Black History Month: Patrick the great

Photo by Mark Sandten/Bongarts/Getty ImagesWhen you think about some of the best players in the game in the 1990s and 2000s, one guy that has to be included in the conversation is Patrick Kluivert. Kluivert dominated the game for the better part of a decade, becoming one of the most feared strikers in the world in the air.

Born in Amsterdam to a father from Suriname (Kenneth Kluivert, who played professional soccer) and a mother from Curaçao, Kluivert grew up playing street soccer and quickly caught the eye of Ajax. He joined Ajax’s academy when he was just 7 years old. He played a bunch of positions in his youth, including defender, and the versatility he possessed was cultivated by his…