthem. ‘Soccer was everything to my father..and to use his words.. ‘football is freedom’.

Football supporters in other teams in the Netherlands do not necessarily agree, however, after stiff warnings from the caretaker health minister Hugo de Jonge on Monday to stay with bums in seats or risk further restrictions.

Share this article
  • Facebook
  • Twitter
  • LinkedIn
  • Reddit
  • Copy URL
Economy Sport
Thank you for donating to DutchNews.nl.

We could not provide the Dutch News service, and keep it free of charge, without the generous support of our readers. Your donations allow us to report on issues you tell us matter, and provide you with a summary of the most important Dutch news each day.

Make a donation
Latest
Show more
Fewer international students starting bachelor degrees in NL
MPs urge cabinet to join banned Pride march in Budapest
Dutch house prices up 10% on a year ago, latest figures show
Foundations and the future: what you need to think about
Highway to hell: confessions of a would-be Ring reveller
NewsHomeEconomyArt and cultureSportEuropeSocietyEnvironmentHealthHousingEducation
Life in the NetherlandsLatestOpinionBooksTravel10 QuestionsLearning DutchInburgering with DNFood & DrinkAsk us anything
About usTeamDonateAdvertiseWriting for Dutch NewsContact usPrivacyNewsletter
© 2025 DutchNews | Cookie settings

Help us to keep providing you information about coronavirus in the Netherlands.

Many thanks to everyone who has donated to DutchNews.nl in recent days!

We could not provide this service without you. If you have not yet made a contribution, you can do so here.

The DutchNews.nl team

Donate now

Dutchnews Survey

Please help us making DutchNews.nl a better read by taking part in a short survey.

Take part now