Background
Seedorf was born in 1976, in Suriname. He was raised in Almere, Flevoland, where he moved when he was two years old. From an early age he wanted to play for the best football clubs of the world and succeeded in doing so.
Clarence Seedorf
Seedorf, Simeone, Paulo Sousa 1998/99 season
Milan, Italy
Clarence Seedorf of Milan and Christian Ledesma of Lazio in action during the Serie A match between Milan and Lazio at the Stadio San Siro Meazza on March 01, 2008.
Yokohama, Kanagawa, Japan
Clarence Seedorf of AC Milan and Boca Juniors players Ever Banega and Claudio Morel Rodoriguez compete for the ball during the FIFA Club World Cup final between Boca Juniors and AC Milan at the International Stadium Yokohama on December 16, 2007.
Yokohama, Kanagawa, Japan
Clarence Seedorf of AC Milan chases the ball during the FIFA Club World Cup final between Boca Juniors and AC Milan at the International Stadium Yokohama on December 16, 2007.
Milan, Italy
Clarence Seedorf and Ronaldinho of Milan celebrate during the Serie A match between Milan and Lazio at the Stadio Meazza on September 21, 2008.
Cagliari, Italy
Daniele Conti of Cagliari and Clarence Seedorf of AC Milan in action during the Serie A match between Cagliari Calcio and AC Milan at the Stadio Sant Elia on October 5, 2008.
Dubai, United Arab Emirates
Clarence Seedorf of AC Milan smiles during a team training session on December 30, 2008.
Milan, Italy
Clarence Seedorf AC Milan celebrates scoring a goal during the Serie A match between FC Juventus and AC Milan at the Meazza Stadium on May 10, 2009.
Baltimore, Maryland
Clarence Seedorf #10 and Ronaldinho #80 of AC Milan celebrate a goal against Chelsea FC at M & T Bank Stadium on July 24, 2009.
Marseille, France
Clarence Seedorf of Milan in action during the UEFA Champions League Group C match between Marseille and AC Milan at the Stade Velodrome on September 15, 2009.
Bergamo, Italy
Maximiliano Pellegrino (R) of Atalanta BC competes for the ball with Clarence Seedorf (C) of AC Milan during the Serie A match between Atalanta BC and AC Milan at Stadio Atleti Azzurri d'Italia on October 04, 2009.
Milan, Italy
FC Internazionale Milano Head Coach Jose Mourinho and Clarence Seedorf of AC Milan talk during the Serie A match between Inter Milan and AC Milan at Stadio Giuseppe Meazza on January 24, 2010.
Parma, Italy
Alessandro Lucarelli (L) of Parma FC competes for the ball with Clarence Seedorf of AC Milan during the Serie A match between Parma FC and AC Milan at Stadio Ennio Tardini on March 24, 2010.
Milan, Italy
Cristiano Lucarelli of Livorno competes with Clarence Seedorf (#10) of Milan during the Serie A match between AC Milan and Livorno at Stadio Giuseppe Meazza on January 31, 2010.
Milan, Italy
Clarence Seedorf of AC Milan and Felipe Melo of Juventus FC in action during the Berlusconi Trophy match between Milan and Juventus at Giuseppe Meazza Stadium on August 22, 2010.
Madrid, Spain
Zlatan Ibrahimovic (L), Pato (2.L), Clarence Seedorf and Ronaldinho lineup before the start of the UEFA Champions League Group G match between Real Madrid and AC Milan at Estadio Santiago Bernabeu on October 19, 2010.
Palermo, Italy
Clarence Seedorf of AC Milan (R) evades the tackles of Armin Bacinovic of Palermo during the Serie A match between US Citta di Palermo and AC Milan at Stadio Renzo Barbera on March 19, 2011.
Florence, Italy
Clarence Seedorf and Alexandre Pato of AC MIlan celebrate during the Serie A match between ACF Fiorentina and AC Milan at Stadio Artemio Franchi on April 10, 2011.
Milan, Italy
Clarence Seedorf of Milancelebrates after scoring his team's fourth goal during the Serie A match between AC Milan and Cagliari Calcio at Stadio Giuseppe Meazza on May 14, 2011.
Milan, Italy
Head coach AC Milan Clarence Seedorf talks to Mario Balotelli and Riccardo Montolivo during the Serie A match between AC Milan and Bologna FC at San Siro Stadium on February 14, 2014.
Milan, Italy
Head coach AC Milan Clarence Seedorf (R) and Mario Balotelli talk during the Serie A match between AC Milan and Parma FC at San Siro Stadium on March 16, 2014.
