Patrick Stephan Kluivert ([ˈpɛtrɪˈklœy̆vərt] ( ); born 1 July 1976) is a football coach and a former Dutch football player. He played as a striker for Ajax, Milan, FC Barcelona, Newcastle United, Valencia, PSV Eindhoven, and Lille. Kluivert played for the Dutch national team from 1994 to 2004, and with 40 goals from 79 appearances was their highest goalscorer until surpassed by Robin van Persie in 2013. He was selected for three European Championships and the 1998 FIFA World Cup, and was the joint top scorer at Euro 2000 where he scored 5 times. In 2004, he was named in the FIFA 100, a list of the 125 greatest living footballers chosen by Pelé as part of FIFAs centenary observances. Early life Kluivert was born on 1 July 1976 in Amsterdam, Netherlands. His father, a professional football player, was born in Calcutta, Suriname and his mother in Curaçao.[1] Kluivert learned to play football on the street. After he played for football club Schellingwoude for one year, he joined the Ajax youth academy at the age of seven. During his younger years, he played several different positions, even as a defender. He was strong in technique, football intelligence, and speed, but his personality was considered too impulsive.[2] Kluivert played for the Dutch national teams under-15, under-16 and under-17.[2] Playing style For such a tall player, Kluivert possessed a remarkably impressive first touch and quick feet. Similar to footballer Ronaldo, he often used the Cruijff Turn to great effect to go past defenders. Kluivert also utilised his height and physique to dominate aerial balls and was considered to possess one of the best headers in the contemporary game.[citation needed] Club career Ajax Kluivert was part of Ajaxs Golden Generation of the 1990s. He made his debut in the senior team of Ajax on 21 August 1994 at the age of 18 in the Dutch Super Cup win against the old arch rival Feyenoord, in which he scored his first goal. The 1994–95 season saw Kluivert make his mark – along with a host of youngsters from the Ajax youth academy, including Edgar Davids, Clarence Seedorf, and Edwin van der Sar – on the European stage with a triumph in the UEFA Champions League. Kluivert came off the bench to score an 85th minute winner in the 1995 Champions League Final against A.C. Milan in Vienna, Austria. He soon became Ajaxs Golden Boy of the mid-90s, leading the Ajax front-line as the side claimed several pieces of silverware during that period. He declined a new contract to leave for Milan on a Bosman transfer in 1997, by which time he had scored 39 goals from 70 games in the Dutch league over three seasons. Milan His career at A.C. Milan started well, when he scored a sensational goal against Juventus in a friendly match. After scoring only six goals in the Serie A, he left for La Liga club FC Barcelona. Barcelona On 28 August 1998, an hour before the transfer deadline, Kluivert signed a four-year contract with FC Barcelona for a fee of £8.75 million.[3] Kluivert was reunited with Louis van Gaal, a mentor from his days at Ajax. Kluivert formed a successful partnership with Rivaldo, which enabled Barça to defend the Spanish La Liga in 1998–99. The following season was also a successful one for Kluivert. Although Barcelona failed to win a third consecutive league title, Kluivert finished the season as the clubs top scorer with 15 league goals.[4] He was released from Barcelona in the summer of 2004. He scored 90 league goals in his time with the club, leaving him as the 6th (sixth) all time top-scorer for the club in La Liga. Newcastle United Kluivert joined Newcastle United on 21 July 2004 to team up with Alan Shearer. He stated that his reason for joining was due to the overwhelming reaction he received whilst playing for Barcelona against Newcastle during a pre season friendly. However, Newcastle decided not to take up the second year on his contract. Kluivert scored some classy and crucial goals namely both winning strikes against Chelsea [5] and Tottenham Hotspur[6] in the FA Cup, both games ending 1–0. Despite scoring 13 goals in his debut season, Newcastle finished the league in the bottom half which triggered a clause in his contract saying either party could decide not to extend his contract a further year. Valencia Kluivert decided to return to Spain to play for Valencia CF. Kluivert was given permission to look for a new club in July 2006 after just one season and 202 minutes played, as he spent most of the season injured. PSV Kluivert training with PSV Despite widespread rumours that Kluivert was to return home to AFC Ajax, Kluiverts return to the Eredivisie was to be with PSV, with whom he signed a one-year deal in 2006. Just as with his debut for Ajax, Kluivert made his PSV debut against Feyenoord in a 2–1 win, coming on as a substitute. After that, he had two injuries during the first half of the season, which limited his playing time. In a game against Ajax at the Philips Stadion, Kluivert refused to celebrate after scoring a goal against his former club. He was eventually released in July 2007. Lille On 25 July 2007, Kluivert joined French side Lille OSC.