Clarence Seedorf has been confirmed as the new manager of AC Milan after Massimiliano Allegri's spell in charge of the Rossoneri came to an end as a result of AC Milan's 4-3 Serie A loss against Sassuolo at the weekend.
On Monday, Clarence Seedorf reached an agreement with the San Siro side to succeed Allegri at the helm and he announced his official retirement one day later as a football player at Botafogo.
During his illustrious 22-year career, the Dutchman became one of the most successful club players in the history of the game and he has even been described as the greatest Champions League player of all time, after winning the prestigious trophy four times with three different clubs.
The Champions League was not the only competition where Seedorf shone, though. The 37-year-old won two Eredivisie titles with Ajax, a La Liga trophy with Real Madrid and two Serie A championships while at Milan. He eventually capped a magnificent career by guiding Botafogo to the Campeonato Carioca title in 2013.
Only at international level did Seedorf fail to win any silverware, as he endured a rather frustrating career with Netherlands.
The midfielder made his debut for Oranje at the tender age of 18 and played his first major tournament two years later, as he made the squad for Euro '96. It was a tournament that would define Seedorf's international career, though - and not in a good way. The former midfielder was at the centre of an internal row that eventually saw Davids sent home by head coach Guus Hiddink, and Seedorf would miss the decisive spot kick in the quarter-final shootout loss against France.
Things would get worse for Seedorf the year after as he missed yet again from 12 yards in the 1-0 World Cup qualification loss against Turkey. After this, Holland fans would never really forgive the lauded midfielder for his profligacy from the spot.
He would eventually go on to make 87 international appearances for Oranje, featuring at three European Championships and one World Cup in the process, but would never achieve the same status with the national side that he enjoyed at club level.
Despite his relatively disappointing Netherlands career, however, there is no denying that Seedorf was one of the best footballers of his generation. Very few players are able to boast, upon hanging up their boots, that they have won a grand total of 21 major trophies in four different countries.
If Seedorf's coaching career is even half as successful as his playing career, then there are further good times ahead for Clarence Seedorf.
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