Ajax humiliated by AZ in record Dutch Cup defeat | OneFootball

Ajax have been going through turbulent times for several years, and the crisis shows no sign of easing in the 2025/26 season.

The club, which has already changed managers this season, suffered their heaviest Dutch Cup defeat on Wednesday (14 January), falling 6-0 to AZ Alkmaar in a humiliating loss.

Just two minutes in, Troy Parrott put AZ ahead. It proved to be the start of a nightmare, as the Irish striker went on to score a hat-trick and provide an assist in the 6-0 demolition.

The result also marked Ajax’s worst-ever defeat against AZ, a fixture with almost seven decades of history.

Ajax’s crisis deepens

The Netherlands’ most storied club is enduring a difficult decade. Missteps in squad rebuilding and changes in the backroom staff have compounded the team’s problems.

The crisis began in 2022 with an off-field scandal that led to the departure of former player and executive Marc Overmars, leaving Ajax without a sporting director for around a year.

The exit of Erik ten Hag further exposed instability in the coaching setup. Since the 2022/23 season, the club has gone through seven different managers, including interim appointments, while at times flirting with the relegation zone.

This season, John Heitinga was replaced by Fred Grim, who briefly sparked hope, but the team remains unconvincing, even in Europe, where they are enduring one of their worst Champions League campaigns. The crisis at Ajax, it seems, is far from over.