Robin van Persie has opened up about his decision to hand his 19-year-old son, Shaqueel van Persie, his first senior appearance for Feyenoord — insisting it was a tactical call, not an emotional one.
Shaqueel, who previously spent two years in Manchester City’s academy before joining Feyenoord in 2017, signed his first professional deal in 2022. Earlier this week, he earned his initial call-up to the first-team squad during the Eredivisie defeat to NEC Nijmegen.
Just days later, he made his senior debut, stepping onto the pitch in the 81st minute during Feyenoord’s Europa League clash against Celtic.
“I made that call as a coach, not as a dad,” Van Persie stressed. “We needed a goal, and Shaqueel is someone who can create danger from different angles.”
He entered the game with his side trailing 2-1, but Celtic struck again moments later, sealing a difficult night for the Dutch team. Shaqueel managed just one attempt in the box during his short cameo.
A Proud Moment, but All Business on the Pitch
While the debut meant a great deal to Van Persie personally, he insisted that professionalism came first.
“From a father’s point of view, it’s a special moment,” he said. “But during the match, I was focused on my job — and so was he.”
Van Persie added that Shaqueel has earned his chance through hard work over the years, and the two agreed long ago to maintain a professional dynamic when working together.
“When we get home, of course we’ll enjoy the moment,” Van Persie said. “I’m proud of him — like I would be for any player who reaches this stage after so much effort.”
The father-son debut story isn’t new in football, but it remains a rare and emotional milestone. BBC Sport also highlighted several other famous father-son pairs who played under each other, including Johan and Jordi Cruyff, Harry and Jamie Redknapp, Zinedine and Enzo/Luca Zidane, Alex and Darren Ferguson, Diego and Giuliano Simeone, and Danny and Daley Blind.
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