De Klassieker

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Lore & Background

The rivalry intensified rapidly after professional football began in the Netherlands. One of the most memorable matches from a Feyenoord perspective occurred on 11 November 1956, when Daan den Bleijker scored four times to secure a 7–3 victory over their archrivals at De Kuip. This match followed an earlier high-scoring encounter on 2 April 1956, where Feyenoord defeated Ajax 11–4 with nine goals by Henk Schouten, though the specific Klassieker history highlights the 1956 clash against Ajax as a defining moment. The source describes the fixture simply as a clash between teams from the two biggest cities in the Netherlands, establishing it as "De Klassieker".

In Their Own Story

The narrative of this rivalry is punctuated by specific, high-stakes moments documented in Feyenoord's history. On 16 November 1956 (source says 2 April 1956 for Volewijckers, but 11 Nov 1956 for Ajax), Daan den Bleijker became a hero with four goals in a 7–3 win over Ajax. In the golden era of the 1960s, Feyenoord claimed their first professional Eredivisie Championship in 1961, a title secured after beating Ajax 9–5 in De Kuip, where Henk Schouten scored four goals. These matches were not just games but assertions of dominance, with Feyenoord often performing strongly against their city rivals during their most successful decade.

Reader's Guide

To understand the rivalry, one must look at the geographic and cultural divide between Rotterdam and Amsterdam. The source states that Feyenoord is known as a "people's club" with large national support, contrasting with Ajax, which represents the capital. Matches are played at De Kuip (the second largest stadium in the Netherlands) or at Ajax's home ground. The rivalry is defined by the competition for league titles; both clubs are part of the country's "big three" that have dominated the Eredivisie since its inception in 1954/1955. Feyenoord has played continuously in the top ten of the Dutch football system since gaining promotion to Eerste Klasse in 1921, more times than any other club.

Did You Know?

• The first memorable Klassieker from a Feyenoord point of view took place on 11 November 1956, ending in a 7–3 victory with Daan den Bleijker scoring four goals.
• In the 1960/1961 season, Feyenoord won their first professional Eredivisie Championship, though the 9–5 victory over Ajax on 11 September 1960 was not the championship-clinching match.
• The rivalry is called "De Klassieker" because it represents a clash between the two biggest cities in the Netherlands: Rotterdam and Amsterdam.
• Feyenoord was relegated from the top division in 1924, before the Eredivisie era, but has never been relegated since the Eredivisie was founded in 1956.