Facts about Patrick Kluivert, Candidate for Indonesian National Team Coach who Has Classy Statistics in the Netherlands

Jakarta, Beritasatu.com – Patrick Kluivert, former Dutch football star, is in the spotlight after his name emerged as a candidate for the Indonesian national team coach. With a brilliant track record as a player, including making history at Ajax and Barcelona, ​​as well as controversy in his personal life, Kluivert brings a combination of experience and challenge to the world of coaching.

Even though his career as a coach has not been as brilliant as his playing days, the Indonesian public is waiting for his breakthrough if he really leads the Garuda squad. The following are interesting facts about Patrick Kluivert:

Brilliant Career as a Player

Patrick Kluivert is remembered as one of the best strikers the Dutch national team has ever had. In 1995, when he was still 19 years old, he won the Dutch Football Talent of the Year award. Five years later, at Euro 2000, Kluivert performed brilliantly as the top scorer with five goals.

At club level, Kluivert started his career with Ajax Amsterdam with an impressive record. One of his best achievements was helping Ajax win the Champions League in the 1994/1995 season. He scored the winning goal in the final against AC Milan with a score of 1-0.

After having difficulty adapting at AC Milan in 1997, Kluivert found his best performance at Barcelona. While strengthening the club, he scored 90 goals in 182 matches. He also played for Newcastle United, Valencia, PSV Eindhoven and Lille before retiring.

Controversies in Personal Life

Kluivert’s life journey has not been free from controversy. In 1995, aged 19, Kluivert finished fifth in the Ballon d’Or. However, in the same year he was involved in a fatal accident which caused a person to lose his life due to driving at high speed.

Two years later, Kluivert faced allegations of sexual harassment which were reported to the Dutch police. However, he was declared not guilty of these charges. In 2017, Kluivert was again in the spotlight because of his alleged involvement in a gambling case that left him in debt of up to 1 million euros. This situation triggered threats against him.

Achievements in the Dutch National Team

as a player, Kluivert has a brilliant reputation at international level. He made his debut with the Dutch national team on 16 November 1994 against the Czech Republic, when he was only 18 years old. While strengthening the Dutch national team from 1994 to 2003, Kluivert scored 40 goals in 79 matches.

Until 2013, Kluivert held the record as the Dutch national team’s all-time top goalscorer. However, his position was then shifted by Klaas-Jan Huntelaar (42 goals), Memphis Depay (46 goals), and Robin van Persie (50 goals).

Unsatisfactory Record as a Coach

Kluivert’s career as a coach was not as bright as his playing days. He does not yet have a distinguished track record as a head coach. One of his longest achievements was when he managed Twente U-21 from 2011 to 2013. However, outside of that, Kluivert was more often an assistant coach.

In 2015 to 2016, Kluivert was the head coach of Curacao and led the team in eight matches. He returned to manage Curacao as interim coach in 2021, but only took charge in six matches. In July 2023, Kluivert was trusted to coach Adana Demirspor, a club from Türkiye. Even so, of the 20 matches he led, the team lost six.

Patrick Kluivert is a figure full of experience, both as a player and coach. However, with statistics that are not very impressive in the world of coaching, the Indonesian football public should look forward to seeing how Kluivert can bring about change if he really becomes the coach of the Indonesian National Team.

These are some interesting facts about Patrick Kluivert. He was said to be a strong candidate to fill the position of head coach of the Indonesian National Team after Shin Tae-yong was fired by PSSI.