Patrick Kluivert facts for kids
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Kluivert in 2024
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| Personal information | ||||||||||||||||
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| Full name | Patrick Stephan Kluivert | |||||||||||||||
| Date of birth | 1 July 1976 | |||||||||||||||
| Place of birth | Amsterdam, Netherlands | |||||||||||||||
| Height | 1.91 m (6 ft 3 in) | |||||||||||||||
| Position(s) | Striker | |||||||||||||||
| Team information | ||||||||||||||||
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Current team
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Indonesia (head coach) | |||||||||||||||
| Youth career | ||||||||||||||||
| 1983–1984 | Schellingwoude | |||||||||||||||
| 1984–1994 | Ajax | |||||||||||||||
| Senior career* | ||||||||||||||||
| Years | Team | Apps | (Gls) | |||||||||||||
| 1994–1997 | Ajax | 70 | (39) | |||||||||||||
| 1997–1998 | AC Milan | 27 | (6) | |||||||||||||
| 1998–2004 | Barcelona | 182 | (90) | |||||||||||||
| 2004–2005 | Newcastle United | 25 | (6) | |||||||||||||
| 2005–2006 | Valencia | 10 | (1) | |||||||||||||
| 2006–2007 | PSV | 16 | (3) | |||||||||||||
| 2007–2008 | Lille | 14 | (4) | |||||||||||||
| Total | 343 | (149) | ||||||||||||||
| International career | ||||||||||||||||
| 1990–1991 | Netherlands U16 | 2 | (0) | |||||||||||||
| 1991–1992 | Netherlands U17 | 10 | (2) | |||||||||||||
| 1992 | Netherlands U18 | 3 | (2) | |||||||||||||
| 1992–1994 | Netherlands U19 | 20 | (6) | |||||||||||||
| 1994–2004 | Netherlands | 79 | (40) | |||||||||||||
| Managerial career | ||||||||||||||||
| 2010 | Brisbane Roar (assistant) | |||||||||||||||
| 2011–2013 | Twente U21 | |||||||||||||||
| 2012–2014 | Netherlands (assistant) | |||||||||||||||
| 2015–2016 | Curaçao | |||||||||||||||
| 2016 | Ajax U19 | |||||||||||||||
| 2018–2019 | Cameroon (assistant) | |||||||||||||||
| 2021 | Curaçao (interim) | |||||||||||||||
| 2023 | Adana Demirspor | |||||||||||||||
| 2025– | Indonesia | |||||||||||||||
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Medal record
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| *Club domestic league appearances and goals | ||||||||||||||||
Patrick Stephan Kluivert, born on July 1, 1976, is a famous Dutch football coach and former player. He was known as a powerful striker for top clubs like Ajax and Barcelona, and also for the Netherlands national team. Many people consider him one of the best Dutch strikers ever.
Kluivert was a key player in Ajax's "Golden Generation" in the 1990s. He scored the winning goal in the 1995 UEFA Champions League Final when he was just 18 years old. He played for Barcelona for six years, scoring 124 goals. There, he teamed up with Rivaldo and helped Barcelona win the Spanish La Liga championship in 1999.
He played for the Netherlands national team from 1994 to 2004, scoring 40 goals in 79 games. This made him the fourth-highest goalscorer for the Dutch team. He played in three European Championships and the 1998 FIFA World Cup. He was also the joint top scorer at Euro 2000, where he scored five goals. In 2004, he was named in the FIFA 100, a list of the greatest living footballers chosen by Pelé.
After retiring as a player, Kluivert started his coaching career. He has coached youth teams and national teams, including being an assistant coach for the Dutch team that finished third at the 2014 FIFA World Cup. He is currently the head coach of the Indonesia national team.
Contents
Early Life and Youth Career
Patrick Kluivert was born in Amsterdam, Netherlands, on July 1, 1976. His father, Kenneth Kluivert, was also a professional football player from Suriname. His mother was from Curaçao. Patrick learned to play football on the streets, like many young players.
When he was seven years old, he joined the Ajax Youth Academy, one of the most famous football academies in the world. He played in different positions as a young player, even as a defender. Coaches noticed his strong technique, smart play, and speed. He also played for the Dutch national teams for players under 15, 16, and 17.
Club Football Journey
Playing for Ajax
Kluivert was part of a special group of young players at Ajax in the 1990s, often called their "Golden Generation." He made his first team debut on August 21, 1994, at just 18 years old. This was in the Dutch Supercup against their rivals Feyenoord, and he scored his first goal in that match.
In the 1994–95 Eredivisie season, he was Ajax's top scorer with 18 goals. His team, led by coach Louis van Gaal, won the Dutch championship without losing a single game. That same season, Kluivert and other young stars like Edgar Davids and Clarence Seedorf won the UEFA Champions League. Kluivert came on as a substitute and scored the winning goal in the 1995 UEFA Champions League Final against AC Milan in Vienna, Austria. He was the youngest player ever to score in a Champions League final at that time.
He continued to be a top scorer for Ajax in the 1995–96 season, helping the club win five trophies, including another Dutch championship. He also scored in the 1995 UEFA Super Cup and helped Ajax win the 1995 Intercontinental Cup. After the 1996–97 season, Kluivert left Ajax to join AC Milan. He had scored 39 goals in 70 league games for Ajax.
