Robin van Persie facts for kids

Quick facts for kids
Robin van Persie

Van Persie with Fenerbahçe in 2016
Personal information
Full name	Robin van Persie
Date of birth	(1983-08-06) 6 August 1983 (age 42)
Place of birth	Rotterdam, Netherlands
Height	1.83 m (6 ft 0 in)
Position(s)	Striker
Team information
Current team	Feyenoord (head coach)
Youth career
1988–1999	Excelsior
1999–2001	Feyenoord
Senior career*
Years	Team	Apps	(Gls)
2001–2004	Feyenoord	61	(14)
2004–2012	Arsenal	194	(96)
2012–2015	Manchester United	86	(48)
2015–2018	Fenerbahçe	57	(25)
2018–2019	Feyenoord	37	(21)
Total		435	(204)
International career
2000	Netherlands U17	6	(0)
2001	Netherlands U19	6	(0)
2002–2005	Netherlands U21	12	(1)
2005–2017	Netherlands	102	(50)
Managerial career
2024–2025	Heerenveen
2025–	Feyenoord
Medal record Men's football Representing  Netherlands FIFA World Cup Runner-up 2010 South Africa Third 2014 Brazil
*Club domestic league appearances and goals

Robin van Persie is a famous Dutch football coach and former player. He was born on August 6, 1983. Many people think he was one of the best strikers of his time. He was known for his amazing skills, like controlling the ball and seeing the whole field.

Van Persie is also the top goal scorer for the Netherlands national team. He started his career as a winger at Feyenoord in 2001. He even won the UEFA Cup with them! Later, he moved to Arsenal in 2004. His manager, Arsène Wenger, helped him become a top striker.

He became Arsenal's captain and scored many goals. In 2012, he joined Manchester United. In his first season there, he helped them win the Premier League title. He also won the Premier League Golden Boot for scoring the most goals.

After playing for Manchester United, he moved to Fenerbahçe in Turkey. He later returned to his first club, Feyenoord, and helped them win the Dutch Cup. Robin van Persie played for the Netherlands national team over 100 times and scored 50 goals. He played in three FIFA World Cups and two UEFA European Championships. He helped the Netherlands reach the World Cup final in 2010 and finish third in 2014.

After retiring as a player, Van Persie became a coach. He is now the head coach of Feyenoord, starting in February 2025.

Playing Career Highlights

Starting at Feyenoord

Robin van Persie was born in Rotterdam, Netherlands. He joined the youth team of Excelsior when he was five. At 16, he moved to Feyenoord. He quickly joined the main team because of injuries to other players.

He played his first game for Feyenoord at age 17 in the 2001–02 season. He helped Feyenoord win the UEFA Cup final against Borussia Dortmund. After this, he was named the Dutch Football Talent of the Year.

He signed a professional contract with Feyenoord. However, he had some disagreements with his manager, Bert van Marwijk. This led to him playing less. Feyenoord tried to extend his contract, but they couldn't agree.

Time at Arsenal

On May 17, 2004, Van Persie joined Arsenal in England. Arsenal's manager, Arsène Wenger, wanted to turn him from a winger into a central striker. This is what he had done successfully with Thierry Henry.

Van Persie won his first trophy with Arsenal right away. He came on as a substitute in the FA Community Shield game against Manchester United, which Arsenal won 3–1. He scored his first goal for Arsenal in a League Cup match against Manchester City.

After Dennis Bergkamp retired, Van Persie often played alongside Thierry Henry in the Arsenal attack.

In the 2005–06 season, Van Persie played very well. He won the Premier League Player of the Month award in November 2005. He signed a new contract with Arsenal until 2011. However, he got injured again with a broken toe. He was also an unused substitute in Arsenal's first Champions League final, which they lost to Barcelona.

In the 2006–07 season, he scored an amazing goal against Charlton Athletic. His manager called it "the goal of a lifetime." He was also named the Rotterdam Sportsman of the Year. But his season ended early due to a foot injury. Even with injuries, he was Arsenal's top scorer with 13 goals.

Van Persie playing for Arsenal in 2007.

