Instead, Seedorf chose to join Botafogo, the least fashionable of Rio de Janeiro’s four major clubs after Fluminense, Flamengo and Vasco Da Gama. Most midfielders drop deeper as they enter their advanced years, utilising their intelligence, experience, and technical ability to compensate for their physical decline. But arguably Seedorf’s most intriguing act of globetrotting came at the very end of his career when he became possibly the highest-profile European player to ever ply their trade in Brazil’s top flight. Pass the ball back, keep it moving.’ It’s a different mindset. “I was crying with anger, because it was Zico’s last tournament. Today we are going through a tough financial situation, but we are still part of the group of the 12 biggest teams in the country.”, The timing suited Seedorf perfectly. Seedorf won two trophies with Botafogo – the Campeonato Carioca and the Taça Guanabara, both competitions amongst clubs from the state of Rio de Janeiro, but the most tangible success he gained from his South American adventure was his development as a coach. It would be his final appearance as a professional footballer. Yet in 2012, having grown frustrated at AC Milan as his playing time decreased alongside a lack of opportunities to play as a No.10 under Max Allegri, Seedorf decided to end his 10-year association with the Rossoneri and look for a new challenge. We. Images of him shirtless during the first week of training with Botafogo revealed his exemplar physique and went viral, with fitness coach Leandro Cardoso labelling him a “remarkable athlete”. Plus, there was the bizarre scene as he received only the second red card of his career – for walking off the pitch the wrong way. For me, he was what football was all about.”. After a 4-1 victory over Nova Iguacu that year, Globoesporte were so compelled by Seedorf’s masterful display, their headline read “Garrincha style” as the maestro continued to dominate games in the final third. It was tough, but I was committed as I knew it was taking me somewhere.”, Seedorf’s coaching career may not have developed since in the manner in which he would have hoped, but there’s no doubt that his swansong at Botafogo was a fitting end to an incredible playing career. “Seedorf raised the bar both on and off the field during his time at the club, with administrators and playing staff both agreeing he set a new standard during his short spell,” explains Fryer. Despite being 36 at the time, there was no little interest in the midfielder, with West Ham among the Premier League clubs reportedly considering a move, as well as the now-standard lucrative offers from the MLS and Middle East which such a name commands. It seems a shame that Seedorf never got to help Botafogo in the Copa Libertadores, but in another sense, this was a fitting end. “He talked 10 percent like a player, 70 percent like a coach, and 20 percent like a general manager.” Demichelis explained that if a manager told the players to defecate on the pitch, the players would do it without question, but Seedorf would ask what colour it should be. Clarence Seedorf Wife - Luviana: Luviana is Brazilian and looks stunning in this blue dress. He helps us on and off the pitch.”. Being part of the discussions. If anything, the transfer liberated him. “In terms of the position I played, the freedom and creativity I felt on the pitch, and the simple appreciation of playing football.”. They want their players to run at people. Brazil welcomed me with open arms. A month later, he was named head coach of AC Milan. Read  |  The master and the apprentice: Ronaldinho, Neymar and a nine-goal epic for the ages, “In Brazil, because of the level of individual quality, coaches give their players that freedom. An icon following his heart to rekindle his love of the beautiful game – in the country which made it so pretty in the first place. And sure enough, it would take less than 12 months before the serial winner was lifting yet another trophy, as Seedorf helped Botafogo win Rio’s State Championship, the Campeonato Carioca – a minor honour, it must be said, but for a club so starved of success, an important one nonetheless. Botafogo was his sixth club, joining an elite cadre that included Ajax, Sampdoria, Real Madrid, Inter and Milan. “Spending the final years of my playing career with Botafogo in Brazil, together with the role I had alongside head coach Oswaldo de Oliveira, gave me the chance to prepare for what was to come,” Seedorf told The Guardian. The young team held their nerve to record an emphatic 3-0 victory, but fittingly it was Seedorf who scored the final goal. I was very much ‘in the kitchen’. “The team had good players, such as goalkeeper Jefferson, who played for Brazil at the time, former Sevilla midfielder Renato, and the striker Elkeson, who now plays for China,” recalled Cuba. The intelligence in his game allowed him to perform multiple midfield roles with ease. Brazil was, and still is, in a strong position in South American football, with journalist Rupert Fryer identifying it as the most high-profile league on the continent. Seedorf had been born in Suriname, which shares a border with Brazil, and he had lived there until his family moved to the Netherlands when he was a child. “In Europe, a lot of coaches are very schematic when it comes to attacking, but the further south you go, the more players have the freedom to use their creativity,” he explained to FIFA. Austere and driven, he was intent on gaining new experience and assuming a senior role in an up-and-coming team that would aid his transition to management. If ever there was a journey for a football romantic, this was it. He had been pursued by several clubs from all over the world, but decided that he wanted to end an illustrious career with one last dance in Rio de Janeiro. He played in some of the biggest clubs in the world, including Real Madrid and Ajax, but made a name for himself with AC Milan in Italy. One isn’t necessarily better than the other, but I certainly feel closer to the Brazilian way.”, He arrived mid-season in 2012, so it wasn’t until his first full campaign that his influence was felt in its entirety. Plus, growing up, the Selecao had a profound effect on him. “I’ve been privileged, from a young age, to live football around the world. If you’ve got two men marking you, players here think they can beat them both no problem, and that’s what they’ll try and do. Leaving the pitch after being substituted late on, Seedorf embraced De Oliveira in tears in what would turn out to be his farewell appearance. Cuba reveals that while some Botafogo supporters were disappointed that he chose not to stay and compete in the Copa Libertadores, many consider him an idol. It went down to the final day, with Botafogo defeating Criciúma 3–0 at the Maracanã to confirm their place in South America’s premier competition. “Botafogo, alongside Pelé’s Santos, was one of the greatest football teams in Brazil during the 1960s and 1970s, and Brazil had a lot of their players in the World Cup titles of 1962 and 1970, such as Garrincha, Nílton Santos and Jairzinho. For a player who for various reasons never really showed his true colours in international football, Clarence Seedorf is, in the literal sense, one of the greatest international footballers of all time. It’s within Europe, but there’s much more freedom to switch positions or take people on. It shouldn’t come as a surprise, therefore, that as soon as he arrived at Botafogo he engaged actively in matters off the pitch, criticising the disorganisation of domestic football in Brazil and supporting the nascent Bom Senso movement – a player-led organisation that sought to improve conditions for players and clubs in the country.

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