5 top players launched by Louis Van Gaal

#5 Clarence Seedorf

Clarence Seedorf won 5 Champions Leagues with 3 clubs, but started his career under Van Gaal

Statistically, Clarence Seedorf is one of the most successful players of all time, as he’s still the only man to win the UEFA Champions League 5 times with 3 different clubs. The Dutch midfielder captured the title with Ajax in 1994/95, Real Madrid in 1997/98 and 1999/00, and AC Milan in 2002/03 and 2006/07.

And like his fellow Ajax graduates Edgar Davids, Patrick Kluivert and Winston Bogarde, he had Louis Van Gaal to thank for his initial success. Beginning his career as a right-sided midfielder, Seedorf was handed his first team debut at Ajax by Van Gaal in November 1992 – at 16 years old becoming the youngest ever debutant for the club at the time.

By 1993/94, Seedorf was a key component in Van Gaal’s Ajax side, and helped them to win the Eredivisie title. A year later, he won his first Champions League title with the club as they went unbeaten in both the European competition and the Eredivisie too.

Seedorf moved to Sampdoria in the summer of 1995, marking the end of his relationship with Van Gaal, although he did play under the legendary boss for the Netherlands national team during their unsuccessful spell between 2000 and 2002.

Although Seedorf hasn’t paid tribute to Van Gaal following the announcement of his retirement this week, it was quite clear a couple of years back that he still holds his former boss in massive regard – in 2014 he described Van Gaal as a “fantastic manager” and suggested he could succeed at Manchester United, and when United sacked the Dutchman in 2016, Seedorf labelled them “crazy” for doing so.