SOCCER PLAYERS from Suriname

Top 10

The following people are considered by Pantheon to be the top 10 most legendary Surinamer Soccer Players of all time. This list of famous Surinamer Soccer Players is sorted by HPI (Historical Popularity Index), a metric that aggregates information on a biography’s online popularity. Visit the rankings page to view the entire list of Surinamer Soccer Players.

1. Edgar Davids (1973 - )

With an HPI of 60.55, Edgar Davids is the most famous Surinamer Soccer Player.  His biography has been translated into 53 different languages on wikipedia.

Edgar Steven Davids (Dutch pronunciation: [ˈɛdɡɑr ˈdaːvɪts] ; born 13 March 1973) is a Dutch former professional footballer. After beginning his career with Ajax, winning several domestic and international titles, he subsequently played in Italy for AC Milan, and later enjoyed a successful spell with Juventus, before being loaned out to Barcelona in 2004. He went on to play for Inter Milan and Tottenham Hotspur before returning to Ajax. Having struggled with injuries for two years, Davids returned to competitive football during a brief spell with Crystal Palace before retiring at the age of 37. In 2012, he was appointed player-manager at the English League Two club Barnet. He resigned by mutual agreement as manager in January 2014. He was capped 74 times by the Netherlands at international level, scoring six goals, and represented his country at the FIFA World Cup (once) and the UEFA European Championship (three times). One of the greatest and most recognisable players of his generation, Davids often stood out on the football field due to his dreadlocked hair and the protective goggles he wore due to glaucoma. A combative and energetic, yet creative and skilful midfielder, Davids was nicknamed "The Pitbull" by Louis van Gaal because of his marking ability, aggression, and hard tackling style of play. In 2004, he was one of the players chosen by Pelé to feature in the FIFA 100, his list of the world's greatest living footballers.

2. Clarence Seedorf (1976 - )

With an HPI of 59.94, Clarence Seedorf is the 2nd most famous Surinamer Soccer Player.  His biography has been translated into 59 different languages.

Clarence Clyde Seedorf (Dutch pronunciation: [ˈklɛrəns ˈseːdɔr(ə)f] ; born 1 April 1976) is a Dutch professional football manager and former player. He is regarded by many as one of the greatest midfielders of all time. Seedorf is considered one of the most successful players in UEFA Champions League history, as he is the only player to have won the Champions League with three different clubs — once with Ajax in 1995, once with Real Madrid in 1998, and twice with AC Milan in 2003 and 2007. At international level, he represented the Netherlands on 87 occasions, and took part in three UEFA European Football Championships (1996, 2000, 2004) and the 1998 FIFA World Cup, reaching the semi-finals of the latter three tournaments. In 2004, he was chosen by Pelé as part of the FIFA 100. Seedorf is one of the most decorated Dutch players ever, and has won domestic and continental titles while playing for clubs in the Netherlands, Spain, Italy and Brazil.

3. Aron Winter (1967 - )

With an HPI of 51.44, Aron Winter is the 3rd most famous Surinamer Soccer Player.  His biography has been translated into 36 different languages.

Aron Winter (born 1 March 1967) is a Dutch former professional football midfielder and manager for Suriname. He has played for Ajax and Sparta Rotterdam in the Netherlands, for Italian sides Lazio and Inter Milan. Born in Suriname, he played for the Netherlands national team.

4. Jimmy Floyd Hasselbaink (1972 - )

With an HPI of 46.22, Jimmy Floyd Hasselbaink is the 4th most famous Surinamer Soccer Player.  His biography has been translated into 43 different languages.

Jerrel Floyd "Jimmy" Hasselbaink ( HASS-əl-bank; born 27 March 1972) is a Dutch professional football manager and former player. He is an assistant coach for the England national team. Born in Suriname, he and his family would later move to the Dutch city of Zaandam where he began playing football, initially as a goalkeeper, later transitioning to the role of a right winger and finally a forward. He began his senior career with Telstar and AZ Alkmaar, before leaving the Netherlands for Portuguese club Campomaiorense in August 1995. He joined Boavista the following year and won the Taça de Portugal with the club in 1997. He was signed by English side Leeds United for a £2 million fee prior to the 1997–98 season, where he established himself as a prolific goalscorer and went on to win the Premier League Golden Boot award in 1999. He was sold on to Spanish club Atlético Madrid for £10 million the same year, reaching the final of the Copa del Rey despite the club also suffering relegation from La Liga. Hasselbaink returned to the Premier League with Chelsea for a club record £15 million fee in May 2000, where he once again led the league in scoring during his first season, earning him a second Premier League Golden Boot. He also played in the 2002 FA Cup Final and helped Chelsea to a career high and then club record second-place Premier League finish in 2003–04. He moved to Middlesbrough on a free transfer in July 2004 and played in the final of the UEFA Cup in 2006. After being released at the end of the previous season, he signed with Charlton Athletic in July 2006, before joining Cardiff City in August 2007. He played on the losing side in the 2008 FA Cup Final before retiring from play at the end of the season. He also scored nine goals in 23 matches during a four-year international career for the Netherlands national team, appearing at the 1998 FIFA World Cup. In May 2013, he was appointed manager of Royal Antwerp in the Belgian Second Division, where he stayed for one season. In November 2014, he was hired by Burton Albion in England, and in his first season he led them to their first ever promotion to League One as champions of League Two. In December 2015, he was appointed manager of Queens Park Rangers in the Championship. He lasted 11 months in the job until he was dismissed in November 2016. From September 2017 to April 2018, he managed League One club Northampton Town. On New Year's Day 2021, he returned to Burton Albion as manager for a second spell, where he remained until he resigned in September 2022.

