Ajax fans trying to order the club’s new third kit inspired by Jamaican singer Bob Marley’s iconic song Three Little Birds crashed the Dutch club’s website on Friday.
The black strip, designed by Adidas and features red, yellow and green details and has three little birds just below the collar on the back of the shirt, is a tribute to the Dutch club’s fans’ love for the reggae tune.
The Dutch giants revealed their new strip on Twitter with the message: ‘Rise up this mornin’, smile with the rising sun. Introducing our new 21/22 third jersey, inspired by our collective love for Bob Marley and his Three Little Birds.’
The shirt is proving so popular that, according to AS, the club website crashed within minutes as fans visited in droves to try and buy the shirt.
Ajax have now put a queue in place so football fans will have to wait patiently to buy the shirt.
The spontaneous love story between Marley’s track and the Ajax supporters started in 2008 following a pre-season friendly in Cardiff, where the song came on the sound system as the traveling spectators were asked to remain in their seats.
The fans instantly embraced the song and have used the tune as their anthem ever since.
Marley’s daughter, Cedella, told Ajax’s official website: “I am beyond touched that Ajax has taken ‘Three Little Birds’ and made it their anthem. Stories like this warm my heart and show how impactful songs like ‘Three Little Birds’ can be.
“Soccer was everything to my father. To use his words: ‘football is freedom’.”
The reigning Eredivisie title holders kick off their title defence with a thumping 5-0 victory over NEC last week. They next face Twente on Sunday.
