MONTCLAIR, N.J. - This story comes with a disclaimer: Clarence Seedorf has no plans to join the New York Red Bulls or Major League Soccer. The same will hold true for the Galaxy and Chivas USA when he visits Los Angeles on Friday.
Yes, the four-time UEFA Champions League winner was at Montclair State University to watch the Red Bulls train Thursday morning and he has interest in soccer in the United States. But it's his ideas, not his remarkable ability on the field, that the A.C. Milan midfielder is sharing on this trip.
"I'm here to meet the people of the management and talk a little bit about the reality of football in the States and the club itself, to get more awareness of the situation as a reality here," said Seedorf, who met with members of the media while the Red Bulls held an intrasquad scrimmage. "Hopefully, through talking, some interesting things can come out and I can help with some things in the future to maybe create some synergies."
Seedorf sees himself as an ambassador of football and his stops in New York and Los Angeles are just part of what has been a whirlwind tour, in part to promote his foundation, Champions for Children. It started in Dubai and made its way through Abu Dhabi, Djibouti, Doha and Paris. After L.A., Seedorf returns to Milan and will then go to Holland, the Czech Republic and then his native Suriname, where he lived until he was three.
"Football is the biggest sport probably in the world and our strength and visibility we have to reach out to people is enormous," Seedorf said. "The [UEFA Champions League] final against Liverpool was seen by 2 billion people so you can send a lot of messages. I think it's good to be working, to be an example and it is about values, it is about giving back to football and all the fans that give us the possibility to live like we're living should get something back."
In Djibouti, Seedorf received a hero's welcome; the country was nearly paralyzed for the three days he was there, Seedorf said. The highlight was bringing the Champions League trophy to show an adoring crowd at a packed stadium.
"We held the cup in the middle of the pitch very high and all the people went crazy like it was theirs, like they won the cup," he said. "It was a message of hope, people care about us. It was one of the little things that make a difference. That gave me great joy and it filled the cup for me."
Seedorf, the only player to have won the Champions League title with three different teams - Ajax, Real Madrid and A.C. Milan - wasn't received the same way at Red Bulls practice, but the 31-year-old was definitely welcomed with open arms. Especially the open arms of Dave van den Bergh, who gave Seedorf a big hug when they reunited for the first time in about seven years. The two first met in the Ajax youth system when they were 10.
Even though he hasn't seen van den Bergh in quite a while, Seedorf has followed his MLS career. He asked how many goals he scored by making a run down the left to the back post and knew that van den Bergh spent some time in the back.
"Yes because the left back was injured and he played," Seedorf said. "It's not the best position for him, but he's intelligent."
And van den Bergh said he knew almost from the first time he met Seedorf that he was a very good player.
"He came in and he was as he is right now, he was a little bigger than I am," van den Bergh recalled. "He was pretty big for his age and pretty strong, you can tell right away he was a little more special than the other kids walking around."
Seedorf also caught up with former Dutch international goalkeeper Ronald Waterreus and spoke to Red Bulls captain Claudio Reyna, who played against Seedorf in the Champions League.
Other Red Bulls players just shook Seedorf's hand, while some, including Dema Kovalenko, posed for a photo.
It was nice to have Seedorf there for a day, but the Red Bulls aren't expecting a new Dutch international teammate.
"If you see the setting they have for the players at AC Milan, it's a little bit different compared to the New York Red Bulls," Bruce Arena joked. "I'm not sure this inspired him a whole lot, but it was nice of him to stop by and say hello."
Dylan Butler is a contributor to MLSnet.com. This story was not subject to the approval of Major League Soccer or its clubs.
