Rafael van der Vaart on son Damian’s Ajax contract: “I put a lot of pressure on him, but he has to deal with that” | OneFootball

Damian van der Vaart (18) extended his contract with Ajax until 2029. The son of former Dutch football star Rafael, Damian has proved he’s gifted in his own right and is expected to establish himself with the club’s U23 side.

Van der Vaart junior made the switch from Danish club Esbjerg back to his parents’ homeland in 2023 and has since played for both the U18 and U19 teams at Ajax.

His father, of course, began his professional senior career at the same club, a milestone that Damian is yet to achieve. However, it is clear that the youngster has the faith of Ajax’s youth coaches.

Rafael van der Vaart himself earned 109 caps for the Netherlands and played for Ajax, as well as Real Madrid, Tottenham Hotspur, and Hamburger SV. He worked as both assistant (2021-23) and interim (2023) at Esbjerg before predominantly turning to punditry in the Netherlands.

Speaking of his son’s new deal, the seasoned former midfielder was proud, yet spoke of an underlying pressure:

“I almost dare to say that his right foot is better than my left was. I put a lot of pressure on him, but he has to deal with that. It really is like that.”

GBeNeFN | Max Bradfield