Biography
Who is Jimmy Floyd Hasselbaink?
Early life and background
Jimmy Floyd Hasselbaink: Born in Paramaribo, Suriname, on March 27, 1972, he was the youngest of six children. His parents were Frank Ware and Cornelli Hasselbaink. When he was five, he suffered a broken right leg after being hit by a moped. In 1978, his mother took him and three of his siblings to live in the Dutch city of Zaandam. His father stayed behind in Suriname. Growing up in a large apartment block, he witnessed many difficult situations.
He began playing youth football at Gestaagt Volharding Overwint in 1979 as a goalkeeper. Later, he played as a right winger for ZFC and Zaanlandia. At age 16, he joined a street gang and began carrying a knife. This path led to serious trouble. While trying to steal tickets for a Public Enemy concert in Amsterdam, he and his gang were caught. Police found stolen goods in his room, leading to a three month sentence in a youth detention center. He shared a cell with three others and later reflected that the experience was the shock he needed to change his life. After his release, he joined DWS but was dismissed for stealing a watch from a teammate.
Professional football career
He launched his senior football career at Telstar. He struggled with punctuality and was dismissed by coach Niels Overweg. He then trained with AZ Alkmaar alongside his brother Carlos and secured a professional contract. After leaving AZ, he had a trial with FC Eindhoven and trained with HFC Haarlem before playing amateur football for Neerlandia. He eventually moved to Portugal to play for Campomaiorense in 1995. It was here that he became known as Jimmy after a club chairman told the press he had signed a player by that name. He later joined Boavista and helped them win the Taça de Portugal in 1997.
His success in Portugal earned him a transfer to Leeds United for a 2 million pound fee. He thrived in England, winning the Premier League Golden Boot in 1999. Following this, he joined Atlético Madrid for 10 million pounds. He scored many goals in Spain, including in the Madrid Derby, although the club suffered relegation. He returned to England in 2000, signing for Chelsea for a record 15 million pounds. He won a second Golden Boot there. Later, he played for Middlesbrough, helping them reach the 2006 UEFA Cup final, and finished his playing career at Cardiff City in 2008.
Management and retirement
After retiring as a player, he transitioned into management. In May 2013, he became the manager of Royal Antwerp in the Belgian Second Division. He stayed there for one season before moving to English club Burton Albion in 2014. Under his leadership, the team achieved their first promotion to League One as League Two champions. This success led to an appointment at Queens Park Rangers in the Championship in December 2015. He managed the team for 11 months before leaving in 2016.
He later managed Northampton Town from 2017 to 2018. In 2021, he returned to Burton Albion for a second stint as manager, which lasted until he resigned in 2022.
Birthday and age
Jimmy Floyd Hasselbaink was born on March 27, 1972, which makes Jimmy 54 years old today. That birthday falls under the Aries sign. Jimmy shares the date with 43 other famous people.
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