View source for Tim de Cler

{{short description|Dutch footballer (born 1978)}}
{{lead too short|date=June 2013}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=May 2022}}
{{Infobox football biography
| name           = Tim de Cler
| image          = Tim de Cler 001.jpg
| caption        = De Cler in 2007
| full_name      = Tim de Cler<ref>{{cite web |url=https://www.fifadata.com/document/fwc/2006/PDF/FWC_2006_SquadLists.pdf |title=2006 FIFA World Cup Germany: List of Players: Netherlands |publisher=FIFA |page=19 |date=21 March 2014 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190610174527/https://www.fifadata.com/document/fwc/2006/PDF/FWC_2006_SquadLists.pdf |archive-date=10 June 2019}}</ref>
| birth_date     = {{birth date and age|1978|11|8|df=y}}
| birth_place    = [[Leiden]], Netherlands
| height         = 1.79 m
| position       = [[Left-back]]
| currentclub    = 
| youthyears1    =
| youthclubs1    = Lugdunum
| youthyears2    =
| youthclubs2    = [[AFC Ajax|Ajax]]
| years1         = 1997–2002
| clubs1         = [[AFC Ajax|Ajax]]
| caps1          = 75
| goals1         = 2
| years2         = 2002–2007
| clubs2         = [[AZ Alkmaar|AZ]]
| caps2          = 157
| goals2         = 4
| years3         = 2007–2011
| clubs3         = [[Feyenoord]]
| caps3          = 87
| goals3         = 1
| years4         = 2011–2013
| clubs4         = [[AEK Larnaca FC|AEK Larnaca]]
| caps4          = 41
| goals4         = 0
| totalcaps      = 361
| totalgoals     = 8
| nationalyears1 = 2005–2008
| nationalteam1  = [[Netherlands national football team|Netherlands]]
| nationalcaps1  = 17
| nationalgoals1 = 0
}}
'''Tim de Cler''' (born 8 November 1978) is a Dutch former professional [[association football|footballer]] who played as a [[left-back]] for [[AFC Ajax|Ajax]], [[AZ Alkmaar|AZ]], [[Feyenoord]] and [[AEK Larnaca FC|AEK Larnaca]].

==Early life==
De Cler is born and raised in [[Leiden]], [[South Holland]]. In Leiden, he grew up in a neighbourhood with 15–20 boys around the same age. Together with his brother Henk, he was found on the streets playing football constantly.{{citation needed|date=April 2021}}

==Club career==
===Lugdunum===
At age six, De Cler joined his first football team, amateur side Lugdunum. There he played as a centre-back until age 12. [[AFC Ajax|Ajax]] showed interest in him and, despite him supporting [[Feyenoord]], joined their rival's world-famous youth academy.<ref name="bio">[http://www.feyenoord.nl/pages/datapresenter/s2/playerinfo.aspx?dataid=10010000030649 Tim de Cler spelers info] {{webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20070821043029/http://www.feyenoord.nl/pages/datapresenter/s2/playerinfo.aspx?dataid=10010000030649 |date=21 August 2007 }}, feyenoord.nl</ref>

===Ajax===
At Ajax, De Cler played at first as a left winger, but eventually he was positioned as a left-back when he reached the A-level in youth football.<ref name="bio"/> He was offered his first professional contract and joined Ajax's second team. Occasionally, he was added to the first team squad to train with the elite at the club.{{citation needed|date=April 2021}}

On 23 April 1998, De Cler made his professional debut in a 6–1 home win over [[Willem II (football club)|Willem II]]. Two days later, he played another match with the second team and he broke his [[tibia]], which sidelined him for four months.<ref name="bio"/> That season, Ajax won both the [[Eredivisie]] and the [[KNVB Cup]], and although these were De Cler's first official trophies, there were mixed feelings due to his injury.<ref name="bio"/> Once he was declared fit again, his tibia was struck by a ball and he was sidelined for another four months. He rejoined the Ajax first team squad after he was declared fit for the second time.<ref name="bio"/> The [[1998–99 KNVB Cup|KNVB Cup won by Ajax in 1999]] offered him much more joy than the title won [[1997–98 KNVB Cup|the year prior]].{{citation needed|date=April 2021}}

During his time at Ajax, De Cler had tough competition from fellow defenders [[Cristian Chivu]], [[John O'Brien (soccer)|John O'Brien]] and [[Maxwell (footballer, born 1981)|Maxwell]], but nonetheless managed to play many matches. In his final year at the club, he won both the [[1999–2000 Eredivisie|Eredivisie]] and the [[1999–2000 KNVB Cup|KNVB Cup]] for the second and third time respectively.{{citation needed|date=April 2021}}

