It’s a warm sunny day in Amsterdam, where a group of youngsters is playing football at “Het rode pleintje”, as they call it. It’s a little square in the Naardermeerstraat, located in the North of Amsterdam. Every Saturday they come here to play and showoff their newest tricks. They are only 7 to 10 years old, but they all share that same dream: To become a football player at Ajax Amsterdam.
“Go deep Patje!!!” one of the boys shouts, as he passes the ball through the air to his youngest teammate. He is by far the shortest fellow on the pitch, but his speeds is remarkable, as he sprints to the front and manages to pick-up the ball with his right foot and shoots… Goal!!!
The name of this little boy is Patrick Kluivert. Born on the first of July in the summer of 1976. He was raised in a colorful family. His mother being from Curacao and his father from Suriname. Football is his passion and when he’s not at school, he can be found on the streets, playing football with his buddies.
The first team he would play for is local football club Schellingwoude, and in no time he becomes the top scorer of the team. It didn’t take long for his talent to be discovered by one of the scouts from Ajax and at the age of 7, little Patrick, enrolls into the famous Ajax Youth academy.
In 1994, Ajax coach Louis van Goal decides that it’s time for a step up, as he adds Kluivert to his selection. He plays his very first match for the senior team during the Super Cup against rival Feyenoord, and immediately proves his value to the team as he delivers both an assist and scores the third and final goal.
Let me take you back to the Champions League final of 1995. Location: The Ernst-Happel stadium in Vienna. It’s Ajax against AC Milan and the stadium is fully packed with 50.000 supports. There is not a lot to cheer for as the game has been death for almost 60 minutes. AC Milan leaves the initiative to ‘make the game’ over to Ajax, as they look for counter opportunities. Ajax has a hard time to get through Milan’s wall of defense and all attempts seem to be effortless.
In the 69th minute, coach Louis van Goal decides it’s time for a change. He takes a huge gamble as he brings in young striker Patrick Kluivert.
We are in the 85th minute, Ajax sets up another attack. Franks Rijkaard passes the ball to Kluivert, and then… this happens:
Ajax wins the Champions League and Patrick Kluivert is the hero of the evening. The Ajax team of 94/95 will go into the history books as the golden generation, with young players like Jari Litmanen, Marc Overmars and Clarence Seedorf and the more senior players Danny Blind and Frank Rijkaard. It would turn out to be a dream season for Kluivert, winning both the Dutch Eredivisie and the Champions League.
As one of the youngest players ever, he debuted for the national team in 1994. During the decisive qualifying match for the European Championship against Ireland, he scored both goals, and the Orange army qualified for Euro 1996:
That little boy from Amsterdam North became one of the best Dutch players of all times, playing for giants clubs like AC Milan and Barcelona, bringing joy to millions of football fans all around the world.
One of my football heroes: Patrick Kluivert
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