Feyenoord fires Robin van Persie after 16 months

Feyenoord has dismissed head coach Robin van Persie after 16 months in charge, the club announced on Sunday. The decision comes despite the Rotterdam-based club securing a second-place finish in the Eredivisie and qualification for next season's UEFA Champions League.

Technical director Dévy Rigaux stated the move followed a thorough internal review. He acknowledged van Persie's efforts, saying the former player deserved credit for concluding a difficult season with second place, which secured Champions League football. However, Rigaux cited a declining trend in points totals both domestically and in Europe, as well as the development of the team's style of play, as reasons for the change. The conclusion, he said, was that the club would be better off starting the next season with a new head coach.

Van Persie, 42, is a club legend at Feyenoord, having bookended his playing career there. He took over as head coach in February 2025 after a brief first managerial role at Heerenveen. His only full season in charge was marked by inconsistent results. While he won 30 of his matches across all competitions, the team finished 19 points behind champions PSV Eindhoven and underperformed...