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The father
Rafael’s father, Ramon recalls his son’s first steps in the game, and his progress through the youth ranks at Ajax and into the first team.
“As soon as Rafael could walk he was running around with a ball. I encouraged it, of course, as he liked it so much and we played a lot together.
“I soon found out he was born with an amazing talent and a cultured left foot, with which he could shoot with a fair bit of accuracy and power. I played for De Kennemers, our local team in Heemskerk, and so Rafael used to spend a lot of time at the club. It didn’t take long for our youth coaches to recognise his ability.
“When he was four and a half we let him train with the six year old kids and when that went well, he soon went on to play his first league games. After about a year he was too strong for his peers and no one could take the ball away from him.
“When he was 10, I wrote a letter to Ajax and they invited him to take part in their Talent Days. He played a game there and was asked to come back for another one, after which he earned a three-week trial.
“We were very proud when, as a result of that trial, Ajax decided he was good enough to join them. At first he had to adjust to the new environment, but soon he was being selected regularly to play for the first D-team, with kids who were a year older than him. However, he did so well, that he moved up another age group the next season.
“As an 11-year-old he was already playing with boys aged between 13 and 14. That was quite a special achievement, since Ajax had some of the best talents in the country playing in their teams. Rafael was soon made skipper of the first C-team and immediately went to the B-team, which is actually meant for 15 and 16 year olds.
“At around that time Rafael was also selected for the Dutch Under 14-team where he played along side John Heitinga. He was soon joined in the team by Robin van Persie, who was at Feyenoord at the time, Klaas-Jan Huntelaar, who was with PSV, and Jhon van Beukering, who is now a striker for NEC Nijmegen.
“That was a great team and a wonderful period. As he usually captained his age group he also spent just a short time in the A-Time, which is the oldest age category in Dutch youth football, for the U-18s. At the end of his first year in the A1, he was called up to the first-team squad. He made his debut away at FC Den Bosch on 19 April 2000, just after his 17th birthday.
“That summer Rafael signed a contract for Ajax and became a full member of the senior squad. The head coach, Co Adriaanse showed a lot of confidence in Rafael and, contrary to expectations, he played a lot of games the following season.
“At the end of the campaign he was voted Talent of the Year by the Ajax fans. And couple of months later he earned his first cap for Holland in the World Cup qualifier against Andorra. (on 6 October 2001).”
“I soon found out he was born with an amazing talent and a cultured left foot, with which he could shoot with a fair bit of accuracy and power. I played for De Kennemers, our local team in Heemskerk, and so Rafael used to spend a lot of time at the club. It didn’t take long for our youth coaches to recognise his ability.
“When he was four and a half we let him train with the six year old kids and when that went well, he soon went on to play his first league games. After about a year he was too strong for his peers and no one could take the ball away from him.
“When he was 10, I wrote a letter to Ajax and they invited him to take part in their Talent Days. He played a game there and was asked to come back for another one, after which he earned a three-week trial.
“We were very proud when, as a result of that trial, Ajax decided he was good enough to join them. At first he had to adjust to the new environment, but soon he was being selected regularly to play for the first D-team, with kids who were a year older than him. However, he did so well, that he moved up another age group the next season.
“As an 11-year-old he was already playing with boys aged between 13 and 14. That was quite a special achievement, since Ajax had some of the best talents in the country playing in their teams. Rafael was soon made skipper of the first C-team and immediately went to the B-team, which is actually meant for 15 and 16 year olds.
“At around that time Rafael was also selected for the Dutch Under 14-team where he played along side John Heitinga. He was soon joined in the team by Robin van Persie, who was at Feyenoord at the time, Klaas-Jan Huntelaar, who was with PSV, and Jhon van Beukering, who is now a striker for NEC Nijmegen.
“That was a great team and a wonderful period. As he usually captained his age group he also spent just a short time in the A-Time, which is the oldest age category in Dutch youth football, for the U-18s. At the end of his first year in the A1, he was called up to the first-team squad. He made his debut away at FC Den Bosch on 19 April 2000, just after his 17th birthday.
“That summer Rafael signed a contract for Ajax and became a full member of the senior squad. The head coach, Co Adriaanse showed a lot of confidence in Rafael and, contrary to expectations, he played a lot of games the following season.
“At the end of the campaign he was voted Talent of the Year by the Ajax fans. And couple of months later he earned his first cap for Holland in the World Cup qualifier against Andorra. (on 6 October 2001).”
