Van der Sar resigned as CEO after Ajax failed to qualify for the Champions League.
Edwin van der Sar, the former Netherlands, Manchester United and Ajax goalkeeper, suffered a brain haemorrhage and his condition is “stable but still critical”, his family said.
Van der Sar, 52, entered intensive care on Friday at a hospital in Croatia, where he had been on holiday.
Dutch club Ajax said in a statement on behalf of his wife: “He will be in intensive care for the time being.”
The former goalkeeper resigned as CEO of Ajax last May after the team finished third in the Eredivisie and failed to qualify for the Champions League for the first time since 2009.
The former international goalkeeper, who won 130 caps for his country, retired from football after leaving Manchester United in 2011, then joined Ajax’s board of directors in 2012 and became the club’s CEO in 2016.
The Dutch international made 266 appearances for the Red Devils and helped them win four English Premier League titles and the European Champions League in 2008.
He played with Fulham in the English Premier League and Juventus in the Italian League.
These clubs and many former colleagues showed their support for van der Sar and wished him a speedy recovery.
Ajax said: “The club and the van der Sar family are grateful and deeply touched by the many messages of support.”
Van der Sar’s world of football
Analysis – Simon Stone, BBC Sport’s Chief Football Correspondent
There is a consensus in football circles to back van der Sar, hoping for his recovery.
Van der Sar earned a good reputation as an excellent goalkeeper, with Ajax, Juventus, Fulham and Manchester United in addition to the Dutch national team, before becoming an official at Ajax and the influential European Club Association.
I spoke to him in Istanbul on the day of the Champions League final last month and he told me about Andre Onana’s potential impact on the outcome of the tournament, Eric den Haag’s tenure at Manchester United and his future plans.
Van der Sar struggled in his last season with Ajax, but despite his exit from the club, he gave the impression that he is someone who does not want to be away from the game for long.
Regarding his health and the passing of his time, one can think of some positive circumstances in his life, including the recovery of his wife Anne-Marie, who suffered brain death while he was a player at Manchester United. In 2009, as well as in 2018, Sir Alex Ferguson’s condition worsened and he has since recovered.
Football circles are concerned on Van der Sar’s behalf. There are many public and private interest people who are absorbing this message.
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