Former Netherlands international Rafael van der Vaart has revealed that a phone call from Edwin van der Sar dashed his hopes of finishing his career at Ajax, leading instead to a recommendation that brought defender Heiko Westermann to Amsterdam after he gave advice on the player.

The Misdirected Phone Call from Edwin van der Sar

Back in 2016, Van der Vaart was eager to return to Ajax to wind down his playing days. When he saw Van der Sar calling him, the midfielder assumed the club was finally offering him a contract. Instead, the then-Ajax director had entirely different business on his mind. As Van der Vaart recounted in a video for Ziggo Sport, Van der Sar immediately deflated his expectations by stating he was calling about someone else.

At the time, Van der Vaart and Westermann were teammates at Real Betis, having previously played together at Hamburger SV between 2012 and 2016, according to FCUpdate.nl. Van der Sar reached out to gather inside information on the German central defender. Rather than steering the club away, Van der Vaart gave a glowing endorsement, telling Ajax to sign him immediately because he was fast, could turn well, and was comfortable on the ball.

Realizing the Transfer Advice Was Flawed

That glowing scouting report resulted in Ajax signing Westermann on a free transfer in July 2016, as noted by FCUpdate.nl. Yet, the reality on the pitch quickly clashed with Van der Vaart’s assessment. Within months, the defender struggled to adapt to the technical demands of the Eredivisie, leading Van der Vaart to openly admit that his counsel was wide of the mark. His two-year contract in Amsterdam was ultimately terminated after roughly a single season.

Reflecting on the episode years later, Van der Vaart admitted with a laugh that he had handed out mistaken guidance.

Surprise at Westermann Joining Barcelona’s Coaching Staff

The narrative took another unexpected turn when Westermann transitioned into coaching, eventually landing a role as an assistant to Hansi Flick at La Liga leaders FC Barcelona. Voetbalzone reported that the former defender, now 43, is part of the technical staff at Camp Nou. That career trajectory left Van der Vaart thoroughly astonished.

In the same Ziggo Sport broadcast, Van der Vaart expressed his disbelief that a player he remembered as being technically limited on the ball was now participating in training rondos alongside world-class stars. He shared that he recently asked Barcelona midfielder Frenkie de Jong whether Westermann perpetually finds himself in the middle during training ground passing drills. Calling the German’s appointment an inspiration for everyone, Van der Vaart described it as remarkable that a former teammate with modest technical traits now holds a prominent coaching post at a European powerhouse.

Preparation for the Ajax Legends Match

Van der Vaart made his recent media appearances while dressed in training gear, gearing up for a high-profile exhibition fixture. He is currently putting himself through rigorous treadmill sessions to prepare for the upcoming clash between the Ajax Legends and the FC Barcelona Legends on November 15, as detailed by Ajax Showtime. His primary objective is simply to endure a full half of running, joking that while his feet and passing ability remain intact, his physical conditioning requires extra work.

The exhibition at the Johan Cruijff ArenA features a star-studded roster of former Amsterdam favorites from the 1990s and 2000s. Icons slated to feature alongside Van der Vaart include Patrick Kluivert, Frank and Ronald de Boer, Jari Litmanen, Edwin van der Sar, Wesley Sneijder, Klaas-Jan Huntelaar, and Jan Vertonghen.