CLARENCE SEEDORF

'Clarence Seedorf' (born April 1, 1976 in Paramaribo, Suriname) is a Dutch-Surinamese football midfielder, who currently plays for AC Milan in Serie A. He was the first, and to date, the only person to have won the UEFA Champions League with three different clubs: Ajax (1995), Real Madrid (1998), and AC Milan (2003, 2007); he has also played for the clubs Sampdoria and Internazionale, and is a member of the Netherlands national team.
For his current side Milan Seedorf typically plays on the left side of a midfield three or behind the lone forward in coach Carlo Ancelotti's 4-3-2-1 formation.

Contents

Club career

International career

Trivia

Awards and honours

References

External links

Club career

Seedorf emerged on the scene as a talented right midfielder for Ajax Amsterdam during the early 1990s. He made his professional debut on November 29, 1992 against FC Groningen at the age of 16 years and 242 days, making him the youngest debutant for Ajax ever.^[1] In his early career he played a role in Ajax's Eredivisie winning years of 1994 and 1995. He was also a key member during Ajax's 1995 Champions League winning campaign. His performances during the season saw him move to Sampdoria in the summer of 1995.
After only a year at the Italian side, Seedorf moved again, this time to Real Madrid, helping that team regain La Liga in his first season. In his second season, 1997-1998, he played a major role in the team's Champions League success as Real Madrid secured a 1-0 victory over Juventus in the final: The second Champions League title of his career. While playing for Real Madrid, Seedorf scored a notable goal against Atlético de Madrid, a shot from around 60 yards away. Seedorf's spell at Real Madrid ended when he was transferred back to Italy during the 1999-2000 season - this time to Inter Milan.
At the start of the 2000s, Inter were eager for success after being denied major domestic honours during the 1990s. Despite helping the team to the Coppa Italia final in 2000, a game that was eventually lost, Seedorf could not help bring any major silverware to the club.
After two years with Inter Milan, Seedorf moved to city rivals AC Milan in 2002. He won the Coppa Italia with Milan in 2003, which was the first time they had won the competition in twenty-six years. In the same season, Seedorf gained his third Champions League medal – with a third different team – after an all Italian final in which AC Milan beat Juventus on penalties after a 0-0 draw. The following season, 2003-2004, Seedorf played a role in the AC Milan side that won Serie A: The seventeenth time the club had won the title in their history. It was also Seedorf's fourth national league title win of his career, after his two Dutch title wins with Ajax and his one Spanish win with Real Madrid.
Seedorf played a major role as Milan reached the Champions League final again in 2005. He started the Istanbul tie against Liverpool FC in which Milan contrived to lose a 3-0 lead, eventually losing on penalties after a 3-3 draw. Seedorf did not take one of those spot-kicks. Milan also finished runners-up in the Scudetto to Juventus in 2005.
Another strong season by Milan in 2006, with Seedorf a key figure in most games in partnership with Andrea Pirlo, Kaká and Rino Gattuso, saw the team fall just short of another Champions League final when they were narrowly defeated in the semi-finals by eventual winners FC Barcelona. A match-fixing scandal tarnished the Serie A campaign.
Milan were weakened by the scandal but were allowed to continue in Europe the following season, which led to their best players staying at the club. Seedorf's role as foil to Kaká became increasingly impressive as the pair combined in some style to score and supply the goals which drove Milan past Bayern München and Manchester United to another Champions League final, again against Liverpool FC, beating them 2-1 in Athens, with Seedorf collecting his fourth UEFA Champions League medal.
Seedorf is the only man to have won The European Champion Club's Cup with three different clubs.

International career

Seedorf has 83 caps with the Dutch national team.
Seedorf has played in Euro 96, the 1998 FIFA World Cup, Euro 2000 and Euro 2004. However, many have suggested that his national career could have been even more impressive if he had not let an argumentative and rebellious streak get the better of him on several occasions. In addition, he has a long history of underperforming during critical moments while playing for the national team. This was one of the reasons why current national team coach Marco van Basten decided to ignore Seedorf when he was appointed coach after Euro 2004. Thus, Seedorf did not play in the World Cup 2006 qualifying series, as well as missing out on the FIFA World Cup itself.
On 12 November 2006, however, Seedorf was recalled for the first time since June 2004 as a replacement for the injured Wesley Sneijder. He started and played the full 90 minutes in a 1-1 friendly draw against England. He was regularly called up by Van Basten afterward, including the two EURO 2008 qualifiers against Romania (0-0 at home) and Slovenia (1-0 away win),
He was included in the pre-selection for the ''Oranje's'' Asian tour in early June, but was ultimately left off the roster along with Ruud van Nistelrooy for a pair of friendlies against South Korea and Thailand.

Trivia

★ In 1997, Dutch comedian and folk singer Freek de Jonge wrote a humorous cover version of the Bob Dylan song ''Death is not the End'', titled ''Leven na de dood'' ("Life After Death"), in which he humorously insinuates that the possible consequences for Seedorf of missing a penalty do not matter^[2], because "there is life after death" regardless. This alludes to his fatal misses in the 1996 European Championship quarter finals, in which the Netherlands lost 3-5 after penalty kicks against France.

★ Married to a Brazilian wife, Seedorf said after a December 2006 football game in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, that Clube de Regatas Flamengo is his favorite team in the world, take place of a special place in his heart. He also expressed his intention to play for Flamengo in a near future. [1]

★ In about 2000, Seedorf and his wife informally adopted the 11-year-old daughter of people associated with Seedorf's mother. He raised her as his daughter, Clarence Jr. Seedorf. Around 2004, he went through the legal formalities of adopting her. He also has a son, Denzel Seedorf born in 2007 with his wife.

Awards and honours

★ 'Intercontinental Cup: 1'

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★ 1998, Real Madrid

★ 'UEFA Super Cup:2'

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★ 2003, AC Milan

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★ 2007, AC Milan

★ 'UEFA Champions League: 4'

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★ 1994/95, Ajax

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★ 1997/98, Real Madrid

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★ 2002/03, AC Milan

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★ 2006/07, AC Milan

★ 'Dutch Super Cup: 2

★
★ 1993, Ajax

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★ 1994, Ajax

★ 'Spanish Super Cup: 1

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★ 1997, Real Madrid

★ 'Italian Super Cup: 1'

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★ 2004 AC Milan

★ 'Dutch championship: 2'

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★ 1993/94, Ajax

★
★ 1994/95, Ajax

★ 'Spanish Championship: 1'

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★ 1996/97, Real Madrid

★ ' Italian Championship: 1'

★
★ 2003/04, AC Milan

★ 'Dutch Cup: 1'

★
★ 1992/93, Ajax

★ 'Italian Cup: 1'

★
★ 2002/03, AC Milan
Seedorf was named by Pelé as one of the 'top 125 greatest living footballers' in March 2004. He was named UEFA Champions League 2006-07 Midfielder of the Year in August 2007.

References

1. Wijnaldum jongste Feyenoord-debutant
2. translation of: ''Wat kon Seedorf nou gebeuren toen hij van elf meter schoot''

External links

★ FootballDatabase provides Clarence Seedorf's profile and stats

★ Seedorf Racing