5. Henny Meijer (1962 - )

With an HPI of 44.71, Henny Meijer is the 5th most famous Surinamer Soccer Player.  His biography has been translated into 44 different languages.

Henny Ingemar Meijer (born 17 February 1962) is a Dutch former footballer who played as a forward. Meijer was born in Paramaribo, Suriname. He is known for scoring the first ever J1 League goal in the 19th minute of a game against Yokohama Marinos on 15 May 1993.

6. Stanley Menzo (1963 - )

With an HPI of 43.69, Stanley Menzo is the 6th most famous Surinamer Soccer Player.  His biography has been translated into 17 different languages.

Stanley Purl Menzo (born 15 October 1963) is a Dutch former professional footballer who played as a goalkeeper, and is the current manager of the Suriname national team. He previously worked as a manager of AGOVV, AFC, Volendam, Cambuur, Lierse, Ajax Cape Town, Aruba and Beijing Guoan. Most of his professional career was spent at Ajax (ten full seasons), appearing in more than 300 official matches with the club and winning nine major titles. Menzo represented the Netherlands national team in one World Cup and one European Championship.

7. Edson Braafheid (1983 - )

With an HPI of 40.00, Edson Braafheid is the 7th most famous Surinamer Soccer Player.  His biography has been translated into 41 different languages.

Edson René Braafheid (born 8 April 1983) is a former Dutch footballer who currently works as a player representative at the Tevreden Group. Braafheid started his career as a defender with Eredivisie side Utrecht in 2003, before moving on to FC Twente in 2007 on a free transfer. He was signed by German Bundesliga club Bayern Munich in 2009 for €2 million. After failing to break into the team during the first half of the season Braafheid moved on loan to Scottish Premier League club Celtic, in order to increase his chances of playing in the 2010 FIFA World Cup with Holland. After a few appearances at the start of the 2011–12 season for Bayern, Braafheid moved to fellow Bundesliga club Hoffenheim. Braafheid has played for the U-21 and full Netherlands team. Braafheid was called up to the Netherlands squad for the 2008 Summer Olympics, however, due to Twente's European matches early in the season he couldn't go. He was also called up to the squad for the 2010 World Cup and made a substitute appearance in the final.

8. Henk Fraser (1966 - )

With an HPI of 39.52, Henk Fraser is the 8th most famous Surinamer Soccer Player.  His biography has been translated into 18 different languages.

Hendrikus "Henk" Fraser (born 7 July 1966) is a Dutch football coach and former player is the manager of RKC Waalwijk. He played as a defender for various Dutch teams. Born in Suriname, he earned seven caps for the Netherlands national team in which he scored one goal. He was a member of the Dutch team at the 1990 FIFA World Cup in Italy under coach Leo Beenhakker. He made his debut for the Netherlands on 6 September 1989, in a friendly against Denmark (2–2).

9. Ulrich van Gobbel (1971 - )

With an HPI of 38.06, Ulrich van Gobbel is the 9th most famous Surinamer Soccer Player.  His biography has been translated into 19 different languages.

Ulrich van Gobbel (born 16 January 1971) is a Dutch Surinamese football coach and a former player who played as a defender for Feyenoord (where he had two spells), Galatasaray and Southampton. He works as a coach with the Under-19 squad of Feyenoord.

10. Romeo Castelen (1983 - )

With an HPI of 35.65, Romeo Castelen is the 10th most famous Surinamer Soccer Player.  His biography has been translated into 27 different languages.

Romeo Erwan Marius Castelen (born 3 May 1983) is a Dutch former footballer who played as a right winger.