After Thierry Henry left in 2007, Van Persie became Arsenal's main striker. He scored seven goals in ten games but then got a knee injury while playing for his country. He returned to play but faced more injuries throughout the season.

In the 2008–09 season, Van Persie scored his 50th goal for Arsenal against Tottenham. He also scored two goals against Chelsea to help Arsenal win 2–1. He captained Arsenal for the first time in an FA Cup match in January 2009.

He had his best season for Arsenal in 2008–09, scoring 11 league goals and providing 11 assists. He scored 20 goals in all competitions. He was named Arsenal's Player of the Season.

Van Persie taking a penalty kick in 2009.

In 2009, Van Persie signed a new long-term contract with Arsenal. He said his heart was with the club. He became the main striker in Arsenal's 4–3–3 formation. He started the 2009–10 season with two assists in a 6–1 win against Everton. He won the Premier League Player of the Month award in October. However, he suffered a serious ankle injury in November and was out for five months.

Van Persie with Arsenal in 2010.

Before the 2010–11 season, Van Persie changed his shirt number to 10, which was worn by Dennis Bergkamp. He made his 200th appearance for Arsenal but got another ankle injury. He returned in November.

In January 2011, he scored his first goal of the season. He scored his first hat-trick (three goals in one game) against Wigan Athletic. He also scored two goals against Newcastle United in a thrilling 4–4 draw. He set a new Premier League record by scoring ten goals in the first two months of a calendar year.

Van Persie scored a fantastic goal against Barcelona in the Champions League. Arsenal won that game 2–1. He captained Arsenal in the League Cup final and scored a goal, but Arsenal lost. He was later sent off in the Champions League return leg against Barcelona in a controversial decision.

He continued to score many goals, including in seven successive away games, setting a new Premier League record. He finished the season with 18 league goals, despite being injured for half the season. He was voted the second-best player on Arsenal's website.

Van Persie was named captain of Arsenal for the 2011–12 season.

For the 2011–12 season, Van Persie became Arsenal's club captain. He scored his 100th goal for Arsenal against Bolton Wanderers. He scored the fastest goal of the season (28 seconds) against Sunderland. He also scored a hat-trick against Chelsea in a 5–3 win at Stamford Bridge. He was named Premier League Player of the Month for October 2011.

He continued his amazing scoring run, including two goals against Borussia Dortmund in the Champions League. He ended 2011 with 35 goals, just one short of Alan Shearer's Premier League record for a calendar year.

In 2012, he scored another hat-trick as Arsenal beat Blackburn 7–1. He also helped Arsenal come back from 2–0 down to win 5–2 against Tottenham in the North London derby. He finished as the top goal scorer in the Premier League with 30 goals. He became Arsenal's eighth all-time top scorer with 132 goals.

On July 4, 2012, Van Persie announced he would not sign a new contract with Arsenal. He felt the club's goals for winning the Premier League were not matching his own.

Joining Manchester United

Van Persie prepares to take a penalty for Manchester United against former club Arsenal at the Emirates in 2013.

On August 17, 2012, Van Persie moved to Manchester United. He signed a four-year contract. He chose the number 20 shirt, hoping to help United win their 20th league title.

He made his debut on August 20. Five days later, he scored his first goal for United in a 3–2 win against Fulham. On September 2, he scored his first hat-trick for United against Southampton. This included his 100th Premier League goal.

On November 3, he scored against his former club, Arsenal, in a 2–1 victory. This meant he had scored against all 20 Premier League clubs. On December 9, he scored a last-minute winning goal against Manchester City in his first Manchester derby. This goal ended City's unbeaten home record.

On April 22, 2013, he scored a hat-trick against Aston Villa. This win confirmed Manchester United as the Premier League champions for the 20th time. Manchester United fans voted Van Persie as their best player for the 2012–13 season.

In the 2013–14 season, Van Persie scored both goals in United's 2–0 win against Wigan Athletic in the Community Shield. He also scored a hat-trick against Olympiacos in the Champions League to help United reach the quarter-finals.

In the 2014–15 season, he scored his first goal against Leicester City. He also scored a late goal against Chelsea to earn a draw for United. However, he later suffered an ankle injury.

Moving to Fenerbahçe

Van Persie warming up for Fenerbahçe before a match against Shakhtar Donetsk in 2015.

