Robin van Persie admitted he was left “heartbroken” after watching his son, Shaqueel van Persie, suffer a worrying knee injury during Feyenoord’s UEFA Europa League clash against Real Betis.
The former Netherlands striker and current Feyenoord manager cut a distraught figure on the touchline as his 19-year-old son was forced off the pitch shortly after making a decisive impact on the match.
Shaqueel, who is eligible to represent multiple nations through his Dutch father and Moroccan mother, had been introduced in the 73rd minute and made an immediate impression by providing the assist for Casper Tengstedt’s goal.
However, his promising cameo took a painful turn just ten minutes later when he landed awkwardly on his right leg. The teenager’s knee appeared to hyperextend, leaving him in visible agony as medical staff rushed to his aid before carrying him off on a stretcher.
Van Persie senior left the technical area to check on his son as he was brought to the sideline, a moment that underlined the emotional weight of the incident.
Speaking after the match, he offered an early and sobering assessment of the situation. “It’s not looking good,” he told Ziggo Sport. “We still need tests to know exactly how serious it is, but the first signs are not positive.”
The former Arsenal and Manchester United forward acknowledged how difficult it was to process the incident in his dual role as coach and father.
“You always hold your breath when a player goes down like that,” he said. “Today it was Shaqueel. You hope for the best, but when you hear the initial feedback and it’s not good, it’s heartbreaking.”
Shaqueel’s injury comes at a cruel moment in what has been a breakthrough season. He made his senior debut for Feyenoord earlier this campaign and recently captured headlines with a stunning brace against Sparta Rotterdam, scoring a backheel and a bicycle kick within two remarkable minutes in a 4-3 defeat.
Van Persie admitted his instincts took over on the touchline. “I’m a coach, but I’m also his father,” he said. “In moments like this, that’s overwhelming. It’s terrible to see your child go through something like this.”
Feyenoord are now awaiting scan results, with hopes that the damage is not as severe as first feared.
