AZ Alkmaar Away Jersey Quick 2006-07 Vintage DSB Bank

AZ Alkmaar 2006-07: The long-sleeved away shirt by Quick, with DSB Bank on the chest

The 2006-07 season saw AZ Alkmaar rebuilding its status as a major Dutch club, two years after missing out on the league title by a single point to PSV. This long-sleeved AZ Alkmaar away shirt, made by Quick and sponsored by DSB Bank, is a rare item that documents a pivotal era for the Alkmaar club – and an absolute must for any collector of vintage Eredivisie shirts.

Shirt details

Season: 2006-2007
Club: AZ Alkmaar (Other Dutch Clubs)
Type: Away
Kit Manufacturer: Quick
Sponsor: DSB Bank
Condition: 7/10
State: USED PRINTINGS - authentic wear of a worn vintage shirt

What this shirt represents

In 2006-07, AZ Alkmaar was a club looking to confirm its return to the elite of Dutch football. After years of financial struggles in the 1990s and a spectacular rebirth in the early 2000s under the impetus of coach Co Adriaanse and then Louis van Gaal, AZ had firmly established itself at the top of the Eredivisie table. The club from North Holland knew it had the means to compete with Ajax, PSV, and Feyenoord – and that season, it would prove it on the field.

On the pitch, players like Denny Landzaat, a combative midfielder and key player in the system, and striker Danko Lazović, set the tone. Louis van Gaal, who returned to the club's helm in 2005 after his spell at FC Barcelona, imposed his characteristic playing philosophy – high press, positional play, 4-3-3 formation – and made AZ a formidable team at home and away. It was in this context of rising power that this long-sleeved away shirt was worn.

Moments etched in this shirt

AZ in the 2006-07 UEFA Cup
That season, AZ Alkmaar participated in the UEFA Cup, a competition where the club traveled across Europe and precisely wore this type of long-sleeved away shirt. European nights away, in cool autumn and winter temperatures, give full meaning to this long-sleeved model – a format that collectors love precisely because it is less common than the short-sleeved version.

The Eredivisie title race
In 2006-07, AZ finished the season in the top 4 of the Eredivisie, confirming its status as a serious title contender. Van Gaal built, season after season, the squad that would win the championship two years later, in 2009 – and this season was a fundamental building block of that construction.

DSB Bank: a sponsor rooted in AZ's history
DSB Bank, the bank founded by Dirk Scheringa – AZ's flamboyant president and a key figure at the club during this period – features prominently on this shirt. Scheringa invested heavily in AZ, notably in the construction of the DSB Stadion, and his name is inseparable from this golden era of the club. This sponsor on the chest is therefore also a piece of AZ's institutional history.

Authentic vs. Replica

An authentic vintage shirt is a piece that genuinely circulated at the time – in the locker rooms, on the bodies of players, or in the stands. It's not a reproduction made years later to satisfy nostalgia: it's the original, with its period materials, original flocking, and manufacturing details that don't deceive. Kit manufacturer Quick, a Dutch brand specializing in sports equipment, produced shirts recognizable by their cut and the quality of their finishes – expertise that lovers of vintage Dutch football shirts can spot at first glance.

This one is in 7/10 condition with USED PRINTINGS: the flocking shows signs of wear, which is perfectly consistent for a shirt of this era that has been worn and lived. This isn't a shirt taken out of its plastic packaging from a store in 2006 and placed under glass – it's a shirt with a story, and that story is read on the fabric. For many collectors, that's precisely what makes it valuable.

Vintage sizing guide

Vintage sizes from the 2000s do not correspond to modern sizes, and this is a crucial point before any purchase. A 2006 XXL will generally be narrower and shorter than a 2024 XXL – cuts have evolved, brands have enlarged their sizing to adapt to a global market. This shirt is sized XXL in the sense of the era: expect a fitted cut, without the loose drape of current shirts.

Before confirming your order, get out a measuring tape. Measure your chest width (armpit to armpit, doubled), your length from shoulder to bottom of torso, and compare with the actual shirt measurements if available. For a long-sleeved model like this one, also remember to check the sleeve length – it changes everything to the final look. A poorly fitting vintage shirt means a wasted collection.

Why have it in your collection

Long-sleeved away shirts are consistently produced in smaller quantities than their short-sleeved counterparts – clubs order fewer, shops sell fewer, and therefore far fewer remain on the collector's market. A vintage Quick AZ Alkmaar 2006-07 long-sleeved shirt is already a rarity in itself. Add to that the DSB Bank sponsorship, directly linked to one of the most prominent figures in AZ's modern history, and you have a piece doubly rich in history.

In 7/10 condition, this shirt isn't perfect – but not many in this condition are still available on the market. The worn flocking bears witness to a real life, not a display item. For a collector who wants an authentically lived piece from the Van Gaal era in Alkmaar, before the 2009 title that changed everything, this is a direct window into that era. It's hard to find a more specific and honest collectible.

To go further

• AZ Alkmaar - Wikipedia
• Football Kit Archive - Shirt History
• UEFA - European Football

This shirt won't be available for long – Quick AZ pieces from this era sell quickly to those who know what they're looking for. It's up to you to decide if you want to be part of it.