Robin van Persie was forced to watch as his son picked up a ‘heartbreaking’ major injury on duty for his Feyenoord side in their Europa League defeat to Real Betis on Tuesday evening.
The Manchester United and Arsenal legend has been manager of the Eredivisie side since the summer, and overseen his son’s breakthrough into the senior team at the age of just 19.
The 19-year-old made international news as he scored his first senior goals for the Dutch side less than two weeks ago, with both coming in not too dissimilar a manner to his famous father’s stylish technique.
But days later, Van Persie had to contend with every parent’s nightmare as Shaqueel was taken off the pitch injured after landing awkwardly during a high challenge.
After grabbing his knee in pain, Shaqueel was immediately tended to by club physios, who made the decision to carry the former Manchester City academy star off on a stretcher.
Before he could go down the tunnel for treatment however, Van Persie transcended his role as manager, asking for Shaqueel’s stretcher to be placed on the touchline so that he could comfort his son.
Robin van Persie comforted his son as he was taken off the pitch in the worst circumstances
The Feyenoord manager has been giving Shaqueel, 19, his maiden minutes for the Dutch club
Van Persie knelt to touch Shaqueel on the shoulder, and spoke to him closely amid the throng of paramedics.
Shaqueel looked bereft at the injury, and his father admitted during his post-match press conference that the issue was likely severe.
‘It’s not looking good,’ Van Persie said. ‘Tests have to point out how he’s doing, but the first signs are not looking good.
‘You hold your heart when any player goes down with an injury. It happened to be Shaqueel today, that’s just how it is. You hope for the best, but when you hear the first signs that it isn’t, it’s heartbreaking.
I’m a coach, but I’m also his father, and I find this terrible. It’s a bit of both. It’s heartbreaking that he’s going through this.’
When asked what he had said to his son during their touching moment on the pitch, Van Persie shared: ‘When Shaqueel was carried off the field, I asked how he was doing.
‘I put my arm around his shoulder; that’s all you can do at that moment, as a coach and as a father in this case.
Shaqueel flew into aerial challenge and his awkward landing immediately brought on the medical team
The former Man City academy star was brought off on a stretcher, with Van Persie stressing that it was ‘heartbreaking’ to see him in pain
‘I just wanted to give him that warmth and the feeling that we’re there for him.’
Shaqueel had been introduced to the match as a substitute just 10 minutes before, and provided the assist for Casper Tengstedt to put the visitors on the board after Real Betis had led for most of the tie by two goals.
Feyenoord were unable to claw back a win, which might have given them the faint hope of qualifying via a play-off spot.
