Ajax legends Edwin van der Sar and Marc Overmars revel in Bernabeu celebrations

Ex-footballers regularly speak about missing the thrill of a matchday… and it appears to be no different for Ajax legends Edwin van der Sar and Marc Overmars.

Indeed, after their club’s historic victory over Real Madrid on Tuesday night, the ex-players were quick to join the current stars on the pitch and revel in the fans’ delight.

It may be a good few years since they were able to pull on their boots themselves, but at the age of 45 and 48 respectively, Overmars and Van der Sar certainly still have the same passion as they did before. 

Overmars has been retired 10 years but was quick to revel in the fans’ delight on Tuesday night

Ajax fans, pictured during the match, were in high spirits on a night they beat Real Madrid 4-1

The pair were pictured enthusiastically jumping in the air and screaming their delight long after the Real Madrid fans had exited the stadium.

Both men were employed in 2012 by the club and now head up off-field relations, with Van der Sar the CEO and Overmars the Director of Football.

Tuesday night saw the Dutch side enjoy one of their most famous wins on the European stage, 24 years after the well-known pair lifted the trophy together in 1995.

Van der Sar won the Champions League with Ajax and is now the club’s chief executive officer

The pair were re-employed by the club in 2012 and now run the off-field goings-on at the club

Real Madrid have won the Champions League on the last three occasions, but there will be a new name on the trophy this time around and Ajax are guaranteed to be in the last eight competitors.

It has been a long time since Ajax have got this far, with 2002-03 the last time they entered the quarter-final stages.

That year, they lost to AC Milan 3-2 on aggregate, and they will be desperate to go one better this time around and reach the semi-finals for the first time since 1997.

Overmars (left) and Van der Sar both know what it means to have European success at Ajax

The pair watch Ajax play Barcelona together during the group stages back in September 2013

Confidence will certainly be high in the Dutch camp after their 4-1 win on Tuesday night, which took them through 5-3 on aggregate against the Spanish giants.

Former Southampton midfielder Dusan Tadic put together an incredible performance, which was awarded a rare 10/10 rating in L’Equipe’s ratings.

He is only the ninth player ever to have received the honour, joining the likes of Lionel Messi, Neymar and Robert Lewandowski.