Jimmy Floyd Hasselbaink

Jerrel Floyd “Jimmy” Hasselbaink was born on March 27, 1972, in Paramaribo, Suriname. His family later relocated to Zaandam, Netherlands, where he began his football journey, initially as a goalkeeper before transitioning to a forward. His senior career commenced with Telstar and AZ Alkmaar in the Netherlands before a move to Portugal in 1995 with Campomaiorense, followed by Boavista. At Boavista, he won the Taça de Portugal in 1997, marking an early career milestone before moving to English football.

Hasselbaink’s career saw significant progression in the Premier League. He joined Leeds United in 1997 for £2 million, where he quickly became a prolific scorer, earning a shared Premier League Golden Boot in 1999. His scoring prowess led to a £10 million transfer to Atlético Madrid in 1999, where he continued to demonstrate his goal-scoring ability, finishing as the league’s second-highest scorer despite the club’s relegation. He made a notable return to the Premier League with Chelsea in 2000 for a club-record £15 million fee. During his time at Chelsea, he secured another Premier League Golden Boot in 2001, scored 69 goals in 136 appearances, and helped the club to a second-place league finish in the 2003–04 season and an FA Cup Final appearance in 2002. Later spells included Middlesbrough, Charlton Athletic, and Cardiff City, where he played in the 2006 UEFA Cup Final and 2008 FA Cup Final, respectively.

After retiring as a player in 2008, Hasselbaink transitioned into management. He managed Royal Antwerp in the Belgian Second Division in 2013-2014. His return to England saw him take charge of Burton Albion in League Two in 2014, leading them to their first-ever promotion to League One as champions in his first season. He then managed Queens Park Rangers in the Championship (2015-2016) and Northampton Town in League One (2017-2018). In 2021, he returned to Burton Albion for a second managerial spell, remaining until 2022. From 2023 to 2024, Hasselbaink served as assistant coach for the England national team. He was recently announced as a contestant on “Strictly Come Dancing” in August 2025, embarking on a new challenge outside football.