SAO PAULO — Corinthians has appointed Clarence Seedorf as head coach, handing the 50-year-old former Netherlands midfielder his first coaching role since 2019. Seedorf has signed a contract until the end of 2027 and takes over with Corinthians 16th in the Brazilian top flight, one place above the relegation zone with eight games left.
Seedorf succeeds former Brazil interim national coach Fernando Diniz, who was sacked last week after Corinthians lost seven consecutive league games. The slide left the Sao Paulo club in a direct fight to preserve its top-flight status. "Taking on this challenge is an honour, but also a huge responsibility. I am here to give my all and build a team that fights for every ball, every minute, every victory," Seedorf said of his appointment.
The role ends an absence of more than seven years from management for Seedorf, whose last coaching assignment was with the Cameroon national team. He has previously held underwhelming spells at AC Milan, Shenzhen FC and Deportivo La Coruna, and now returns to club management in Brazil.
He inherits a Corinthians squad that features former Manchester United players Memphis Depay and Jesse Lingard as the club looks to halt its losing streak and climb clear of danger in the final weeks of the season.
Seedorf retired from playing in 2014 following a glittering career that yielded four Champions League titles — two with AC Milan, one with Real Madrid and one with Ajax. He remains the only player to win the Champions League with three different clubs and played 87 times for the Netherlands, scoring 11 goals.