Their technique and composure whilst in possession was of the highest order but Ajax’s ability to press their opponents without the ball was even better.

It would be remarkable if a club that has been lambasted and mocked for failing to win a single trophy since the League Cup in 2008 began their collection with the biggest one of all.

Ajax don’t have a club motto, but if they did it would have to be something like ‘Remember what you’re good at, even when everything seems to be falling apart’.

Colin Sheridan's A to Z of 2019

Austin Gleeson blamed himself for the phantom goal which saw Waterford miss out on a crucial victory over Tipperary.

Liam Brady previews today’s Premier League meeting of Arsenal and Man Utd in the context of the contrasting fortunes and football philosophies of rival managers Arsene Wenger and Jose Mourinho.

Frank de Boer’s appointment as Crystal Palace manager took the number of former Barcelona players now managing in the Premier League to five, 25% of the total workforce and a ringing endorsement for the philosophy of Total Football Johan Cruyff introduced to the Catalans after making it famous in his native Netherlands.

Barcelona have named Ernesto Valverde as their new head coach.

Ajax, creators of their own legend, were largely authors of their own downfall in Stockholm last night, writes Liam Mackey.

There are men with a foot in both camps for tonight’s Europa League final. Daley Blind is one, another is Wesley Sneijder.

The Europa League is a Cinderella competition, usually neglected and often ignored, but tomorrow night in Stockholm, Cinderella might have a ball.

The LaLiga title will be decided on the final day again this year, with Real Madrid going to Malaga tomorrow night (7pm Irish time) needing just a point to lift the trophy, no matter what Barcelona do at home to Eibar at the same time.

Ajax are planning to rename their stadium as the Johan Cruyff Arena.

There was a moment during the last World Cup finals when it seemed the Dutch might be about to write a new chapter in their glorious football history, writes David Shonfield

Ahead of Barcelona’s ‘mission impossible’ in Wednesday night’s Champions League last 16 second-leg tie against Paris Saint Germain, there was a consensus around the Camp Nou that any hopes of overturning the 4-0 first leg deficit rested on the shoulders of one man.

Arsene Wenger believes there are similarities between him and Pep Guardiola but insists the Manchester City boss has had it easy compared to his own arrival into English football.

Seluk told Sky Sports News: "Why must I apologise to Guardiola? I don't know the words I must apologise for because I didn't do anything.

A curse or simply not good enough? Whatever your point of view, there’s no denying Mayo’s place in the pantheon of greatest bridesmaids. John Fogarty selects a disappointing dozen of the worst performing final teams in the history of sport...

If Cristiano Ronaldo leads Portugal to victory in the final of Euro 2016, will his career have been more successful than rival Lionel Messi, asks Robert McNamara

Just weeks ago it seemed that Barcelona were set to do something unique — a ‘double treble’ by retaining the Champions League, La Liga and Copa del Rey trophies they won last season.

At half-time yesterday, one of my ageing colleagues, known for his punchy pessimism, summed up proceedings better than I could: “Same old shoite, then. A team full of physically weak cowards, and the only hope of a goal is if Martial makes something out of nothing.”

Cristiano Ronaldo hit a late winner to hand 10-man Real Madrid a shock 2-1 win in a fiery El Clasico and end Barcelona's long unbeaten run.

As debuts go, Patrick Collins’ was impressive.

Northern Ireland 1 Slovenia 0: Northern Ireland eclipsed Billy Bingham’s team of the mid 1980s by stretching their unbeaten run into double figures, as they beat Slovenia 1-0 in their friendly in Belfast last night.

Blaise Matuidi’s late strike steered France to a 3-2 victory over Holland on an emotional night at the Amsterdam Arena.

The sad news on Thursday of the death of Johan Cruyff sent me back to David Winner’s Brilliant Orange, a book as unconventional and imaginative as the Dutch football culture which it investigates and celebrates.

It is not an uncommon scenario; the rugby man, with all his connections and influence, sending the football man, with his talents, away from the office disappointed.

“Don’t go where you’re not wanted,” reflected John Giles last night, after RTÉ confirmed his 30-year spell as a football pundit with the station would finish after the European Championships.

Jan Olsson, the Swedish defender fooled by Johan Cruyff’s brilliant dummy at the 1974 World Cup, has revealed how he and his team-mates exploded into laughter after witnessing the winger’s most famous skill.

No one likes a show-off. You either love them or hate them.