Alex MacQuoid
Robin van Persie emphasizes professionalism in son’s debut
Shaqueel van Persie made his senior debut for Feyenoord in their Europa League loss to Celtic, a moment his father and manager, Robin van Persie, insists was purely a coaching decision.
The 19-year-old forward, who joined Feyenoord in 2017 after stints at Manchester City’s academy, signed his first professional contract with the Dutch club in 2022. His debut came four days after being named in the first-team squad for an Eredivisie defeat by NEC Nijmegen.
Shaqueel entered the pitch in the 81st minute of Feyenoord’s 3-1 loss to Celtic. Robin van Persie explained his decision post-match: “I made that call as a coach, not as a dad because we needed a goal. Shaqueel is a player who can score from all angles. That was the reason I brought him on.”
Despite the sentimental occasion, Robin maintained a professional stance: “From a father’s point of view, it’s a special moment. But I wasn’t busy enjoying that moment; I was doing my work as if Shaqueel was any other player.”
Shaqueel had little impact, registering just one shot before Celtic scored their third goal a minute after his introduction.
Robin further emphasized their professional relationship: “I see Shaqueel as one of the players. We agreed on this a couple of years ago when we started working together. He handles it well, and so do I.”
The van Persies plan to celebrate privately later. “We will have a nice moment when we are home, proud of each other. He worked hard and deserved this debut,” Robin added.
Read also: Ramiz Zerrouki Returns to FC Twente on Loan from Feyenoord
Other notable father-son duos in football
The van Persies are not the first father-son duo to make headlines in football. Here are some other notable examples:
- Johan Cruyff and his son Jordi, who played for Barcelona during Johan’s tenure as manager.
- Harry Redknapp managed his son Jamie at Bournemouth and Southampton.
- Steve Bruce managed his son Alex at Birmingham and Hull.
- Zinedine Zidane gave his sons Enzo and Luca their debuts at Real Madrid.
- Sir Alex Ferguson managed his son Darren at Manchester United.
- Diego Simeone has frequently featured his son Giuliano at Atletico Madrid.
- Daley Blind played under his father Danny for the Netherlands national team.