Ryan Gravenberch, from Zeeburgia to the legendary Anfield
Ryan Jiro Gravenberch is one of the revelations of this Premier League season. Under newcomer and fellow countryman Arne Slot, the skillful midfielder has grown into a key player in midfield. The Amsterdam-born player experienced a difficult period after his transfer from Ajax to Bayern Munich and decided to cut his losses and try his luck at Liverpool. At the English powerhouse, Gravenberch shares the dressing room with fellow Dutchmen Cody Gakpo and Virgil van Dijk. Additionally, since last summer, Arne Slot has been leading the team, and the Dutch contingent has had an incredibly successful first half of the season, sitting at the top of both the Premier League and the Champions League. A perfect moment to look back at a young Ryan Gravenberch in front of the cameras of Life After Football in 2021. At that time, the super talent had just made his big breakthrough at Ajax and spoke to us about the influence of his family, playing in packed stadiums, and the accompanying pressure.
Through the well-known Amsterdam amateur club AVV Zeeburgia, young Ryan Gravenberch entered the Ajax youth academy. Zeeburgia is known as a breeding ground for professional footballers, having produced players like Kenny Tete, Oussama Tannane, Joshua Brenet, Luciano Narsingh, Timothy Fosu-Mensah, Adam Maher, and—further back—Barry Hulshoff, Gerard van der Lem, and Stanley Menzo. Gravenberch progressed smoothly through the Ajax youth ranks and made his first-team debut on September 23, 2018. At just 16 years and 130 days old, he became the youngest debutant in Ajax history—a dream come true.
Your brother Danzell was also a player at Ajax, how did he contribute to your career?
Gravenberch: “He always encouraged and pushed me in a good way. Of course, I looked up to him—he went through the entire Ajax youth academy. Naturally, I wanted to do the same! Ajax was and always will be my dream club, so I was willing to do everything to follow in Danzell’s footsteps and succeed. And so far, I think I’ve done quite well.”
What is the role of your father, Ryan Sr.?
“We talk a lot and have trained together extensively. Ever since I started playing football, Danzell and I trained with my father—extra training sessions. We worked on things I wasn’t as good at, and I’ve continued to do that with him ever since. Whenever we had free time, we’d be on the pitch. Besides that, both my father and mother always supported me, driving me to and from De Toekomst (Ajax’s training ground).”
What football advice do you get from your parents?
“They’ve always told me to stay true to myself. Of course, they also said that I should always listen to the coach, but I should also trust my intuition. My mother always says: ‘Just keep doing what you’re good at.”
How important is a packed stadium for you and your game?
“It has a huge impact. Playing in front of 50,000 fans gives you a completely different feeling. In a full stadium, you feel everyone watching you, and you have to perform. Last year (2020), when I started playing regularly in the first team, I felt extra pressure. I was seen as a big talent and didn’t want to make mistakes, which really affected my game. When I made my debut against PSV, we lost 3-0, and my first few touches were terrible. I really had to settle into the game. Fortunately, things have improved a lot since then, haha.”
Why are the European matches so important to you?
“In the Champions League and Europa League, the intensity is on a whole different level. Everything moves faster. You compete against the best players in the world, and it shows you exactly where you stand. One day, I’d like to play for a club abroad, and these challenges and experiences are necessary for that. I played against Liverpool and felt like I did pretty well despite the loss. But in the end, it’s all about winning,” said an unsuspecting Ryan Gravenberch in 2021—three years before he would light up Anfield week after week. Things can change quickly in the world of football.
