Clarence Seedorf, 45, revealed on Friday that he has converted to Islam on his official Instagram account.
According to Seedorf: “Thank you very much for all of the lovely letters congratulating me on entering the Muslim family. I’m overjoyed to be joining all of my brothers and sisters around the world, especially my darling Sophia, who has taught me more about Islam. I didn’t alter my name and will continue to go by Clarence Seedorf, as given to me by my parents! I’m offering my heartfelt greetings to everyone on the planet.”
Throughout his illustrious career, Clarence Seedorf represented a number of prestigious clubs, including Ajax, Real Madrid, Inter Milan, and AC Milan.
During his career, the former Dutch midfielder won four UEFA Champions League trophies (with Ajax in 1995, Real Madrid in 1998, AC Milan in 2003 and 2007), one La Liga title with Real Madrid in 1997, and two Serie A wins with AC Milan in 2004 and 2011.
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Seedorf is the only footballer to have won the Champions League with three separate clubs, making him one of the most successful players in Uefa Champions League history.
The diligent and versatile midfielder, who speaks at least six languages, made 87 appearances for the Dutch national team and competed in three Uefa European Football Championships and the 1998 Fifa World Cup, reaching the semi-finals in all three.
He went on to coach a number of teams after retiring from playing, including AC Milan and the Cameroon national team.
Last year, Seedorf teamed up with Khabib Nurmagomedov, a former UFC champion and one of the most prominent Muslim athletes of recent decades, to launch the Seedorf Khabib Performance Club, a football academy that would use a “unique training methodology” that combines football and mixed martial arts.
“We have the same life mission,” Seedorf explained. “We’d like to give back to the younger generations.”
“We’ll bring in the knowledge, coaches, and technique, as well as monitoring and support from a marketing standpoint to help each location and partnership flourish.”
