Gerard Alders: A Rising Star at Ajax Amid Challenges

The left-back position at Ajax remains a topic of debate. After the departure of Jorrel Hato and the injury to Owen Wijndal, Gerard Alders was given a chance to start against FC Utrecht. The 20-year-old defender struggled in his first starting appearance, and he was indirectly involved in both goals conceded.

Who is Gerard Alders?

Since Hato’s departure, Alders has been mentioned more often around the Ajax first team. He offers another option at left-back, even though this is not his natural position. Throughout his development, Alders has shifted roles several times. He began as a forward in the Ajax Under-18 team, later moved to midfield, and eventually played as a right-back for Jong Ajax. In recent years, he has occasionally played at left-back.

Last season, Alders joined FC Twente on loan, but a knee injury limited his minutes. He is the son of a Dutch father and a Namibian mother, and is known for having interests beyond football, including music, politics, and economics. He did not grow up as one of the standout academy talents, but he continued to work his way up to the first team.

Alders made his Ajax senior debut as a substitute against AZ on October 20. He also made his European debut against Galatasaray following Wijndal’s injury. In that match, he competed well physically against Victor Osimhen, but a handball led to a penalty.

How did his starting debut against FC Utrecht go?

Alders was determined to make an impact. Before kickoff, he showed visible intensity, hitting himself on the face to sharpen his focus. However, he struggled early. In Ajax’s first build-up sequence, he positioned himself too high and too narrow, making himself unavailable for a pass. Moments later, he lost the ball to Miguel Rodríguez, his direct opponent. After apologizing, he received instructions on how to adjust his positioning.

Involvement in both goals conceded

Just before halftime, Alders played a role in the opening goal. His attempted clearance was blocked, leading to a corner. From that corner, Matisse Didden scored to make it 1-0.

Early in the second half, Alders conceded a foul on Rodríguez. Souffian El Karouani delivered the resulting free-kick, which Sébastien Haller headed into the net for 2-0.

Late in the game, Alders attempted a long-range shot, but it went wide of the goal.