Tim de Cler
A dependable left-back who anchored defenses for multiple Dutch giants, winning league titles with both Ajax and AZ.
Born 1978 (age 48)·Dutch footballer·Birthday: November 8·Generation X
Biography
Tim de Cler emerged from the famed Ajax academy, but his professional path was one of steady, unflashy excellence rather than superstardom. He made his name at AZ Alkmaar, where his consistent performances at left-back were a cornerstone of the team's rise. His career is defined by pivotal moves between the Netherlands' biggest clubs: he secured an Eredivisie title with Ajax in 2004, then returned to AZ to be part of their historic 2009 championship-winning squad under Louis van Gaal. A later stint at Feyenoord added another chapter to his tour of the country's football powerhouses. De Cler was never the most celebrated name on the team sheet, but managers valued his tactical intelligence, reliability, and fierce competitiveness, making him a fixture in the Dutch top flight for over a decade.
Generation X
1965–1980
The latchkey kids. Raised during divorce, recession, and the end of the Cold War. Skeptical, self-reliant, media-literate. They invented indie culture, grunge, and the early internet — then watched the Boomers take credit.
Tim was born in 1978, placing them squarely in the Generation X. The events that shaped this generation — economic uncertainty, the end of the Cold War, and the rise of personal computing — shaped the world they entered and the choices available to them.
#1 When Tim Was Born
The biggest hits of 1978
#1 Movie
Grease
Best Picture
The Deer Hunter
#1 TV Show
Laverne & Shirley
Tim's Life & Times
The world at every milestone
1978Born
First test-tube baby born
Gas: $0.63/galHome: $35,300Min wage: $2.65/hrPresident: Jimmy Carter"Shadow Dancing" — Andy GibbBest Picture: The Deer Hunter
1983Started school
Internet adopts TCP/IP, creating the modern internet
Gas: $1.16/galHome: $57,700Min wage: $3.35/hrPresident: Ronald Reagan"Every Breath You Take" — The PoliceBest Picture: Terms of Endearment
1991Became a teenager
Soviet Union dissolves; World Wide Web goes public
Gas: $1.14/galHome: $82,400Min wage: $4.25/hrPresident: George H.W. Bush"(Everything I Do) I Do It for You" — Bryan AdamsBest Picture: The Silence of the Lambs
1994Could drive
Nelson Mandela elected president of South Africa
Gas: $1.11/galHome: $90,400Min wage: $4.25/hrPresident: Bill Clinton"The Sign" — Ace of BaseBest Picture: Forrest Gump
1996Could vote
Dolly the sheep cloned
Gas: $1.23/galHome: $99,700Min wage: $4.75/hrPresident: Bill Clinton"Macarena" — Los del RioBest Picture: The English Patient
1999Turned 21
Columbine shooting; Y2K panic builds
Gas: $1.17/galHome: $113,900Min wage: $5.15/hrPresident: Bill Clinton"Believe" — CherBest Picture: American Beauty
2008Turned 30
Barack Obama elected first Black US president; financial crisis
Gas: $3.27/galHome: $153,100Min wage: $6.55/hrPresident: George W. Bush"Low" — Flo RidaBest Picture: Slumdog Millionaire
2018Turned 40
Royal wedding of Harry and Meghan; Parkland shooting
Gas: $2.72/galHome: $211,800Min wage: $7.25/hrPresident: Donald Trump"God's Plan" — DrakeBest Picture: Green Book
2026Age 48 today
Gas: $3.91/galPresident: Donald Trump
Key Achievements
- Won the Eredivisie title with Ajax in the 2003-04 season.
- Secured a second Eredivisie championship as a key defender for AZ Alkmaar in 2008-09.
- Earned over 200 appearances for AZ across two separate spells with the club.
- Represented the Netherlands at the U-21 level before earning two full senior international caps.
Did You Know?
He is the son of former Dutch footballer Jan de Cler.
His transfer from AZ to Feyenoord in 2010 was part of a rare direct swap deal with teammate Ron Vlaar moving the opposite way.
After retiring, he worked as a youth coach and team manager back at AZ Alkmaar.
“A good defender does his job so quietly the crowd forgets he's there.”
