Patrick Kluivert: biography, statistics, photos

Patrick Kluivert was born on the first day of July 1976 in the capital of the Netherlands. Since his childhood, he dreamed of becoming a football player and getting into the football school "Ajax", which was one of the most popular in the world. The competition for a place at school was crazy. Every year, coaches selected only a couple dozen people from several thousand.

According to Patrick, he was very frightened when he first came to school. Because of the large number of guys from all over the country, whom the fathers brought there, Kluivert wanted to just drop everything and leave. But he stayed and was accepted.

The first time of training was held a couple of times a week, but then the load on training increased dramatically. In addition, the club collaborated with teachers in ordinary schools. The goal was to help teachers help children if they had difficulties in their studies. This made it possible for children to get a normal secondary education without starting a training session at a football school.

The perfect season

In 1994, Kluivert made his debut with Ajax in the Netherlands championship. "Ajax" always differed in that he gave a chance to many talents, but even by the standards of the Amsterdam club, Patrick's progress was very noticeable. His career began to develop quickly, even though most of the games at the start of the season he started on the bench.

Although Kluivert rarely got on the list of the main players, by the winter he was one of the best scorers of the championship. Paddock forward attracted the attention of the coach of the Dutch national team. The debut in the national team took place on November 16.

The most important match of the Dutchman took place in the spring of 1995. It was the final of the Champions League against AC Milan. The Amsterdam club tried to break the protection of the Italians, but all efforts were in vain. And when there were 5 minutes left till the end of the regular time, Kluivert, using the error of the player of "Milan", scored the only goal in the match.

After the finals, everyone knew who Patrick Kluivert was. Photos from the football player the inhabitants of Amsterdam wanted to do at every step. But Patrick himself understood that it was the goal scored that made him so popular, and up to the level of Overmars and Rijkaard he needs to work hard. In that season, "Ajax" won all the competitions in which he participated. In addition to two internal trophies, the Dutch won the European Super Cup and the club world championship.

Voyage to Italy

"Ajax" was a club that not only created the stars, but also sold them. From 1995 to 1997, almost the entire team that won the Champions League, was sold out. In the 1996/97 season Patrick was predicted the transition to the "Inter", but, after all, he got to "Milan".

At that time, "Milan" was going through a crisis, and the owner of the club allocated money for the purchase of twelve new players, and also appointed a new coach, who became Fabio Capello. But such selection work did not bring results. Milan in the course of the season was ranked 13th.

Patrick Kluivert did not show in Serie A a game like he showed in the Dutch championship. In addition, Kluivert had many problems that were not related to football. He became a participant in an accident, as a result of which one person died. For this the Dutchman was sentenced to 240 hours of community service.

After this player began to boo their own fans. The club management stated that it was not intended to part with the Dutch striker, but it was clear that Patrick did not have long to play for AC Milan.

Van Gaal ... Van Gaal ... and again Van Gaal

In the spring Kluivert scored a good form and was included in the national team of the Netherlands at the World Championships, which was held in France. Patrick became one of the best in the squad, but on his return to Milan he faced new challenges. A new coach came to the club. It became clear that it would be difficult for the Dutchman to become the main player. Alberto Zaccheroni signed the German Oliver Bierhoff. The arrival of the German striker meant that the club must leave another striker - Patrick Kluivert. Statistics of the Dutch striker in the Italian club did not impress - 27 matches and only 6 goals.

In 1997, together with Kluivert "Ajax" left and Louis Van Gaal. After Amsterdam, he went to Spain, where he became the head coach of Barcelona. At the new post, he immediately began to look for pupils of the Dutch football club. In the last hours of the transfer window, "Milan" and "Barcelona" agreed on the transfer of Kluivert. In the new team, Patrick began to play in his own football.

In 1999, the affairs of the Catalan club were bad. The team lost points in games with obvious underdogs. This led to Van Gaal's dismissal. But after a short period, the Dutch specialist returned to the post of head coach of Barcelona. In 2003, he finally left the Spanish club.

Experience and young age

To his 26 years, Kluivert had great experience. He took part in various prestigious tournaments. Often such a track record is possessed by those players who are already at the end of their careers. Patrick played in three championships, took part in the championships of Europe and the world, won all the club trophies with "Ajax". All these merits are owned by one person - Kluivert Patrick. Goals of the striker were very important for the national team. He helped the team go through the group stage of the 1996 European Championships.

At the European Championships in 2000, Kluivert hoped to win. By and large, Patrick alone dealt with all the rivals, but in the semifinal match the Dutch could not beat the Italian team. After this, the team suffered another major failure - the Dutch could not qualify for the 2002 World Cup. The absence of this team made the entire championship, held in Japan and South Korea, uninteresting.

Patrick Kluivert and team

The match against the Czech Republic was the first for Kluivert. And he scored his debut goal in the game with the national team of Ireland. In the same match he made his first double, and Holland won with a score of 2-0.

The group stage of the European Championship 2000 "golden generation" of Dutch football held at the highest level. Kluivert scored goals in the gates of Denmark and France, as well as a hat-trick at the gates of Yugoslavia in the ¼ finals. Five goals allowed Patrick to divide the first place with Savo Milosevic in the championship scorers' dispute and enter the symbolic team of the whole tournament. In the ½ finals, Holland lost to the Italian national team and shared 3-4 places. The main time ended with a score 0-0, and in the penalty shootout the Italians were more accurate - 3-1.

After the home European Championships, the national team began to decline. The team flew past the 2002 World Cup, and Patrick lost his place in the first team. At Euro 2004 Kluivert never went to the football field. In 2004, the coach was Marco van Basten, who no longer called Patrick Kluivert in the national team.

Statistics

During his career, Kluivert played in 7 clubs and 6 championships. In total, he played 343 games, which scored 149 goals. With "Ajax" Kluivert won the Dutch Cup and three times the championship, the Intercontinental Cup, the Champions League, the European Super Cup. In 1997, Patrick became the champion of Spain in the "Barcelona". It was his only trophy outside his native country. Patrick Kluivert won his last trophy in 2007, when he managed to win the Dutch championship with PSV.

In his first season he became the best young player in the country and was called to the national team of Holland. The best young player in Europe in 1995 was also Patrick Kluivert. Biography athlete is striking in its unusual. At the age of 18 he was the main strike force of the team, and in 27 he was not included in the squad. In total for the national team Patrick Kluivert spent 79 matches and scored 40 goals. In 2008, Kluivert announced his decision to end his career as a football player.