UEFA Champions League 2004-05 player's profile

Widely regarded as one of the world's foremost forwards, Patrick Kluivert possesses an excellent first touch, a true predatory instinct and is equally lethal on the ground or in the air.

National team
Kluivert made his debut for the Netherlands as an 18-year-old against the Czech Republic and fired his country to EURO '96™, scoring both play-off goals against the Republic of Ireland. He registered further strikes against Argentina and Brazil at the 1998 FIFA World Cup, although the Dutch campaign ended with a semi-final defeat. He finished joint-top scorer with five goals at UEFA EURO 2000™, including a quarter-final hat-trick against Yugoslavia.

UEFA EURO 2004™ qualifying
The only player to feature in all of his team's ten qualifiers, Kluivert scored four times including an historic strike against Belarus on 7 June 2003 that saw him surpass Dennis Bergkamp as the Netherlands' all-time leading marksman with 38 goals.

Club
He wrote himself into AFC Ajax folklore during his debut season with his hometown club, heading the only goal of the UEFA Champions League final against AC Milan on 24 May 1995. Europe's biggest sides chased his signature, yet Kluivert resisted and spent another term in Amsterdam before deciding on a move to the San Siro.

1997: His stay at Milan was not a happy one and Kluivert departed for FC Barcelona after a solitary campaign in which he scored six Serie A goals in 27 outings. The attacking nature of Spanish football suited Kluivert's game and he won a championship in his first term, subsequently going on to become a Camp Nou favourite.

2003/04: Missed two months with a knee injury but still hit eight goals – including one in the 2-1 victory at Real Madrid CF in April – in 21 league appearances before being told he was free to leave Camp Nou with a season to run on his contract.

Did you know?
He was the only Dutch player to score in the EURO 2000™ penalty shoot-out defeat by Italy.

©uefa.com 1998-2005. All rights reserved.

UEFA EURO 2004™ player's profile

Widely regarded as one of the world's foremost forwards, Patrick Kluivert possesses an excellent first touch, a true predatory instinct and is equally lethal on the ground or in the air.

National team
Kluivert made his debut for the Netherlands as an 18-year-old against the Czech Republic and fired his country to EURO '96™, scoring both play-off goals against the Republic of Ireland. He registered further strikes against Argentina and Brazil at the 1998 FIFA World Cup, although the Dutch campaign ended with a semi-final defeat. He finished joint-top scorer with five goals at UEFA EURO 2000™, including a quarter-final hat-trick against Yugoslavia.

UEFA EURO 2004™ qualifying
The only player to feature in all of his team's ten qualifiers, Kluivert scored four times including an historic strike against Belarus on 7 June 2003 that saw him surpass Dennis Bergkamp as the Netherlands' all-time leading marksman with 38 goals.

Club
He wrote himself into AFC Ajax folklore during his debut season with his hometown club, heading the only goal of the UEFA Champions League final against AC Milan on 24 May 1995. Europe's biggest sides chased his signature, yet Kluivert resisted and spent another term in Amsterdam before deciding on a move to the San Siro.

1997: His stay at Milan was not a happy one and Kluivert departed for FC Barcelona after a solitary campaign in which he scored six Serie A goals in 27 outings. The attacking nature of Spanish football suited Kluivert's game and he won a championship in his first term, subsequently going on to become a Camp Nou favourite.

2003/04: Missed two months with a knee injury but still hit eight goals – including one in the 2-1 victory at Real Madrid CF in April – in 21 league appearances before being told he was free to leave Camp Nou with a season to run on his contract.

Did you know?
He was the only Dutch player to score in the EURO 2000™ penalty shoot-out defeat by Italy.

©uefa.com 1998-2006. All rights reserved.

BBC's UEFA EURO 2004 player's profile

Patrick Kluivert hit the big time with Dutch giants Ajax as a teenager.

He attracted plenty of interest after scoring the only goal of the European Cup final against AC Milan in 1995.

It was the beaten Italian side who clinched his signature, but he never settled and a more productive move to Barcelona followed.

Kluivert boasts an impressive scoring record for his country, averaging a goal every two games.

He did not appear comfortable when asked to play behind Ruud van Nistelrooy in the run-up to Euro 2004.

But Kluivert can still be a potent force, as a goalscorer in his own right or setting up opportunities for team-mates.

©bbc.co.uk 2004. All rights reserved.