Within the congested factory of footballing talent that is Ajax's youth academy, it was obvious to most that Matthijs de Ligt would be special when he was just 14 years old. He already seemed to have a lifetime of football intelligence at his disposal as well as the technical ability and composure to match. De Ligt fast became the standout player in a system littered with quality prospects. Towering above his classmates and built like a war machine, Ajax's coaches quickly realised there was no need to waste time in his development.
