2002–03 AFC Ajax season

Season summary

First-team squad

Reserve squad

Transfers

Results

References

Left club during season

Out

UEFA Champions League

Second group stage

AFC Ajax
2002–03 season
Chairman	Michael van Praag
Manager	Ronald Koeman
Stadium	Amsterdam Arena
Eredivisie	2nd
KNVB Cup	Semi-finals
Champions League	Quarter-finals
Johan Cruijff Schaal	Winners
Top goalscorer	Rafael van der Vaart (18)
← 2001–02 2003–04 →

During the 2002–03 Dutch football season, AFC Ajax competed in the Eredivisie.

Despite being the top scorers in the Eredivisie, Ajax were unable to defend their title and finished second. They also failed to retain the cup, but compensated by reaching the Champions League quarter-finals before being knocked out by eventual winners A.C. Milan.

Squad at end of season^[1]

Note: Flags indicate national team as defined under FIFA eligibility rules. Players may hold more than one non-FIFA nationality.

No.	Position	Player
1	GK	Bogdan Lobonț
2	DF	Hatem Trabelsi
3	DF	André Bergdølmo
4	DF	Tomáš Galásek
5	DF	Cristian Chivu
7	MF	Andy van der Meyde
8	MF	Richard Witschge
9	FW	Zlatan Ibrahimović
10	MF	Steven Pienaar
12	DF	John Heitinga
13	DF	Maxwell
15	MF	Wesley Sneijder
16	DF	Petri Pasanen
17	FW	Wamberto

No.	Position	Player
18	DF	John O'Brien
20	MF	Jari Litmanen
21	GK	Joey Didulica^[2]
22	MF	Abubakari Yakubu
23	MF	Rafael van der Vaart
24	DF	Jelle van Damme
25	MF	David Mendes da Silva (on loan from Sparta Rotterdam)
26	MF	Nigel de Jong
27	FW	Victor Sikora
28	MF	Nourdin Boukhari
29	MF	Jamal Akachar
30	MF	Stefano Seedorf
31	GK	Maarten Stekelenburg
32	GK	Henk Timmer (on loan from AZ)

Note: Flags indicate national team as defined under FIFA eligibility rules. Players may hold more than one non-FIFA nationality.

No.	Position	Player
6	MF	Aron Winter (retired)
11	FW	Mido (on loan to Celta Vigo)
14	MF	Jan van Halst
19	FW	Nikos Machlas (on loan to Sevilla)

No.		Position	Player
		DF	Tim de Cler (to AZ)
		MF	Daniel Cruz (on loan to Germinal Beerschot)
		FW	Cedric van der Gun (on loan to Willem II)

Note: Flags indicate national team as defined under FIFA eligibility rules. Players may hold more than one non-FIFA nationality.

No.		Position	Player
		DF	Mitchell Piqué

No.		Position	Player

27 November 2002	Valencia	1 – 1	Ajax	Estadio Mestalla, Valencia
20:45	Angulo 90'	Report	Ibrahimović 89'	Attendance: 48,000 Referee: Gilles Veissière (France)

10 December 2002	Ajax	2 – 1	Roma	Amsterdam Arena, Amsterdam
20:45	Ibrahimović 11' Litmanen 66'	Report	Batistuta 89'	Attendance: 50,148 Referee: Markus Merk (Germany)

18 December 2002	Arsenal	1 – 1	Ajax	Highbury, London
20:45	Wiltord 5'	Report	De Jong 17'	Attendance: 35,427 Referee: Lucílio Batista (Portugal)

11 March 2003	Ajax	1 – 1	Valencia	Amsterdam Arena, Amsterdam
20:45	Pasanen 56'	Report	Kily González 28' (pen.)	Referee: Ľuboš Micheľ (Slovakia)

19 March 2003	Roma	1 – 1	Ajax	Stadio Olimpico, Rome
20:45	Cassano 23'	Report	Van der Meyde 1'	Attendance: 62,000 Referee: Herbert Fandel (Germany)

26 February 2003

Arsenal

Amsterdam Arena, Amsterdam

Attendance: 51,500
Referee: Valentin Ivanov (Russia)

↑ http://www.footballsquads.co.uk/holland/2002-2003/ere/ajax.htm
↑ Didulica was born in Geelong, Australia, but also qualified to represent Croatia internationally.