Milan, Italy
AC Milan coach Clarence Seedorf looks on before the Serie A match between AC Milan and Calcio Catania at San Siro Stadium on April 13, 2014.
Milan, Italy
Head coach AC Milan Clarence Seedorf celebrates victory at the end of the Serie A match between AC Milan and FC Internazionale Milano at Stadio Giuseppe Meazza on May 4, 2014.
Zurich, Switzerland
Clarence Seedorf arrives for the FIFA Ballon d'Or Gala 2015 at the Kongresshaus on January 11, 2016.
The Honourable Order of the Yellow Star for the bearer of the Sash of Honour (Suriname)
Ajax Youth Academy
The Honourable Order of the Yellow Star for the bearer of the Sash of Honour (Suriname)
Seedorf, Simeone, Paulo Sousa 1998/99 season
Milan, Italy
Clarence Seedorf of Milan and Christian Ledesma of Lazio in action during the Serie A match between Milan and Lazio at the Stadio San Siro Meazza on March 01, 2008.
Yokohama, Kanagawa, Japan
Clarence Seedorf of AC Milan and Boca Juniors players Ever Banega and Claudio Morel Rodoriguez compete for the ball during the FIFA Club World Cup final between Boca Juniors and AC Milan at the International Stadium Yokohama on December 16, 2007.
Yokohama, Kanagawa, Japan
Clarence Seedorf of AC Milan chases the ball during the FIFA Club World Cup final between Boca Juniors and AC Milan at the International Stadium Yokohama on December 16, 2007.
Milan, Italy
Clarence Seedorf and Ronaldinho of Milan celebrate during the Serie A match between Milan and Lazio at the Stadio Meazza on September 21, 2008.
Cagliari, Italy
Daniele Conti of Cagliari and Clarence Seedorf of AC Milan in action during the Serie A match between Cagliari Calcio and AC Milan at the Stadio Sant Elia on October 5, 2008.
Dubai, United Arab Emirates
Clarence Seedorf of AC Milan smiles during a team training session on December 30, 2008.
Milan, Italy
Clarence Seedorf AC Milan celebrates scoring a goal during the Serie A match between FC Juventus and AC Milan at the Meazza Stadium on May 10, 2009.
Baltimore, Maryland
Clarence Seedorf #10 and Ronaldinho #80 of AC Milan celebrate a goal against Chelsea FC at M & T Bank Stadium on July 24, 2009.
Marseille, France
Clarence Seedorf of Milan in action during the UEFA Champions League Group C match between Marseille and AC Milan at the Stade Velodrome on September 15, 2009.
Bergamo, Italy
Maximiliano Pellegrino (R) of Atalanta BC competes for the ball with Clarence Seedorf (C) of AC Milan during the Serie A match between Atalanta BC and AC Milan at Stadio Atleti Azzurri d'Italia on October 04, 2009.
Milan, Italy
FC Internazionale Milano Head Coach Jose Mourinho and Clarence Seedorf of AC Milan talk during the Serie A match between Inter Milan and AC Milan at Stadio Giuseppe Meazza on January 24, 2010.
Parma, Italy
Alessandro Lucarelli (L) of Parma FC competes for the ball with Clarence Seedorf of AC Milan during the Serie A match between Parma FC and AC Milan at Stadio Ennio Tardini on March 24, 2010.
Milan, Italy
Cristiano Lucarelli of Livorno competes with Clarence Seedorf (#10) of Milan during the Serie A match between AC Milan and Livorno at Stadio Giuseppe Meazza on January 31, 2010.
Milan, Italy
Clarence Seedorf of AC Milan and Felipe Melo of Juventus FC in action during the Berlusconi Trophy match between Milan and Juventus at Giuseppe Meazza Stadium on August 22, 2010.
Madrid, Spain
Zlatan Ibrahimovic (L), Pato (2.L), Clarence Seedorf and Ronaldinho lineup before the start of the UEFA Champions League Group G match between Real Madrid and AC Milan at Estadio Santiago Bernabeu on October 19, 2010.
Palermo, Italy
Clarence Seedorf of AC Milan (R) evades the tackles of Armin Bacinovic of Palermo during the Serie A match between US Citta di Palermo and AC Milan at Stadio Renzo Barbera on March 19, 2011.
Florence, Italy
Clarence Seedorf and Alexandre Pato of AC MIlan celebrate during the Serie A match between ACF Fiorentina and AC Milan at Stadio Artemio Franchi on April 10, 2011.
