Clarence Seedorf hired to coach Brazilian club Corinthians in relegation fight

SAO PAULO, Brazil (AP) — Corinthians hired Clarence Seedorf on Sunday for the Netherlands playing great’s first coaching job since 2019 — and a relegation fight in Brazil’s top tier.

The Brazilian club said in social media posts that it gave the 50-year-old Seedorf a contract until the end of next year. Corinthians is 16th in the 20-team Brazilian league, one place above the relegation zone.

Seedorf replaces Fernando Diniz who was fired Wednesday after losing seven straight league games with a squad that includes Dutch forward Memphis Depay.

Seedorf last coached with the Cameroon national team more than seven years ago and previously coached at three clubs including his former team AC Milan.

Still the only player to have won the European Cup or Champions League with three different teams, Seedorf has had limited success as a coach.

His three club coaching jobs, including at Milan in 2014, each lasted under six months, and the most recent was in 2018 with Deportivo La Coruña.

Seedorf’s playing career as one of the standout midfielders of his generation finished in Brazil with Botafogo.

Seedorf won a Champions League aged 19 with Ajax in 1995 and won further titles with Real Madrid in 1998 and twice with Milan, in 2003 and 2007.

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