Another graduate of Ajax's world famous youth system, de Cler is a surprise name in Marco van Basten's squad for Germany 2006. The 27-year-old did not make his senior international debut until August 2005 and won just one more cap before the 23-man party for the World Cup was announced. The defender broke into the Ajax first team in 1998 but struggled to hold down a regular place and was eventually sold to AZ Alkmaar in August 2002, after failing to impress during a trial spell at West Bromwich Albion. His career has gone from strength to strength with AZ and he has been a key figure in establishing the club as a real force in Dutch football.