Time at AC Milan
Kluivert's time at Milan was short, lasting only one season. He scored a great goal against Juventus in a friendly match. However, he scored six goals in 27 Serie A matches, and the team finished tenth in the league.
Success with Barcelona
On August 28, 1998, Kluivert signed a four-year contract with Barcelona. He was happy to reunite with his former Ajax coach, Louis van Gaal. Kluivert quickly became a key player, scoring 16 league goals and forming a strong partnership with Rivaldo. This helped Barcelona win the Spanish La Liga championship in 1999.
He continued to score many goals for Barcelona, being the club's top scorer in two more seasons. Even though the team didn't win another major trophy for a few years, Kluivert was a consistent goal threat. He left Barcelona in 2004, having scored 124 goals in 249 games.
Playing in England and Spain Again
In July 2004, Kluivert moved to England to play for Newcastle United. He scored important goals, including winning goals against Chelsea and Tottenham Hotspur in the FA Cup. He also scored five goals in the UEFA Cup that season. Overall, he scored 13 goals in his first season for Newcastle. He left the club in 2005.
Kluivert then returned to Spain to play for Valencia in the 2005–06 season. He faced many injuries during this time, which limited his playing time.
Return to the Netherlands and France
In 2006, Kluivert signed a one-year deal with PSV in the Netherlands. He made his debut against Feyenoord, just like his first game for Ajax. He scored three goals for PSV, including one against his former club Ajax, but he chose not to celebrate out of respect. He left PSV in July 2007.
His last club as a player was Lille in France, where he played in the 2007–08 season.
International Career Highlights
Kluivert made his first appearance for the Netherlands on November 16, 1994. He scored his first international goal in his second match, a 4–0 win against Malta.
In December 1995, he scored two goals against the Republic of Ireland to help the Netherlands qualify for UEFA Euro 1996. At the tournament, he scored against England, which helped his team move to the next round.
At the 1998 FIFA World Cup, Kluivert scored the opening goal against Argentina in the quarter-finals. In the semi-final against Brazil, he scored a late goal to tie the game, but the Netherlands lost in a penalty shootout.
Kluivert had an amazing performance at UEFA Euro 2000, which was held in the Netherlands and Belgium. He scored a hat-trick (three goals) in a 6–1 win against Yugoslavia. He was the joint top scorer of the tournament with five goals. The Dutch team reached the semi-finals but lost to Italy on penalties.
He also played in UEFA Euro 2004, where the Netherlands reached the semi-finals again. Kluivert was the all-time leading goalscorer for the Dutch national team with 40 goals for many years, until Robin van Persie passed his record in 2013.
Playing Style
Even though Patrick Kluivert was tall, he was very quick and had excellent control of the ball. He often used clever moves, like the Cruyff turn, to get past defenders. His speed, technical skills, and football intelligence made him a difficult player to stop.
Kluivert also used his height and strength to win aerial balls, meaning he was great at heading the ball. He could play in different attacking positions and had a good eye for goal. He was known for his ability to score and create chances for his teammates.
Coaching Career
Starting as a Coach
After retiring from playing, Patrick Kluivert decided to become a football coach. He started by taking coaching courses with the Dutch Football Association (KNVB). In 2008, he worked as a coach for the strikers at the Dutch club AZ.
In 2010, he became an assistant coach for Brisbane Roar in Australia. He then coached the youth and reserve team of Twente, called Jong Twente, and led them to a national title in 2012.
From 2012 to 2014, Kluivert was an assistant coach for the Netherlands national team under Louis van Gaal. They achieved a fantastic third-place finish at the 2014 FIFA World Cup in Brazil.
Managing Curaçao and Other Roles
In 2015, Kluivert became the head coach of the Curaçao national football team. He helped Curaçao make their best performance ever in World Cup qualifying, defeating Montserrat and Cuba. He later resigned but remained an advisor to the Curaçao Football Federation. He returned as head coach for a short time in 2016 for the Caribbean Cup qualifiers, where Curaçao won both their matches.
After this, he became the director of football for the French club Paris Saint-Germain. He also coached the Ajax A1 (under-19) team. In 2018, he worked as an assistant coach for the Cameroon national team.
In 2019, Kluivert became the academy director for Barcelona. In May 2021, he returned to the Curaçao national team as an interim coach.
Recent Coaching Roles
On June 30, 2023, Kluivert was appointed as the new manager of the Turkish club Adana Demirspor. He left the club in December 2023.
As of January 8, 2025, Patrick Kluivert is the new head coach of the Indonesia national team.
Family Life
Patrick Kluivert comes from a football family. His father, Kenneth Kluivert, was a professional football player for the Suriname national team. His mother, Lidwina Kluivert, was born in Curaçao.
Patrick has four sons: Quincy, Justin, Ruben, and Shane. All of his sons have also played football. Justin, like his father, came through the Ajax youth system and has played for the Netherlands national team. He currently plays for Bournemouth. Ruben made his debut for Utrecht in 2022 and now plays for Casa Pia AC.
Images for kids
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Kluivert in 2008
See also
In Spanish: Patrick Kluivert para niños