===AZ===
De Cler left Ajax in the summer of 2002 to join [[AZ Alkmaar|AZ]], at the time a mid-table club. In his [[2002–03 Eredivisie|first season]], AZ finished in the tenth position in the Eredivisie, however prospects changed when [[Co Adriaanse]] was appointed the side's manager in 2003.<ref name="bio"/> Under Adriaanse, AZ nearly secured European football in his first season. It was the start of a unique period in which AZ found themselves improving among the three historical giant teams in the Netherlands and even in Europe; that is, Ajax, Feyenoord and [[PSV Eindhoven|PSV]]. In 2005, AZ unexpectedly reached the [[2004–05 UEFA Cup|UEFA Cup]] semi-finals, only to be beaten on away goals by [[Sporting CP]]. De Cler was also named to [[Marco van Basten]]'s squad for the [[2006 FIFA World Cup]]. During the World Cup, he played one match, the goalless draw against [[Argentina national football team|Argentina]].{{citation needed|date=April 2021}}

In his last year at AZ, during the [[2006–07 Eredivisie|2006–07 season]], AZ could claim the Eredivisie championship at the last matchday as they were equal on points with both Ajax and PSV. However, AZ had the superior goal difference and would have been the champions should all clubs stay equal on points. Where Ajax and PSV both won their final match of the season AZ lost theirs against [[S.B.V. Excelsior|Excelsior]] and finished in third position as a result. They also reached the final of the KNVB Cup, but were again denied the trophy as Ajax won the cup after a penalty shoot-out.{{citation needed|date=April 2021}}

===Feyenoord===
[[File:Tim de Cler 002.jpg|thumb|upright|De Cler with [[Feyenoord]] in 2007]]

After five years at AZ, De Cler felt it was time for a change. Both PSV and Feyenoord showed interest. His agent [[Rob Jansen]], who also works with [[Roy Makaay]] and [[Kevin Hofland]], made a unique effort to discuss the future of his players with them, each other and their future club Feyenoord to bring them all together at the club. Also [[Sigi Lens]] the agent of [[Giovanni van Bronckhorst]] was a part of the deal and when manager [[Bert van Marwijk]] signed his contract as the new Feyenoord manager, all these players were contracted within a few weeks time span.<ref name="bio"/><ref>[http://www.feyenoord-internet.nl/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=4816&Itemid=203 Het succes van Feyenoord], feyenoord-internet.nl</ref>

===AEK Larnaca===
Having parted company with Feyenoord, De Cler signed a two-year contract with the [[Cypriot First Division]] side [[AEK Larnaca FC|AEK Larnaca]] on 30 June 2011 following a suggestion from the club's head coach, [[Jordi Cruyff]].<ref>[http://www.feyenoord.nl/pages/newsdetail/s1/10010000038627-999-10010000000003.aspx De Cler vervolgt carrière op Cyprus], {{in lang|nl}} feyenoord-internet.nl</ref>

After finishing his professional career in 2013,<ref>[https://www.fr-fans.nl/nieuws/8544/tim-de-cler-stopt-definitief-met-voetballen Tim de Cler stopt definitief met voetballen] - {{in lang|nl}}</ref> De Cler returned to his youth club Lugdunum.<ref>[http://sleutelstad.nl/2017/04/23/lugdunum-viert-langverwacht-kampioensfeest/ Lugdunum viert langverwacht kampioensfeest] - Sleutelstad {{in lang|nl}}</ref>

==International career==
De Cler represented the [[Netherlands national football team|Netherlands national team]]. He had been a regular member of the Dutch national team since [[Marco van Basten]] took over as coach in August 2004 and was selected for the [[2006 FIFA World Cup]] and [[UEFA Euro 2008]].{{citation needed|date=April 2021}}

