1. Overview
Simon Melkianus Tahamata is a Dutch former professional football player and coach. Born on May 26, 1956, in Vught, Netherlands, Tahamata, who is of Moluccan heritage, spent his playing career primarily with clubs in the Netherlands and Belgium. He also represented the Netherlands national team in 22 matches, scoring two goals. Known for his technical skill, Tahamata won multiple league titles with AFC Ajax and Standard Liège. After retiring as a player in 1996, he transitioned into coaching, focusing on youth development at clubs such as Standard Liège, Germinal Beerschot, and AFC Ajax. In 2015, he established the Simon Tahamata Soccer Academy, an initiative aimed at developing young talent not only in football skills but also in character. His legacy extends beyond the pitch, with his name being recognized in popular culture, including a song and a public transport naming.
2. Early Life and Nationality
Simon Melkianus Tahamata was born on May 26, 1956, in Vught, Netherlands. He is of Moluccan descent, with his surname Tahamata being a Moluccan patronymic. Although born in the Netherlands, Tahamata took Belgian nationality in 1990.
3. Playing Career
Simon Tahamata's professional football career spanned from the mid-1970s to the mid-1990s, featuring prominently in both Dutch and Belgian leagues, alongside his international appearances for the Netherlands.
3.1. Club Career
Tahamata began his youth career playing for Theole in Tiel before joining the renowned AFC Ajax academy in Amsterdam. He made his professional debut for AFC Ajax on October 24, 1976, in a match against FC Utrecht, which Ajax won 7-0. During his initial spell with Ajax, he achieved significant success, winning the Eredivisie national title three times in the 1976-77, 1978-79, and 1979-80 seasons. He also finished as a runner-up in the Eredivisie once, in the 1977-78 season. Tahamata played in three KNVB Cup finals (1977-78, 1978-79, 1979-80), winning one of them in 1978-79. He also reached the semifinals of the European Cup in the 1979-80 season with Ajax.
In mid-1980, Tahamata moved to Belgium to play for Standard Liège. With Standard, he continued his success, winning the Belgian First Division national championship twice in the 1981-82 and 1982-83 seasons. He also secured the Belgian Cup once in the 1980-81 season. Tahamata reached the final of the European Cup Winners' Cup with Standard in the 1981-82 season. After four successful years in Belgium, he returned to the Netherlands in 1984 to play for Feyenoord.
In 1987, Tahamata rejoined the Belgian league, signing with Beerschot and later Germinal Ekeren. With Germinal Ekeren, he once again reached a national cup final, the Belgian Cup final in 1994-95. Simon Tahamata concluded his active playing career in 1996.
3.2. International Career
Simon Tahamata made his debut for the Netherlands national team on May 22, 1979. This match, which was the 75th Anniversary Match of FIFA, took place in Bern, Switzerland, against Argentina. He earned a total of 22 international caps for the Netherlands and scored two goals. His last international match was played on December 21, 1986, in Limassol, Cyprus, against the Cyprus national team.
3.3. Career Statistics
The following tables detail Simon Tahamata's club and international career statistics.
