The new third jersey of the Dutch first division club Ajax Amsterdam is intended to be reminiscent of the music of the legendary reggae musician. His song “Three little Birds” serves as the club anthem for the top club. The shirt was sold out within a very short time.
Ajax Amsterdam unveiled its new third kit on Saturday. The black event jersey is supposed to be reminiscent of the reggae musician Bob Marley. The stripes from the supplier Adidas are in the Rastafarian colors red, yellow and green.
Within a few hours, the jersey went viral online and broke various sales records. During the weekend it was sold out both in the fan shop and in the online store. “The jersey has sold at least four times more than any other Ajax jersey. It’s unique,” said Amsterdam’s head of marketing Menno Geelen on the club’s website. Exactly how many jerseys were sold is not known.
Close relationship between Ajax Amsterdam and Bob Marley
The jersey symbolizes a deep connection between the fans of the Dutch capital club and Marley’s song “Three little Birds”. For several years now, the anthem has been sung in the Johan Cryuff Arena before every Ajax home game. In allusion to the name of the song, three small birds are placed on the neck of the jersey.
At a friendly game for Ajax in Cardiff, Wales in 2008, fans had to stay in the away block for some time after the final whistle. To appease the fans, the stadium DJ played the song with the distinctive text passage “Don’t worry, about a thing / ‘Cause every little thing, gonna be all right.” Since then, “Three little Birds” has been an integral part of every home game. Bob Marley’s son Ky-Mani even performed his father’s song live in the stadium two years ago. The reggae musician’s family is said to have approved the design of the jersey in advance.
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