==Career statistics==
===Club===
{| class="wikitable" style="text-align:center"
|+ Appearances and goals by club, season and competition
|-
!rowspan="2"|Club
!rowspan="2"|Season
!colspan="3"|League
!colspan="2"|Cup
!colspan="2"|Continental
!colspan="2"|Total
|-
!Division!!Apps!!Goals!!Apps!!Goals!!Apps!!Goals!!Apps!!Goals
|-
|rowspan="6"|[[AFC Ajax|Ajax]]
|[[1997-98 Eredivisie|1997–98]]
|rowspan="5"|[[Eredivisie]]
|1||0||0||0||0||0||1||0
|-
|[[1998-99 Eredivisie|1998–99]]
|12||0||0||0||0||0||12||0
|-
|[[1999–2000 Eredivisie|1999–2000]]
|21||0||0||0||0||0||21||0
|-
|[[2000-01 Eredivisie|2000–01]]
|25||2||0||0||0||0||25||2
|-
|[[2001-02 Eredivisie|2001–02]]
|16||0||0||0||0||0||16||0
|-
!colspan="2"|Total
!75!!2!!0!!0!!0!!0!!75!!2
|-
|rowspan="6"|[[AZ Alkmaar|AZ]]
|[[2002-03 Eredivisie|2002–03]]
|rowspan="5"|Eredivisie
|30||2||0||0||0||0||30||2
|-
|[[2003-04 Eredivisie|2003–04]]
|33||0||0||0||0||0||33||0
|-
|[[2004-05 Eredivisie|2004–05]]
|32||1||0||0||12||0||44||1
|-
|[[2005-06 Eredivisie|2005–06]]
|30||0||0||0||7||0||37||0
|-
|[[2006-07 Eredivisie|2006–07]]
|32||1||0||0||11||0||43||1
|-
!colspan="2"|Total
!157!!4!!0!!0!!30!!0!!187!!4
|-
|rowspan="5"|[[Feyenoord]]
|[[2007-08 Eredivisie|2007–08]]
|rowspan="4"|Eredivisie
|32||1||0||0||0||0||32||1
|-
|[[2008-09 Eredivisie|2008–09]]
|19||0||2||0||5||0||26||0
|-
|[[2009-10 Eredivisie|2009–10]]
|7||0||3||0||0||0||10||0
|-
|[[2010-11 Eredivisie|2010–11]]
|29||0||1||0||2||0||32||0
|-
!colspan="2"|Total
!87!!1!!6!!0!!7!!0!!100!!1
|-
|rowspan="3"|[[AEK Larnaca FC|AEK Larnaca]]
|[[2011-12 Cypriot First Division|2011–12]]
|rowspan="2"|[[Cypriot First Division]]
|26||1||0||0||0||0||26||1
|-
|[[2012–13 Cypriot First Division|2012–13]]
|15||0||0||0||0||0||15||0
|-
!colspan="2"|Total
!41!!1!!0!!0!!0!!0!!41!!1
|-
!colspan="3"|Career total
!361!!8!!6!!0!!37!!0!!404!!8
|}

==Honours==
'''Ajax'''
*[[Eredivisie]]: [[1997–98 Eredivisie|1997–98]], [[2001–02 Eredivisie|2001–02]]{{citation needed|date=April 2021}}
*[[KNVB Cup]]: [[1998–99 KNVB Cup|1998–99]], [[2001–02 KNVB Cup|2001–02]]{{citation needed|date=April 2021}}

'''Feyenoord'''
*KNVB Cup: [[2007–08 KNVB Cup|2007–08]]<ref name=":0">{{Cite web |date=27 April 2008 |title=Feyenoord klopt Roda in bekerfinale |url=http://www.depers.nl/sport/196879/Feyenoord-wint-bekerfinale.html |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20080501150806/http://www.depers.nl/sport/196879/Feyenoord-wint-bekerfinale.html |archive-date=1 May 2008 |access-date=20 June 2017 |publisher=De Pers |language=nl}}</ref>

==References==
{{reflist}}

==External links==
{{Commons category}}
* {{NFT player}}
* [http://www.vi.nl/Spelers/Speler/Tim-de-Cler.htm Voetbal International – Tim de Cler] {{in lang|nl}}
* [https://web.archive.org/web/20070821043029/http://www.feyenoord.nl/pages/datapresenter/s2/playerinfo.aspx?dataid=10010000030649 Official Kevin Hofland Feyenoord.nl profile] {{in lang|nl}}
* {{FIFA player}}
* {{Wereld van Oranje}}

{{Navboxes
| title = Netherlands squads
| bg = #F1771D
| fg = white
| bordercolor = blue
| list1 = 
{{Netherlands squad 2006 FIFA World Cup}}
{{Netherlands squad UEFA Euro 2008}}
}}

{{DEFAULTSORT:Cler, Tim De}}
[[Category:1978 births]]
[[Category:Living people]]
[[Category:Footballers from Leiden]]
[[Category:Men's association football fullbacks]]
[[Category:Dutch men's footballers]]
[[Category:Netherlands men's international footballers]]
[[Category:2006 FIFA World Cup players]]
[[Category:UEFA Euro 2008 players]]
[[Category:AFC Ajax players]]
[[Category:AZ Alkmaar players]]
[[Category:Feyenoord players]]
[[Category:AEK Larnaca FC players]]
[[Category:Eredivisie players]]
[[Category:Cypriot First Division players]]
[[Category:Dutch expatriate men's footballers]]
[[Category:Dutch expatriate sportspeople in Cyprus]]
[[Category:Expatriate men's footballers in Cyprus]]