Milan, Italy
Clarence Seedorf of Milancelebrates after scoring his team's fourth goal during the Serie A match between AC Milan and Cagliari Calcio at Stadio Giuseppe Meazza on May 14, 2011.
Milan, Italy
Head coach AC Milan Clarence Seedorf talks to Mario Balotelli and Riccardo Montolivo during the Serie A match between AC Milan and Bologna FC at San Siro Stadium on February 14, 2014.
Milan, Italy
Head coach AC Milan Clarence Seedorf (R) and Mario Balotelli talk during the Serie A match between AC Milan and Parma FC at San Siro Stadium on March 16, 2014.
Milan, Italy
AC Milan coach Clarence Seedorf looks on before the Serie A match between AC Milan and Calcio Catania at San Siro Stadium on April 13, 2014.
Milan, Italy
Head coach AC Milan Clarence Seedorf celebrates victory at the end of the Serie A match between AC Milan and FC Internazionale Milano at Stadio Giuseppe Meazza on May 4, 2014.
Zurich, Switzerland
Clarence Seedorf arrives for the FIFA Ballon d'Or Gala 2015 at the Kongresshaus on January 11, 2016.
Seedorf was born in 1976, in Suriname. He was raised in Almere, Flevoland, where he moved when he was two years old. From an early age he wanted to play for the best football clubs of the world and succeeded in doing so.
Clarence Seedorf began his career in the youth academy of AFC Ajax. For many years he was the academy’s best students because of his strong motivation to make a name for himself in pro football.
In a 2011 interview, Seedorf stated that he was studying to obtain a master's degree in Business at the prestigious Bocconi University in Milan; because of this, he earned the nickname "il professore" ("the professor") during his time playing at Milan.
In 1992 Clarence was invited to join AFC Ajax’s first team. In the same year he had signed his first professional contract with Ajax and supplemented the club’s roster. Starting his first matches, Clarence was either in the starting lineup, or made frequent appearances as a substitute. Despite his young age, Clarence felt himself comfortable on the field and from 1992 to 1995 played 65 matches for Ajax and scored 11 goals.
In 1995 Seedorf signed his second professional contract and joined the club’s first team. During the 1995/96 season Clarence was the key midfielder of Sampdoria. After a successful season in U.C.Sampdoria, Seedorf became number one transfer target for Real Madrid C.F. During 3 seasons in Real Madrid, Clarence was the club’s key midfielder, ever present in every match, with 121 games and 15 goals.In 1999 Clarence was acquired by the Italian F.C. Internazionale Milano. Seedorf had signed a long-term contract with Inter and performed for the club until 2002. The 3 seasons in Inter stalled, Clarence played 64 matches and scored 8 goals.
In 2002 Seedorf signed a contract with A.C. Milan and didn’t even have to move to another stadium, as the two clubs share San Siro. Starting from 2002 Clarence partook in 300 Milan’s matches and scored 62 goals.
In the summer of 2012 Clarence moved to Brazil for a spell with Botafogo. Throughout his career Clarence won a vast number of titles including Netherlands, Spain and Italy championships, and Champions League titles with three different teams.
From 1994 to 2008 Seedorf was a player of the Netherlands national football team. In 14 years he appeared in 87 matches and scored 11 goals.
Clarence Seedorf was a Counsellor at One Young World in London 2010.
Regarded by many as one of the best midfielders of his generation, in 2004, he was chosen by Pelé as part of the FIFA 100. Seedorf is one of the most decorated Dutch players ever, and has won domestic and continental titles while playing for clubs in the Netherlands, Spain, Italy and Brazil. He is considered one of the most successful players in UEFA Champions League history, as he is the first, and currently the only, player to have won the Champions League with three clubs – once with Ajax, in 1995, once with Real Madrid, in 1998 and twice with Milan, in 2003 and 2007.
Seedorf speaks six languages fluently: Dutch, English, Italian, Portuguese, Spanish and Sranan Tongo. He was often seen as a spiritual, intelligent and articulate figure in football.
Physical Characteristics: Height: 1.76 m (5 ft 9 1⁄2 in)
Seedorf is married to a Brazilian woman, Luviana Seedorf, with whom he owns a restaurant called Finger's in Milan. They have four children.
He is a Dutch footballer who plays as a midfielder, and who is currently a Free Agent.
He is also a professional footballer, and currently plays for Scottish club, Inverness Caledonian Thistle F.C.
He is a Brazilian former professional footballer and ambassador for Spanish club Barcelona.