| Season | Club | Country | Competition | Matches | Goals |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1976-77 | AFC Ajax | Netherlands | Eredivisie | 15 | 0 |
| 1977-78 | AFC Ajax | Netherlands | Eredivisie | 29 | 2 |
| 1978-79 | AFC Ajax | Netherlands | Eredivisie | 32 | 4 |
| 1979-80 | AFC Ajax | Netherlands | Eredivisie | 33 | 8 |
| 1980-81 | Standard Liège | Belgium | Belgian First Division | 33 | 4 |
| 1981-82 | Standard Liège | Belgium | Belgian First Division | 34 | 12 |
| 1982-83 | Standard Liège | Belgium | Belgian First Division | 34 | 19 |
| 1983-84 | Standard Liège | Belgium | Belgian First Division | 28 | 5 |
| 1984-85 | Feyenoord | Netherlands | Eredivisie | 19 | 7 |
| 1985-86 | Feyenoord | Netherlands | Eredivisie | 34 | 6 |
| 1986-87 | Feyenoord | Netherlands | Eredivisie | 34 | 16 |
| 1987-88 | Beerschot | Belgium | Belgian First Division | 34 | 6 |
| 1988-89 | Beerschot | Belgium | Belgian First Division | 32 | 3 |
| 1989-90 | Beerschot | Belgium | Belgian First Division | 33 | 3 |
| 1990-91 | Germinal Ekeren | Belgium | Belgian First Division | 34 | 6 |
| 1991-92 | Germinal Ekeren | Belgium | Belgian First Division | 32 | 4 |
| 1992-93 | Germinal Ekeren | Belgium | Belgian First Division | 27 | 2 |
| 1993-94 | Germinal Ekeren | Belgium | Belgian First Division | 33 | 5 |
| 1994-95 | Germinal Ekeren | Belgium | Belgian First Division | 31 | 2 |
| 1995-96 | Germinal Ekeren | Belgium | Belgian First Division | 23 | 0 |
| Total | 604 | 114 |
The Netherlands' goal tally is listed first, and the score column indicates the score after each Tahamata goal.
| No. | Date | Venue | Opponent | Score | Result | Competition |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 10 September 1980 | Dublin, Ireland | Republic of Ireland | 1-0 | 1-2 | 1982 FIFA World Cup qualification |
| 2 | 10 November 1982 | Rotterdam, Netherlands | France | 1-0 | 1-2 | Friendly |
4. Coaching Career
After concluding his playing career in 1996, Simon Tahamata transitioned into football coaching, with a particular focus on youth development.
4.1. Youth Coaching
Tahamata worked as a youth coach for several prominent clubs. His coaching career included spells at Standard Liège and Germinal Beerschot in Belgium. He also had a significant role as a youth coach at AFC Ajax, where he occasionally played for the team of old Ajax players, known as Lucky Ajax. From 2009, he spent a period working as a technical coach for the youth teams, specifically the under-10 to under-15 age groups, of the Saudi Arabian football club Al-Ahli. He returned to Ajax in October 2014, taking on the role of a technical skills coach for the club's junior teams, specializing in individually training wingers.
4.2. Simon Tahamata Soccer Academy
In September 2015, alongside his responsibilities at Ajax, Simon Tahamata established the Simon Tahamata Soccer Academy (STSA). The academy's primary objective is to offer individual development plans to talented young players, particularly those aged 8 to 14, who may have challenging characters or diverse cultural backgrounds. The specialized training provided by the academy aims to contribute to the players' overall development, with a specific focus on maximizing both their footballing quality and their character.
5. Honours and Achievements
Simon Tahamata achieved numerous team titles and individual accolades throughout his professional playing career.
AFC Ajax
- Eredivisie: 1976-77, 1978-79, 1979-80
- KNVB Cup: 1978-79
Standard Liège
- Belgian First Division: 1981-82, 1982-83
- Belgian Cup: 1980-81; runner-up 1983-84
- Belgian Super Cup: 1981, 1983
- UEFA Cup Winners' Cup runner-up: 1981-82
- UEFA Intertoto Cup Group Winners: 1980, 1982
Beerschot
- Belgian Cup runner-up: 1994-95
Individual
- Man of the Season (Belgian First Division): 1990-91
- Belgian Fair Play Award: 1993-94, 1994-95
6. Legacy and Public Recognition
Simon Tahamata's impact extends beyond his playing and coaching careers, with his name resonating in popular culture and receiving public recognition. In 1979, he released a 7-inch vinyl single titled "We gaan naar RomeWe're going to RomeDutch" ahead of the UEFA European Championship 1980, following the Netherlands' qualification among the top eight teams. Since 2013, a Spurt train set 10254 operated by Arriva on the Achterhoek line in the Netherlands has been named after Simon Tahamata, reflecting his lasting presence and popularity in the region.