Kenneth Taylor

Club career Early career A product of the Ajax Youth Academy, Taylor joined the club in 2010 from SV De Foresters. He made his professional debut for the reserve team, Jong Ajax, on 15 October 2018, appearing as a 70th-minute substitute for Jasper ter Heide in an Eerste Divisie match against Jong PSV. Over the following seasons, he became a regular fixture for Jong Ajax, eventually captaining the side and scoring 14 goals in 60 appearances by early 2022.

Ajax Taylor made his senior debut for AFC Ajax on 12 December 2020 in a 4–0 victory against PEC Zwolle, entering as a 64th-minute substitute for Perr Schuurs. He finished the campaign with 19 appearances, helping Ajax secure the league title.

Breakthrough and establishment Following the departure of Ryan Gravenberch in the summer of 2022, Taylor became a regular starter in the Ajax midfield during the 2022–23 season. At the conclusion of the season, he was awarded the Marco van Basten Award as the Ajax Talent of the Year.

During the 2023–24 season, Taylor remained a key player despite the team's collective struggles and frequent managerial changes. Playing primarily under Maurice Steijn and later John van 't Schip, he recorded 8 goals in 47 appearances. He also scored his first European goals that season, netting twice in the UEFA Europa League and once in the UEFA Europa Conference League. A major highlight of his season came on 2 February 2025 in De Klassieker against rivals Feyenoord, where he scored a dramatic 94th-minute winner to secure a 2–1 victory at the Johan Cruyff Arena. He was also instrumental in Europe, scoring 6 goals during the club's run in the UEFA Europa League.

2025–26 season In the summer of 2025, Taylor was the subject of a transfer bid from Farioli's new club, Portuguese club FC Porto, which was rejected by Ajax; Taylor subsequently expressed his commitment to the Amsterdam club. He began the 2025–26 season as a starter in the UEFA Champions League, making four appearances in the group stage. However, his progress was interrupted in late 2025 by an injury that ruled him out of action through December.

International career Taylor has represented the Netherlands at various youth levels, beginning with the under-15 team in 2017. He was a member of the Netherlands U17 squad that won the 2019 UEFA European Under-17 Championship. Later that year, he captained the U17s at the 2019 FIFA U-17 World Cup in Brazil. He subsequently progressed to the Netherlands U21 team, earning 15 caps and scoring once between 2021 and 2024,

Taylor made his senior debut for the Netherlands on 22 September 2022 under manager Louis van Gaal, appearing as a substitute in a 2–0 UEFA Nations League victory over Poland. He was selected for the 2022 FIFA World Cup squad in Qatar, where he made one appearance as a substitute in the final group stage match against the hosts.

On 24 March 2023, Taylor earned his fourth cap in a 4–0 UEFA Euro 2024 qualifying loss to France. He made his next international appearance two years later, coming on as a substitute in the UEFA Nations League Finals quarter-final second leg against Spain on 23 March 2025.

Career statistics Club

International

Honours

Ajax Eredivisie: 2020–21, 2021–22 KNVB Cup: 2020–21

Netherlands U17 UEFA European Under-17 Championship: 2019

Individual Ajax Player of the Year (Rinus Michels Award): 2024–25 Ajax Talent of the Year (Marco van Basten Award): 2022–23 Eredivisie Team of the Month: March 2025 Eredivisie Talent of the Month: November 2022