# 1998–99 AFC Ajax season

During the 1998–99 Dutch football season, AFC Ajax competed in the Eredivisie.

## Season summary

Having waltzed to the title during the previous season, Ajax suffered a complete collapse this season to finish 6th, 23 points adrift of champions Feyenoord. This was the club's lowest finish since 1965. The club also suffered poor form in Europe, finishing bottom of their Champions League group stage. Manager Morten Olsen had paid for the club's poor form in December with his job; his replacement, promoted reserve-team coach Jan Wouters, was unable to reverse the team's fortunes but managed to lead Ajax to win the KNVB Cup.

## Players
### First-team squad

Note: Flags indicate national team as defined under FIFA eligibility rules; some limited exceptions apply. Players may hold more than one non-FIFA nationality.
| No. | Pos. | Nation | Player |
| 1 | GK | NED | Edwin Van Der Sar |
| 2 | DF | DEN | Ole Tobiasen |
| 3 | DF | NED | Danny Blind (captain) |
| 4 | DF | NED | Frank de Boer |
| 5 | DF | NED | Tom Sier |
| 6 | MF | NED | Ronald de Boer |
| 7 | MF | NGA | Tijani Babangida |
| 8 | MF | NED | Richard Witschge |
| 9 | FW | NED | Gerald Sibon |
| 10 | MF | FIN | Jari Litmanen |
| 11 | MF | GEO | Georgi Kinkladze |
| 12 | GK | NED | Fred Grim |
| 13 | MF | NED | Richard Knopper |
| 14 | FW | POR | Dani |
| 15 | MF | NGA | Sunday Oliseh |
| No. | Pos. | Nation | Player |
| 16 | MF | DEN | Jesper Grønkjær |
| 17 | FW | RSA | Benni McCarthy |
| 18 | MF | POL | Andrzej Rudy |
| 19 | DF | NED | Mario Melchiot |
| 20 | MF | SUR | Dean Gorré |
| 21 | DF | GHA | Kofi Mensah |
| 22 | MF | NED | Peter Hoekstra |
| 24 | FW | GEO | Shota Arveladze |
| 23 | FW | BRA | Wamberto |
| 29 | FW | ANT | Brutil Hosé |
| 34 | MF | NED | Andy van der Meyde |
| 37 | DF | NED | Tim de Cler |
| — | DF | NED | Quido Lanzaat |
| — | DF | NGA | Christopher Kanu |
| — | FW | NED | Kevin Bobson |

### Left club during season

Note: Flags indicate national team as defined under FIFA eligibility rules; some limited exceptions apply. Players may hold more than one non-FIFA nationality.
| No. | Pos. | Nation | Player |
| — | MF | NED | Martijn Reuser (on loan to Vitesse) |
| — | MF | ARG | Mariano Juan (on loan to Racing) |
| No. | Pos. | Nation | Player |
| — | MF | USA | John O'Brien (on loan to Utrecht) |

### Jong Ajax

Note: Flags indicate national team as defined under FIFA eligibility rules; some limited exceptions apply. Players may hold more than one non-FIFA nationality.
| No. | Pos. | Nation | Player |
| — | DF | NED | Serginho Greene |
| — | DF | NED | Mitchell Piqué |
| No. | Pos. | Nation | Player |
| — | MF | NED | Cedric van der Gun |

## Transfers
### In

* Wamberto - Standard Liège, August
* Georgi Kinkladze - Manchester City, £5,000,000
* Jesper Grønkjær - AaB, £3,500,000, July

### Out

* Edwin van der Sar - Juventus, approx. £5,000,000
* Ronald de Boer - Barcelona
* Mariano Juan - Racing, loan
* Michael Laudrup - retired
* Andriy Demchenko - FC Metalurh Zaporizhya

## Results
### Champions League
#### Group stage

| Pos | Teamvte | Pld | W | D | L | GF | GA | GD | Pts | Qualification | OLY | CZG | POR | AJX |
| 1 | Olympiacos | 6 | 3 | 2 | 1 | 8 | 6 | +2 | 11 | Advance to knockout stage | — | 2–0 | 2–1 | 1–0 |
| 2 | Croatia Zagreb | 6 | 2 | 2 | 2 | 5 | 7 | −2 | 8 | | 1–1 | — | 3–1 | 0–0 |
| 3 | Porto | 6 | 2 | 1 | 3 | 11 | 9 | +2 | 7 | | 2–2 | 3–0 | — | 3–0 |
| 4 | Ajax | 6 | 2 | 1 | 3 | 4 | 6 | −2 | 7 | | 2–0 | 0–1 | 2–1 | — |