On July 14, 2015, Van Persie joined Turkish club Fenerbahçe. He was given the number 10 shirt. He made his debut two weeks later in a Champions League qualifying match. He scored his first goal for Fenerbahçe in a Europa League play-off game.

Returning to Feyenoord

On January 19, 2018, Van Persie returned to his first club, Feyenoord. He played his first game back on January 24. On February 8, he scored his first goal since returning. On February 28, he scored his 300th career goal in a cup match. He also scored in the KNVB Cup final as Feyenoord won their 13th trophy.

He became Feyenoord's captain for the 2018–19 season. He was named Eredivisie Player of the Month in August 2018. In October 2018, he announced he would retire from football at the end of the 2018–19 season. He played his last professional match on May 12, 2019.

International Career

Playing for the Netherlands

Van Persie training with the Netherlands in 2006.

Van Persie played for the Netherlands' youth teams (U-17, U-19, and U-21). He made his debut for the senior Netherlands national team in June 2005. A month later, he scored his first international goal in a 4–0 win against Finland.

He was part of the Netherlands squad for the 2006 FIFA World Cup. He played in all four matches and scored one goal.

For UEFA Euro 2008, Van Persie scored four goals in the qualifying games. He scored two goals in the tournament itself as the Netherlands won their group.

In the 2010 FIFA World Cup, the Netherlands had a perfect record in qualifying. Van Persie was in the final squad. He scored a goal against Cameroon and was named man of the match. The Netherlands reached the World Cup Final but lost to Spain.

Van Persie attempting a shot against Denmark at UEFA Euro 2012.

On September 2, 2011, Van Persie scored four goals in an 11–0 win against San Marino. This made him one of the top 10 all-time goal scorers for the Dutch national team. He scored the Dutch goal in a 2–1 loss to Germany at UEFA Euro 2012.

Van Persie training with the Netherlands in 2014.

Van Persie was the top scorer in the European qualifiers for the 2014 FIFA World Cup with 11 goals. In June 2013, he became the captain of the Dutch national team. On October 11, 2013, he became the Netherlands' all-time top goal scorer with 41 goals, passing Patrick Kluivert.

In the 2014 FIFA World Cup, Van Persie captained the Netherlands to a 5–1 win over Spain. He scored two goals, including an amazing flying header that was nominated for the FIFA Puskás Award. He scored his third goal against Australia. He scored his fourth goal from a penalty in a 3–0 win against Brazil in the third-place play-off. He was the only player since 1966 to score with his left foot, right foot, head, from a free kick, and from a penalty in a World Cup.

On August 28, 2015, Arjen Robben replaced Van Persie as captain. On October 10, he played his 100th game for the Netherlands. In their final group game, he scored an own goal and later another goal in a 3–2 loss to the Czech Republic. This meant the Netherlands did not qualify for an international tournament for the first time since 2002. His last game for the Netherlands was in 2017.

Coaching Career

Early Coaching Roles

In May 2020, after retiring as a player, Van Persie became an assistant coach at his former club, Feyenoord. He helped train the club's strikers. In May 2021, he officially joined Feyenoord as a field coach and co-head coach for the under-16 team. For the 2023–24 season, he was promoted to co-head coach of the under-18 team and the under-19 team in the UEFA Youth League.

Coaching Heerenveen

On May 17, 2024, Heerenveen announced that Van Persie would be their head coach for the 2024–25 season. He signed a two-year contract. His first game as a head coach in professional football was a 1–0 loss to Ajax. He became Heerenveen's youngest-ever manager in the Eredivisie at 41 years old. In September, Heerenveen lost 9–1 to AZ, which was a league record. Van Persie left Heerenveen in February 2025, with the team in ninth place.

Coaching Feyenoord

On February 23, 2025, Feyenoord announced that Van Persie would return to the club as head coach. He signed a contract until the end of the 2026–27 season. His first match in charge of Feyenoord was a 0–0 draw. Four days later, he made his UEFA Champions League debut as a manager, losing 0–2 to Inter Milan. Feyenoord was knocked out of the tournament. Van Persie got his first win with Feyenoord in a league game against Twente on March 16, 2025, winning 6–2. He had a great start, earning 22 points in his first eight league games. He led Feyenoord to third place in the Eredivisie, which qualified them for the Champions League qualifiers.

