Robin van Persie’s son debuts – there’s an eerie similarity

ROTTERDAM, Netherlands – Shaqueel van Persie made his Eredivisie debut for Feyenoord under his father and head coach, Robin van Persie, coming off the bench in a 2-1 victory over Telstar on Sunday. The 19-year-old, who signed his first professional deal in 2023, had previously appeared in European competition but featured for the first time in the Dutch top flight.

Shaqueel replaced a forward late in the second half as Feyenoord secured the win, adding another milestone to his development. His appearance comes after steady progression through the Feyenoord academy system, where he was coached by his father at the youth level before earning promotion to the senior squad.

“I’m a technical striker who likes to drop deep and link play. It’s up to me to show my qualities,” Shaqueel told reporters. The teenager’s profile has drawn natural comparisons with Robin, who scored 144 Premier League goals for Arsenal and Manchester United and is regarded as one of the most prolific Dutch forwards of his generation.

Shaqueel also earned a yellow card for kicking the ball away from Telstar goalkeeper Ronald Koeman Jr., himself the son of former Netherlands international and current national team manager Ronald Koeman. “Normally I’m not into that, but it had to be done,” he said.

The forward said working under his father has been a seamless transition after years together in the youth setup. “I’ve already worked with him for two years in the academy. We’re used to this, and my teammates are too,” he said. “He treats me the same as every other player, and that’s how it should be.”

Shaqueel joined Feyenoord’s youth system at an early age, following the same pathway his father took before launching a celebrated career abroad. His emergence adds another layer to Feyenoord’s strategy of promoting academy talent following recent investments in player development.

The debut marks a significant step in Shaqueel’s progression as he begins to compete for regular minutes at the first-team level. For Feyenoord, his introduction represents both continuity and long-term planning as the club looks to build on a strong domestic campaign.