EXCLUSIVE — Clarence Seedorf believes the next step for Canadian soccer is to produce players that "mark their name in the history books" as he teams up with UFC icon Khabib Nurmagomedov to set up a grassroots school.
Canada's national team has enjoyed a remarkable resurgence over the last half-decade, having reached the semifinals of the 2019 Gold Cup before qualifying for the 2022 World Cup, ending a 26-year absence from football's biggest stage.
Propelling them to the big time has been a pair of players cutting it in Europe, with striker Jonathan David starring in Belgium and France, while star man Alphonso Davies has taken the Bundesliga and Champions League by storm. 'Phonzie' has already racked up 13 trophies with Bayern Munich, at the age of just 22.
Though Canada failed to gain a point at the World Cup, they did enjoy promising spells against the elite Belgium and eventual semifinalists Morocco, holding their own in narrow losses. Seedorf, who enjoyed a stellar upbringing in the famed Ajax academy, was suitably impressed but now wants to see more.
One of the most gifted midfielders of his era, Seedorf told The Sporting News: "From a professional standpoint, there's some good talent coming out of Canada. It didn't really happen until now — they didn't have a generation of talent above the average.
"To make it sustainable over time, there's a lot of work to do on the grassroots level. That's where you set the basis for the professional level — those first six years, eight years.
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"If you look at those players who reached the high level in Europe, there are only a few. There is not yet the level that we can say they will mark their name in the history books. For Canada, yes, but the ambition should be more than that over time.
"Canada showed they need to be respected at the World Cup. They performed well. But again, it can't just be a generational thing, where you have the momentum and then go back to zero."
The Real Madrid and AC Milan great believes he can be a key contributor towards that, in launching SK Performance Club — a soccer school in Toronto. He continued: "It's been almost 25 years now that I've been involved in youth development programs in my home country. This time we decided to do something more substantial in terms of global approach.
"[Football in Canada is] a fast-growing interest of the younger generation. The World Cup is coming… There were so many reasons to start looking into this market. I'm very happy with what I'm seeing in the overall interest in the sport in Canada."
North America is of course widely acknowledged to be behind Europe, Africa and South America in its journey of youth development, given the relatively recent rise in popularity of the game there, as well as competition with the four major US leagues in dominating the dreams of children across the continent.
Seedorf is taking a back-to-basics approach with his schooling, focusing on performances, rather than results, at an early stage. The 87-time Netherlands international explained: "All the fundamentals that are needed to become a professional football player are the same.
"I had to go through those fundamentals — the coordination, the technique, the physical aspect. To get the best out of yourself, you need to put in everything you have. We know a very small percentage will make it to a professional level, but what we can give is a fair opportunity for everyone to improve themselves fully.
"Those who are more advanced can receive a more tailored and specific program. Those who are a bit behind get the time, with a personalised approach. By playing matches every week, winning 10-0 or 4-0, what is the progress? Monitoring improvement on a personal level, that can then translate into matches."
One aspect of Seedorf's project that is far from normal is his partnership with Khabib. It takes a special athlete to match the level of the only man ever to win the Champions League with three different clubs, but the UFC Hall of Famer can.
MORE: The case for Khabib as the MMA GOAT
An icon of mixed martial arts, Khabib retired with an undefeated record — stopping Conor McGregor, Dustin Poirier and Justin Gaethje within the distance as the final trio of his 29-0 career.
Seedorf revealed how the pair first linked up: "We had a lot of friends in common — they kept telling us, 'you guys need to meet, you have similar values'. I followed Khabib before, he followed me… I'm a bit older than him!
"I met him in Dubai, and we had an immediate connection. We started talking about life after the career, as he was about to stop his career. He's a crazy football fan — he knows more than me and 20 of my former colleagues put together about matches, who scored, which minute and all this stuff. He's very passionate."
That passion has seen Khabib suit up for charity games and spotted in various boxes at major stadiums, including Old Trafford — and now, he's used it to put a twist on Seedorf's school. The two-time Serie A champion said: "I told him to come and join forces.
"We have similar values, to have an impact on the kids sporting-wise but also as a person. It was an immediate 'yes'. I'm leading the project but he's always supporting.
"We have brought in martial arts in our methodology. We are building it up to focus a bit more on self-defence, coordination and the mental aspect. We will go slowly with the integration, but that is what we're going to do. We have agreements with the international MMA federation to provide us coaches, too.
"European football is very much known for the technical, the tactical, but we have many undisciplined players around, unfortunately. In fighting sports, that element of discipline is so important. That's why we love this mix — it hasn't been done yet."
But of the pair of sporting legends, who would fare best: Khabib on the pitch, or Seedorf in the octagon? "I would end up doing better, because you don't have a ball in between your legs to manage!" Seedorf boasted.
"It also has to do with thinking fast, fast decision-making, reading the opponent — we're pretty similar in that sense. The way I played football and the way he fought, we tried to anticipate. He didn't like to be beaten up, so he always thought fast and executed fast. Even if I had my physique, I would try to avoid physical duels. To avoid it, you need to anticipate and be fast on your feet, fast on your decision-making. But it would be probably me!"
Part two of The Sporting News' exclusive sitdown with Seedorf comes tomorrow, with Real Madrid new boy Jude Bellingham in the spotlight.