About Robin's Life

Van Persie holding his young son, Shaqueel, in 2010.

Robin van Persie grew up in Rotterdam in an artistic family. His mother, José Ras, is a painter and jewelry designer. His father, Bob, is a sculptor. Robin was raised by his father after his parents divorced. He had some behavior problems at school.

He is married to Bouchra, who is Dutch-Moroccan. They have two children, a son named Shaqueel and a daughter named Dina. Robin has said that he is not Muslim, Christian, or Jewish. He believes in being a good person.

How He Played Football

Van Persie started as a left winger. He was very good at controlling the ball and shooting. Arsenal bought him to replace Dennis Bergkamp. His manager, Arsène Wenger, helped him become a central forward.

After Bergkamp retired and other players left, Van Persie became a second striker alongside Thierry Henry. When Emmanuel Adebayor and Henry left, Van Persie became the main striker in Arsenal's 4–3–3 system. He was very successful and won the Premier League Golden Boot twice in a row.

Van Persie was also great at set pieces, like corners and free kicks. He scored many goals directly from free kicks for his clubs and country. Sometimes, he played as a "false-9," which means he played as a striker but also dropped deeper to help with playmaking.

Career Statistics

Club Appearances and Goals

International Appearances and Goals

Managerial Statistics

Awards and Achievements

With the Netherlands, Van Persie reached the final of the 2010 FIFA World Cup.

Feyenoord

• KNVB Cup: 2017–18
• Johan Cruyff Shield: 2018
• UEFA Cup: 2001–02

Arsenal

• FA Cup: 2004–05
• FA Community Shield: 2004

Manchester United

• Premier League: 2012–13
• FA Community Shield: 2013

Netherlands

• FIFA World Cup runner-up: 2010; third place: 2014

Individual Awards

• Dutch Football Talent of the Year: 2001–02
• Premier League Player of the Month: November 2005, October 2009, October 2011, December 2012, April 2013
• BBC Goal of the Month: September 2006, December 2008, December 2011, August 2012, April 2013, August 2013
• Most assists in the Premier League: 2008–09 (shared)
• Premier League Golden Boot: 2011–12, 2012–13
• PFA Players' Player of the Year: 2011–12
• PFA Fans' Player of the Year: 2012
• PFA Team of the Year: 2011–12 Premier League, 2012–13 Premier League
• FWA Footballer of the Year: 2011–12
• Arsenal Player of the Season: 2008–09, 2011–12
• Sir Matt Busby Player of the Year: 2012–13
• BBC Goal of the Season: 2012–13
• Manchester United Goal of the Season: 2012–13 (vs. Aston Villa)
• 2014 FIFA World Cup qualification top goalscorer (11 goals) (shared)
• Eredivisie Player of the Month: August 2018
• Netherlands national football team all-time top scorer (50 goals)

Records He Holds

Arsenal Records

• Most goals in a 38-game league season: 30 goals (2011–12)
• Most goals in a calendar year: 35 goals (2011)
• Most goals scored at the Emirates Stadium: 64 goals

Manchester United Records

• Only player to score two 90th-minute winning goals in the Premier League (2012–13, shared with two others)

Feyenoord Records

• The oldest player in Eredivisie history to score two goals in a Klassieker (35 years, 174 days)

Premier League Records

• Most Premier League goals scored from the start of the year to the end of the season: 18 goals (2010–11, shared with Thierry Henry and Cristiano Ronaldo)
• Scored against 17 different clubs in a 20-team league season (2011–12, shared with Ian Wright and Mohamed Salah)
• Most consecutive away league matches scored in: 9 (for Arsenal, January 1 to May 22, 2011)
• Highest goal-scoring Dutch player in Premier League: 144 goals

International Records

• 2014 FIFA World Cup – Only player since 1966 to score with his left foot, right foot, and head, as well as from a free kick and a penalty kick.
• Netherlands national football team all-time top scorer (50 goals)

See also

In Spanish: Robin van Persie para niños