Dutch Soccer Players Are About to Uncover Their Roots

by Talya ·
September 9, 2019
· DNA, MyHeritage News

Soccer players from the Dutch club AFC Ajax are about to discover their ethnic origins and learn more about their family history through a partnership with MyHeritage.

The partnership will include interactive video “reveal” sessions focused on the MyHeritage DNA test results of the club’s top players. In these videos, the players will discover their ethnic origins and learn more about their family history, as investigated by MyHeritage’s international team of professional researchers. The DNA results reveal will be screened during a future Ajax game at the Johan Cruijff Arena.

The partnership comes on the heels of other soccer initiatives by MyHeritage including the Football Legends project, Borussia Dortmund, Sevilla FC, and Legia Warszawa. MyHeritage worked with players from each team to reveal their unique heritage and fascinating family histories.

Football Legends Project: Eight football legends took a MyHeritage DNA test and found some surprising results

The MyHeritage DNA test consists of a simple cheek swab and provides a fascinating breakdown of your ethnic origins based on the DNA you inherited from your ancestors. The test also helps you find new relatives by matching your DNA to the millions of people in the MyHeritage DNA database.

Menno Geelen, Commercial Director at Ajax, said: “The core values of innovation and diversity from MyHeritage are a perfect match with the DNA of Ajax. By utilizing our various media channels, we can support MyHeritage and raise awareness to an even bigger international audience. Moreover, we can show the way MyHeritage works and the fun part of discovering and capturing your family history by telling our player’s stories.”

Aviram Levi, CMO of MyHeritage, commented on the partnership: “Ajax is one of the most well-known football clubs in the world and my personal favorite, steeped in history and with proud traditions. We are delighted to partner with the club to help their players uncover their ethnic origins, explore their family history, and connect with relatives around the world using our industry-leading DNA test and family history platform. We’re excited to work with the club to uncover the unique mix that drives Ajax’s success.”

Stay tuned for their results in the weeks ahead!