The boys of Orange under-17 are tonight in the final of the European Football Championship under 17 years. Ajax talent Silvano Vos played all matches in this tournament and will compete in Israel against France for the main prize. “Nice to bring a prize back to the Netherlands.”
The Netherlands won all group matches, including the previous meeting with fellow finalist France. They also defeated Italy and Serbia in the knockout stage. The semi-final was decided last Sunday after a series of penalties. “It was a difficult game”, Vos recalls. “Serbia was a physically strong team and then it is always difficult to really play your own game. Unfortunately, it had to be decided with penalties, because we prefer to win in the match itself.”
This alone shows that the Ajax DNA is in his blood. Not only winning, but playing beautiful and well-maintained football are both central to him and to the philosophy of the club. From the age of eight he plays at youth complex De Toekomst and last season the 17-year-old from Amsterdam scored minutes for Jong Ajax in five matches. After the summer, he expects to join the U23 selection of trainer John Heitinga.
Amsterdam and Ajax
Vos grew up in Diemen-South and feels strongly connected with the city and Ajax. “It’s really in my blood, I grew up in the streets of Amsterdam,” he says, looking back on his childhood. “Everyone always talks about Ajax, everyone loves the club. So it’s really in me, because I’ve been playing there almost my entire football career.” He sees himself playing in white-red-white in the coming years, with a debut for the main force as the ultimate dream.
idol
His great example is Ryan Gravenberch, not entirely coincidentally, because Vos plays in the same position as his idol. “I think it’s nice and deserved that he is now leaving for Bayern,” he says about Gravenberch. “Now I have to work to get into position. I am busy with that and I feel I am on schedule. I will play for Jong Ajax next season, I have to perform well and make my minutes.”
The next step is the first team and the midfielder sees opportunities now that Gravenberch has left. “It is my dream to be in Ajax-1 as soon as possible and I think I play the same as him,” said Vos. “I like to show that to everyone and it is not surprising that if I continue as I am now, it might go quickly. Then I see a debut in Ajax-1 coming next season.”
Get done
He quickly stops philosophizing about next year, because the focus is now on the European Championship final against France. It could be the fifth time in ten editions that the Dutch national under-17 team takes the title. Vos has great confidence in a good outcome. “I’ve played every game in the starting line-up so I wouldn’t be surprised if I start again,” he says. “I have a lot of faith in this team and we have to finish it.”