Kenneth Taylor

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. His first-team opportunities remained limited until the latter half of the 2021–22 season under manager Erik ten Hag. On 6 February 2022, he scored his first Eredivisie goal against Heracles Almelo just two minutes after coming off the bench, converting an assist from Sébastien Haller in a 3–0 win. He finished the campaign with 19 appearances, helping Ajax secure the league title. In July 2022, he extended his contract with the club until 2027.

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. He made 44 appearances across all competitions, contributing 9 goals and 4 assists. His strong performances were recognised when he was named the Eredivisie Talent of the Month for November 2022. At the conclusion of the season, he was…

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, and was included in the squad for the 2023 UEFA European Under-21 Championship in Romania. 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.

Club

As of match played 7 September 2026

International

As of 23 March 2025

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