Kenneth Ramon Kluivert (born 26 August 1941) is a Surinamese former footballer who played as a left winger for S.V. Robinhood in the

SVB Hoofdklasse The SVB Eerste Divisie is the highest football championship for clubs run by the Surinaamse Voetbal Bond. The Topklasse is at the top of the system of Surinamese football championships. The league currently comprises twelve teams and operates a ...

, and for the Suriname national football team. He is the father of former Dutch International football player and manager Patrick Kluivert and the grandfather of Bournemouth player

Justin Kluivert Justin Dean Kluivert (born 5 May 1999) is a Dutch professional footballer who plays as a winger for La Liga club Valencia, on loan from Serie A club Roma. He also represents the Netherlands national team. The son of former Dutch internati ...

Club career

Born in

Moengo Moengo () is a town in Suriname, located in the Marowijne district, between Paramaribo and the border town Albina on the Cottica River. Moengo is also a resort (municipality) in the district of Marowijne. Moengo was the capital of Marowijne Distri ...

, Kluivert began his senior football career in the

playing for S.V. Robinhood from Paramaribo. Playing on the

left wing Left-wing politics describes the range of political ideologies that support and seek to achieve social equality and egalitarianism, often in opposition to social hierarchy. Left-wing politics typically involve a concern for those in soci ...

, Kluivert was a star in his native Suriname, where he would finish the season as top scorer of Robinhood on several occasions. Commonly known by his nickname "Bossa Nova", Kluivert was renown for his crosses into the box, his free kicks and his goal scoring abilities. Together with

Edwin Schal Edwien Reinier Schal (born October 4, 1943), known as Wiene Schal is a retired Surinamese footballer who started his career as a forward for SV Transvaal in the Hoofdklasse, and for the Suriname national team. A striker for the majority of his c ...

and Gerrit Niekoop he would form the dangerous attack of Robinhood, only rivaled by

S.V. Transvaal Sport Vereniging Transvaal is a Surinamese association football club, which currently play in the SVB Eerste Divisie, Eerste Divisie, the top flight of football in Suriname. They play their home games in Paramaribo at André Kamperveen Stadion to ...

at the time, during a period which helped shape the footballing landscape in the country, and the ''Surinaamse Klassieker'', the strongest rivalry in Suriname. In 1970, Kluivert relocated to the Netherlands with his family. He was considered one of the best players in the club's history. During his tenure with Robinhood, he helped his club to two national titles in 1961 and 1964 in a period which was dominated by rivals Transvaal. He later played for the amateur football club

Real Sranang Real Sranang ( English: ''Royal Suriname'') is a Dutch amateur football (soccer) club from Amsterdam, founded on 1 June 1960, that plays its home games at the ''Sportpark Middenmeer''. History Founded on 1 June 1960, by Surinamese immigrants ...

in the Netherlands.

International career

Kluivert played for the Suriname national football team. On 20 March 1964 he made his first appearance in an official match, playing in the

1964 Summer Olympics The , officially the and commonly known as Tokyo 1964 ( ja, 東京1964), were an international multi-sport event held from 10 to 24 October 1964 in Tokyo, Japan. Tokyo had been awarded the organization of the 1940 Summer Olympics, but this ho ...

qualifiers against Panama, in a 6–1 win, scoring the opener on his debut. He scored his second goal on 14 March 1965 against Trinidad and Tobago, in a

1966 FIFA World Cup qualification The 1966 FIFA World Cup qualification was a series of tournaments organised by the five FIFA confederations. The 1966 FIFA World Cup featured 16 teams with one place reserved for the host nation, England, and one reserved for defending champions B ...

match at home which ended in a 6–1 win once more.

Personal life

Kluivert was married to Lidwina and is now married to Jolanda. His ex-wife was born in Willemstad,

Curaçao Curaçao ( ; ; pap, Kòrsou, ), officially the Country of Curaçao ( nl, Land Curaçao; pap, Pais Kòrsou), is a Lesser Antilles island country in the southern Caribbean Sea and the Dutch Caribbean region, about north of the Venezuela coast ...

, in the former

Netherlands Antilles nl, In vrijheid verenigd"Unified by freedom" , national_anthem = , common_languages = Dutch English Papiamento , demonym = Netherlands Antillean , capital = Willemstad , year_start = 1954 , year_end = 2010 , date_start = 15 December , ...

to a Surinamese father and a Curaçaoan mother, moving to Suriname at age 23 where she met Kenneth. Their first son Renato, and their daughter Natascia were born in Suriname, before the family relocated to Amsterdam, Netherlands in 1970, where Patrick Kluivert was born six years later. Their youngest son Patrick, was recruited to the Ajax Youth Academy at age 5 where he progressed through the ranks, becoming one of the most successful players in Dutch football history, finishing his playing career as top scorer of the Netherlands national team. Patrick's son, Kluivert's grandson, Justin is also a graduate of the Ajax Youth Academy and was also capped by the national team.

Career statistics

International goals

:''Scores and results list Suriname' goal tally first.''

Honours

S.V. Robinhood *

Hoofdklasse The Vierde Divisie, formerly known as Hoofdklasse () is the second-highest league of amateur football in the Netherlands, and the fifth tier in general. Background The league is divided into two sections: Saturday and Sunday. This is a result of ...

: 1961, 1964

References

{{DEFAULTSORT:Kluivert, Kenneth Living people 1941 births Surinamese men's footballers Suriname men's international footballers SVB Eerste Divisie players S.V. Robinhood players Surinamese expatriate men's footballers Expatriate men's footballers in the Netherlands Surinamese emigrants to the Netherlands Men's association football wingers Kenneth