Champion amongst champions

Milan AC players jubilates with the cup after winning the European Champions League Final match against Juventus, 28 May 2003 in Manchester. AFP PHOTO ODD ANDERSEN

In 2003 Holland's journeyman midfield maestro Clarence Seedorf became the first man to win the Champions League with three different clubs, helping AC Milan do the job after previous triumphs with Ajax in 1995 and Real Madrid in 1998.

A clutch of the game's top coaches, Louis van Gaal at Ajax, Sven Goran Eriksson at Sampdoria, Fabio Capello and Jupp Heynckes at Real Madrid and Carlos Ancelotti at AC Milan, have all put their faith in his defence splitting passes and dribbles.

Furthermore the Surinam born Seedorf has played his trade in several memorable sides.

When Ajax beat AC Milan 1-0 in Vienna in the 1995 Champions League final, the De Boer brothers, Edgar Davids, Marc Overmars, Jari Litmanen and Patrick Kluivert provided just some of the other talent in the side.

Milan AC dutch midfielder Clarence Seedorf (l) runs away from Inter Milano French opponent Sabri Lamouchi (r) 12 August 2003, in "del Conero" stadium in Ancona, during the match Inter/Milan AC in a tournament between the last season's three first teams of the Italian Championship : Juventus Turin, Inter Milano and Milan AC. AFP PHOTO PATRICK HERTZOG

With Madrid in 1998 for the 1-0 win over Juventus in his second European exploit Raul and Fernando Redondo were his midfield partners while Pedrag Mijatovic (the goalscorer) and Davor Suker led the attack.

AC Milan's midfield was so rich in 2003 when they beat Juventus in a penalty shoot-out at Old Trafford, that Brazil's Rivaldo was keeping the bench warm.

In perhaps the strongest club side Seedorf has graced, he, Rui Costa and rising Brazilian star Kaka were providing the amunition for Andriy Shevchenko and Filippo Inzaghi up front while Paolo Maldini and Alessandro Nesta shored up the defence.

Orange blues

But Seedorf has been part of an equally talented group that has failed to win anything despite rich promise: the Dutch national side.

He was just 20 at Euro 96 when Holland crashed out on penalties in the quarter-finals to France.

Brazilian Roberto Carlos comforts Dutch Clarence Seedorf (R) after their 1998 Soccer World Cup semi-final match, 07 July at the Stade Velodrome in Marseille. Brazil won 4-2 in the penalty shoot-out after the game ended in a 1-1 tie. (ELECTRONIC IMAGE) AFP PHOTO BORIS HORVAT

Holland were dazzling at the 1998 French World Cup, where Seedorf featured in four matches, but were beaten again on penalties in the semi final by Brazil after a thrilling match.

Euro 2000 saw another run to the semi-finals where they lost for the third straight time on penalties to Italy, but the 2002 World Cup was a disaster, Holland missing out altogether after coming third behind Portugal and Ireland in their qualifying group.

Holland's Clarence Seedorf (14) keeps the ball away from Scotland's Neil McCann during their Euro 2004 Play-off, first leg match 15 November, 2003 at Hampden Park, Glasgow, Scotland. Scotland won 1-0. AFP PHOTO/ADRIAN DENNIS

Going into Euro 2004 after coming second to the Czech Republic in qualifying and thrashing Scotland in the play-offs, Holland have again drawn the Czechs, Germany and Latvia in the first round.

Seedorf has over 70 caps now and as a senior player needs to take responsibility in the tricky Dutch set up although the team will be one of the fancied sides.

Back at Milan, the team are rolling and won their first championship in 2004 for the first time since 1999 romping home with a handful of games remaining.

Holland should avoid having him take any spot-kicks though, as they are his famous weakness, and a string of high profile misses haunt him.