Dutch · Amsterdam, Netherlands · Born 1 July 1976Dutch striker who became youngest Champions League final goalscorer at 18, winning with Ajax in 1995 before successful spells at Barcelona and AC Milan
Patrick Stephan Kluivert was born on 1 July 1976 in Amsterdam, the third child of Kenneth Kluivert, a professional footballer originally from Suriname, and his wife Lidwina, from Curaçao. Patrick joined Ajax's famed youth academy at just seven years old, progressing through a system that was producing one of the most celebrated generations of Dutch talent in the club's history. Kluivert's rise was extraordinarily rapid: after making his senior Ajax debut in August 1994, he became a key part of the club's "Golden Generation" under manager Louis van Gaal, playing alongside future stars like Clarence Seedorf and Edgar Davids. His defining moment came on 24 May 1995, in the Champions League final against AC Milan — with the match scoreless, the 18-year-old substitute struck the only goal of the game, making Ajax European champions and instantly announcing himself as one of the most exciting young strikers in world football. After a brief, unsettled spell at AC Milan, Kluivert moved to Barcelona in 1998, where he spent six prolific seasons forming a potent partnership with Rivaldo and scoring 124 goals in 249 appearances, helping the club win the 1998-99 La Liga title. He went on to represent the Netherlands from 1994 to 2004, finishing as the country's fourth-highest all-time goalscorer with 40 goals in 79 caps, and shared the Golden Boot at Euro 2000 as co-top scorer with five goals on home soil. After finishing his playing career with spells at Newcastle United, Valencia, PSV, and Lille, Kluivert moved into coaching and football administration, including academy director roles at Barcelona and Paris Saint-Germain, and managerial spells with Curaçao and the Indonesia national team. In 2004, Pelé included him on FIFA's list of the 100 greatest living footballers. Continuing the family's footballing legacy, three of his sons — Justin, Ruben, and Shane — have gone on to become professional footballers themselves.
Scoring the winning goal in the 1995 Champions League final at age 18
He scored the Champions League-winning goal as an 18-year-old substitute — the youngest player to do so in a final.
Did You Know?How They Played
Tall, powerful striker with excellent aerial ability and clinical finishing in the box
Lasting Impact
One of the Netherlands' greatest strikers who combined pace, power and clinical finishing
Career Honours
- Champions League 1995 (Ajax)
- La Liga (Barcelona)
- 40 Netherlands goals
- Champions League 1995
- La Liga 1999
| Club | Period | Apps | Goals | Shirt |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Ajax | 1994–1997 | 70 | 66 | #9 |
| Barcelona | 1997–2004 | 249 | 90 | — |
| AC Milan | 2004–2004 | 18 | 3 | — |
| Newcastle United | 2004–2005 | 29 | 7 | — |
| Valencia | 2004–2006 | 37 | 11 | — |
| PSV Eindhoven | 2007–2008 | 18 | 4 | — |
| Lille | 2008–2009 | 8 | 1 | — |
 Netherlands | — | 79 | 40 | — |
Dutch Athletes