Robben’s sons follow in father’s footsteps and go to FC Groningen
NOS Soccer–
Arjen Robben’s sons, Kai and Luka, will play in FC Groningen’s youth training program starting next season. They both come over from Be Quick 1887. Kai (10) will play in the Under 12 and Luka (14) in the Under 16.
Arjen Robben himself played from the age of twelve in the youth of FC Groningen. He made his first-team debut there at the age of 16. The outfielder, who moved to PSV when he was eighteen, would eventually reach 96 international matches for Oranje.
‘Big four’
With the transfer of the Robben brothers, every member of the Dutch 2010 World Cup ‘big four’ now has a child in the youth training program of a professional club. Jessey Sneijder (16), son of Wesley, plays at FC Utrecht, Shaqueel van Persie (16), son of Robin, at Feyenoord and Damian van der Vaart (16), son of Rafael, at Danish Esbjerg.
Other members of the Oranje squad that reached the 2010 World Cup final also have children at professional clubs. Lennox Heitinga (11), son of Ajax coach John, plays in youth with the Amsterdammers and Mark van Bommel even has two sons with Thomas (20) and Ruben (18) who have already ended up in professional soccer. They play for MVV in the first division.