Amsterdamsche Football Club Ajax

Players M F Managers Honours Seasons Cup Europe Records and statistics Current season

History	History of AFC Ajax

Teams	I. Ajax 1 (First team) II. Jong Ajax (Reserves) III. Ajax Zaterdag (Amateurs) Ajax Vrouwen (Women's)

Grounds	Het Veldje (1893–1900) Amsterdam-Noord (1900–1907) Het Houten Stadion (1907–1934) De Meer Stadion (1934–1996) Olympic Stadium (1934–1996) Amsterdam ArenA (1996–present)

Training grounds	Sportpark De Toekomst (1996–present) adidas miCoach Performance Centre (2011–present)

Academies	Ajax Youth Academy Ajax Hellas Youth Academy

Tournaments	Amsterdam Tournament (1975–2009) U19: Copa Amsterdam (2005–present) U17: Future Cup (2010–present)

Rivalries	De Klassieker (with Feyenoord) De Topper (with PSV) Noord-Hollandse Derby (with AZ ‧ Telstar ‧ FC Volendam) Hofstad vs. Hoofdstad (with ADO Den Haag) Stadsderby (with Blauw-Wit ‧ DWS ‧ De Volewijckers) Other (with FC Groningen ‧ FC Twente ‧ FC Utrecht)

Supporters	AFCA Supportersclub Ajax Business Associates Supportersvereniging Ajax

Culture	A.F.C.A (clothing) AFC Ajax N.V. "Ajax" Ajax Experience "Ajax Hup Hup Hup" "Ajax is niet dood!" "Ajax, Olé Olé Olé" Ajax Supportershome Battle of Beverwijk Big Three "Bloed, Zweet en Tranen" Club van 100 F-side Halte ArenA "Hava Nagila" De kabel Lucky Lynx "Mijn Stad" De Mistwedstrijd North Up Alliance "Oei Oei Oei (Dat Was Me Weer Een Loei)" South Crew Staafincident "Three Little Birds" Total Football VAK410 "De Voetbalmatch" Vuurwerkincident "We gaan naar Londen" "Wij zijn Ajax" World of Ajax

Media	1900 (magazine) Ajax Life Ajax Magazine Ajax TV Ajax, dit is mijn club Ajax-nieuws Ajax: Hark the Herald Angel Sings Ajaxjournaal De Prijs van de Hemel Superjews

Former teams	Ajax Baseball Club (1922–1972) Ajax Orlando Prospects (2002–2007)

Affiliated clubs	Ajax Cape Town Almere City Barcelona Cruzeiro Beijing Guoan Palmeiras AS Trenčín

List of AFC Ajax seasons

1900–01
1901–02
1902–03
1903–04
1904–05
1905–06
1906–07
1907–08
1908–09
1909–10
1910–11
1911–12
1912–13
1913–14
1914–15
1915–16
1916–17
1917–18
1918–19
1919–20
1920–21
1921–22
1922–23
1923–24
1924–25
1925–26
1926–27
1927–28
1928–29
1929–30
1930–31
1931–32
1932–33
1933–34
1934–35
1935–36
1936–37
1937–38
1938–39
1939–40
1940–41
1941–42
1942–43
1943–44
1944–45
1945–46
1946–47
1947–48
1948–49
1949–50
1950–51
1951–52
1952–53
1953–54
1954–55
1955–56
1956–57
1957–58
1958–59
1959–60
1960–61
1961–62
1962–63
1963–64
1964–65
1965–66
1966–67
1967–68
1968–69
1969–70
1970–71
1971–72
1972–73
1973–74
1974–75
1975–76
1976–77
1977–78
1978–79
1979–80
1980–81
1981–82
1982–83
1983–84
1984–85
1985–86
1986–87
1987–88
1988–89
1989–90
1990–91
1991–92
1992–93
1993–94
1994–95
1995–96
1996–97
1997–98
1998–99
1999–2000
2000–01
2001–02
2002–03
2003–04
2004–05
2005–06
2006–07
2007–08
2008–09
2009–10
2010–11
2011–12
2012–13
2013–14
2014–15