Omar Sameh is the founder of Amstel City FC, an innovative project aiming to become the second professional football club in Amsterdam. Through a partnership with Johan Cruyff Institute, the club will enhance the academic education of its players, staff, and community
With more than 800 sports clubs, Amsterdam has a strong football culture and a deep-rooted tradition of talent development. One of the city’s greatest symbols is Johan Cruijff ArenA, home to AFC Ajax. In this context, Amstel City FC emerges as an innovative project seeking to establish itself as Amsterdam’s second professional club, combining sporting performance, social impact, and academic education. Omar Sameh, the club’s founder, emphasizes that alongside the club’s growth, there is a strong focus on community and the development of local talent.
Throughout his professional career, Omar has worked in all areas of the sports industry. He was a football player and, off the field, spent several years in sports marketing. He is currently a Football Supply Planner at Nike. Speaking about the club’s vision, Omar highlights the social and community impact it aims to generate in Amsterdam: “Amstel City FC is more than a club; it is a place of learning for everyone involved. We aim to prepare them for the future—to win not only on the field but also in life.”
In this interview, Omar explains the vision behind Amstel City FC and the significance of its partnership with Johan Cruyff Institute to enhance the academic development of its players, staff, and community.
What key lessons from your experience as a professional player influence your leadership at Amstel City FC today?
Professional football has taught me many invaluable lessons: discipline, teamwork, resilience. Probably the biggest challenge I faced in my career came early on—when I was 19, I suffered multiple knee injuries. At that time, I lacked the right guidance and support to help me through that difficult phase. That experience was one of the main reasons I founded Amstel City FC—not just to help young athletes and football players achieve their dreams, but to provide them with the mentoring, support, and tools they need to overcome challenges and succeed both on and off the field.
Omar Sameh (left) together with a group of Amstel City FC players.
Amstel City FC has positioned itself as an innovative club in Amsterdam. What is the long-term vision for the club, and how are you working to achieve it?
Our goal is to build an institution that combines on-field excellence with social and community impact while ensuring equal opportunities for everyone, both in and outside the sport.
To achieve this, we focus on three core pillars. The first is player and talent development at all levels. The second is strengthening our community and increasing our social impact. A great example of this is our Football Fridays initiative—a free, open training session for anyone who wants to participate, whether they’re experienced players or just getting started. The goal is to create an enjoyable environment for everyone. The third pillar is to sustainably grow our business and expand our network through strategic partnerships.
The collaboration we’re announcing with Johan Cruyff Institute is a major step forward in this third pillar. These initiatives strengthen our team and align us with our vision and goals. We have a bold and ambitious outlook, but we also have a versatile team that is passionate about making it a reality.
Omar Sameh (right) with Albert Romans, General Manager of Johan Cruyff Institute.
As a Football Supply Planner at Nike, what aspects of your work have you been able to apply to managing and developing Amstel City FC?
My work at Nike has been transformative, both personally and professionally. When people think of Nike, they think of its core mission: serving athletes, based on the belief that if you have a body, you are an athlete. That philosophy has shaped my values, and I apply them in every aspect of my life—including my work at Amstel City FC.
Working for a global leader in sports teaches you to think strategically, act decisively, and grow continuously—both individually and as a team. Those are the values I try to instill in Amstel City FC, whether it’s in planning for the future or helping our players grow. Another key lesson from Nike is to always strive for excellence. At Nike, winning is not just an outcome—it’s a mindset. That’s something we try to incorporate at Amstel City as well, both on and off the field.
What does the partnership with Johan Cruyff Institute mean for Amstel City FC, and how do you expect it to impact the club’s development and values?
It’s a monumental step for the club. Johan Cruyff Institute is synonymous with excellence, education, and, most importantly, innovation in football. We are extremely proud to align our name with Johan Cruyff Institute. This is more than just a collaboration—it’s a true partnership, built on a shared vision that includes our students, team, players, and staff.
We hope to provide access to the world-class education offered by Johan Cruyff Institute to everyone in our community. As I mentioned, this is another step toward our vision, which aligns perfectly with the institution’s philosophy. It’s an exciting step forward for Amstel City FC, and we take great pride in it.
Football Fridays is an open and free training session organized by Amstel City FC.
As the founder of a football club, what is your approach to identifying and developing young talent in a competitive environment like Amsterdam?
For us, it’s clear that Amstel City is more than a club—it’s a movement. It’s also a place of learning, where everyone involved is prepared for the future, to win not just on the pitch but in life. We aim to instill those values in our players and community, helping them grow and evolve into more successful models.
One of the ways we do this is through various initiatives. In addition to Football Fridays, which I mentioned earlier, we also run Scouting Workshops—gatherings where scouts, coaches, and players from across the region come together. The goal is to promote education and opportunities in football, sharing both theoretical and practical knowledge of the game.
We want the community to see Amstel City as more than just a club—we want it to be a platform for growth. Our partnership with Johan Cruyff Institute is another step toward solidifying this mission and ensuring our long-term development. With this collaboration, we can offer our team essential resources to support and prepare them for the future—and that, to us, is the most important thing.