[7] Kluivert had mixed experiences with the French club Lille, only starting 10 times, although in these appearances he contributed greatly with four goals and valuable assists. In May 2008, Kluivert told Lille manager Claude Puel that he would be looking for a new challenge for the next season. International career Kluivert made his full international debut on 16 November 1994 in a European qualifier against the Czech Republic, replacing Youri Mulder after 13 minutes of a 0– 0 draw in Rotterdam.[8] In his second match, on 29 March 1995, he replaced Ronald de Boer after 77 minutes, and 7 minutes later scored his first international goal to wrap up a 4–0 home qualifying win over Malta.[9] As a member of De kabel, Kluivert missed most of UEFA Euro 1996 with a knee injury. During the final group game and from a Dennis Bergkamp assist, he scored against England, which enabled the Netherlands to qualify for the knock-out round over Scotland on goal difference. There, they lost in a penalty shootout to France. At the 1998 FIFA World Cup, Kluivert was sent off against Belgium by referee Pierluigi Collina after elbowing Lorenzo Staelens. He made amends when selected to play against Argentina in the quarter-finals of the same tournament where he scored the opening goal. He also impressed in later matches, scoring a late equalising goal from a header to draw his team level with Brazil in the semi-final, although his team went on to lose the penalty shootout. The UEFA Euro 2000 would represent Kluiverts finest hour as the spearhead of a star- studded Oranje side. Kluivert scored a hat-trick in the 6–1 quarter-final demolition of Yugoslavia; he was originally credited with four goals, but the third was later re-attributed as an own goal by Yugoslavias Dejan Govedarica after Kluivert admitted not getting a touch on Paul Bosvelts cross. Had all four goals stood, Kluivert would have been the first player to score four times in a European Championship finals match.[10] The semi-final against Italy would provide much heartache for Kluivert, as the Dutch yet again crashed out on penalties. Neither Kluivert nor his Dutch side could find the back of the net, despite twice having a chance from the penalty spot - Kluivert himself would miss one of those penalties during the game, but did score in the penalty shoot-out. Despite the Dutch falling short, Kluivert will be remembered for rising to the occasion in front of partisan home crowds, scoring five goals in as many games, jointly claiming the Golden Boot with Savo Milošević. Kluivert would once again enter UEFA Euro 2004 wearing the famous #9 jersey for his country. As well as from being left out of the 2006 FIFA World Cup squad by coach Marco van Basten, Kluivert was not called up to play in any of the qualifying games leading up to the World Cup either. This was due to the fact that he suffered persistent injuries which prevented him from playing for his club during the 2005-06 season. Kluivert was the all-time leading goalscorer for the Dutch national team with 40 goals, until he was surpassed by Robin van Persie in 2013.[11] Coaching career On 29 April 2008, Dutch media reported that Kluivert would take part in the coaching course of the Dutch Football Association (KNVB) to become a professional football coach.[12] The KNVB requires that all coaching badge candidates complete this sort of apprenticeship. On 18 July 2008, it was reported on the football website Goal that Kluivert would be spending the 2008– 09 season as a member of the backroom coaching staff of Eredivisie club AZ. Later on, in an interview on Soccer AM, Kluivert revealed his role involved coaching the strikers at AZ. On 19 May 2010, Kluivert told journalists he ruled out a comeback as a football player. [13] From August 2010 on, he was an assistant-coach for N.E.C., coaching the strikers. In the 2011–12 season, he moved on and took charge of the FC Twente youth and reserve team. In August 2012, Kluivert joined the Netherlands national team coaching staff to work under head coach Louis van Gaal.[14] Kluiverts time with the Netherlands culminated with a third-place finish in the 2014 FIFA World Cup campaign. Personal life On 24 September 2007, Kluiverts wife Rossana Lima gave birth to a baby boy, named Shane Patrick. He has three sons, Quincy, Justin and Ruben from his first marriage.
Posted on: Tue, 30 Sep 2014 15:02:31 +0000
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