Ajax Surrenders 9-Point Eredivisie Lead to PSV in Historic Collapse

Ajax, historically the most successful club in Dutch football, experienced a dramatic and unprecedented collapse in the Eredivisie title race after holding a nine-point lead with five matches remaining. Following a series of poor results, including a 99th-minute equalizer conceded against 10-man FC Groningen, Ajax failed to secure the title, allowing PSV Eindhoven to overtake them by a point heading into the final matchday. PSV's comeback included a string of four consecutive wins and a remarkable 99th-minute victory over Feyenoord, intensifying the pressure on Ajax. This collapse is notable as no team in Europe's top seven leagues has surrendered such a large lead so late in the season since 1995-96, drawing parallels with some of the biggest title failures in European football history. With Ajax needing PSV to drop points and themselves to win their last game, the club faces the prospect of one of football's most infamous title losses. The shock has reverberated across Dutch football, with experts citing Ajax's current squad as one of the weakest in their history despite a promising start to the season.