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.

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. 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.