Sports · Football · 2 days ago
Tadic says Ajax remains his standard ahead of return with NEC
Dusan Tadic will return to Amsterdam on Saturday to play Ajax with his current club, NEC.
The 37-year-old forward played for Ajax from 2018 to 2023, scoring 105 goals in 241 games and captaining the team.
He says Ajax was his dream club and remains the standard he measures other clubs against.
Tadic has found it difficult to adjust to NEC, which is based in Nijmegen and stands 11th this season.
He says he wants to help NEC’s young players, but also finds it hard when the team does not win.
He has said he does not regret joining NEC, describing the experience and training as useful as he hopes to become a coach.
Tadic says he would like to return to Ajax one day as a coach.
Dusan Tadic says Ajax remains his standard as he prepares to face the club with NEC on Saturday.
The 37-year-old returned to the Johan Cruijff ArenA with the Nijmegen club after joining NEC in the latest transfer period.
Tadic said the match would be emotional because Ajax was his dream club and he had captained the team during a successful period.
He said adapting to NEC had been difficult because the club’s standard was different, but he was happy with the training and the experience.
Tadic said he hopes to return to Ajax one day as a coach.
- Who
- Dusan Tadic, who plays for NEC, and Ajax.
- What
- Tadic is preparing to face his former club. He says Ajax remains his standard.
- When
- Saturday. The articles were published on 9 October 2026.
- Where
- The Johan Cruijff ArenA in Amsterdam.
- Why
- NEC is playing Ajax, and Tadic is returning to the club where he spent five years.
This story does not have two clearly opposing sides.
Ajax is and remains my standard.
Ajax was always my dream club. As a child, I had an Ajax shirt hanging in my room.
It is so strange to face Ajax at the Johan Cruijff ArenA on Saturday.
If I score against Ajax for NEC, it will be the most sadistic goal of my career.
Tadic played for Ajax, scoring 105 goals in 241 matches.
Tadic moved to NEC.
Tadic is due to return to the Johan Cruijff ArenA to face Ajax.
- Ajax appearances
- 241
- Ajax goals
- 105
- Ajax playing years
- 2018–2023
- Age
- 37
- Current club
- NEC
Sources
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