It seems that you need to play for Arsenal if you’re to be considered an icon these days, at least if the Dutch media are to be believed.
Let us explain. Dusan Tadic is currently 37 years old, playing for NEC Nijmegen after joining them from Al-Wahda in the summer.
He’s returned to the Netherlands for a second spell after previous stints with the likes of FC Groningen and FC Twente.
He played for those two clubs between 2010 and 2014, before joining Southampton in a €14m deal in 2014. Four very good years at Southampton followed, with 23 goals and 34 assists in 162 games for the Saints in that spell.
Ajax successes
A move to Ajax followed and he went on to make 241 games for the club over five years, establishing himself as something of a favourite/
105 goals and 112 assists followed, as well as three league titles, two KNVB Cups and the Johan Cruyff Shield in 2019.
That’s before taking individual honours, such as Eredivisie Player of the Year (2020-21), Dutch Football of the Year (2020-21), Eredivisie Top Scorer (2018-19) into account.
Such numbers would, ordinarily, put a player firmly in icon status. But not if you’re a Dutch journalist.
Instead, they’re looking down on the Southampton favourite. Why? Because he didn’t play for the likes of Arsenal.
Pundits unconvinced
First up is Rene van der Gijp. He didn’t hold back when discussing the former Ajax star.
“Every time I hear Tadic speak, I look him up on Wikipedia and think: FC Groningen, FC Twente, Southampton, Ajax,” he said while discussing Tadić on the KieftJansenEgmondGijp podcast.
“I don’t see Real Madrid on that list. I don’t see Arsenal or Juventus there either.”
Van der Gijp isn’t the only one feeling that way either. His fellow podcast host Wim Kieft is of a similar opinion.
“I feel the same way,” he adds.
“He is a good player himself, and there isn’t a word of a lie in what he says. Ajax is a bigger club than NEC, and you have better players at Ajax than at NEC.
“But the thought that struck me was: I think he’s a very good footballer, but is he an Ajax icon? When you think of Ajax icons, you look to 1995 and the 1970s.
“He’s a very proud guy. I don’t think he’s a bad guy; absolutely not. Take a player from NEC, for instance—he knows perfectly well that he isn’t that great. I wouldn’t mind that at all.”
Dušan Tadić
Career achievements & awards
| Achievement | Team | Year / season |
|---|---|---|
| Eredivisie champion — three times | Ajax | 2018–19, 2020–21, 2021–22 |
| KNVB Cup winner — twice | Ajax | 2018–19, 2020–21 |
| Johan Cruyff Shield winner | Ajax | 2019 |
| UAE League Cup winner | Al-Wahda | 2025–26 |
| UAE–Qatar Challenge Shield winner | Al-Wahda | 2026 |
| Selected individual awards | ||
| Serbian Footballer of the Year — three times | Serbia | 2016, 2019, 2021 |
| Eredivisie joint top scorer 28 goals, shared with Luuk de Jong. |
Ajax | 2018–19 |
| UEFA Champions League Squad of the Season | Ajax | 2018–19 |
| Eredivisie Player of the Season | Ajax | 2020–21 |
| Ajax Player of the Year Rinus Michels Award. |
Ajax | 2020–21 |
| UEFA Europa League Squad of the Season | Ajax | 2020–21 |
8 club trophies
6 with Ajax · 2 with Al-Wahda
Individual awards are not included in the trophy total.
The Johan Cruyff Shield was won in July 2019,
as part of the 2019–20 season.
Sources: FotMob, UEFA and published honours records.
Checked: 14 October 2026.
