Feyenoord fires manager Robin van Persie after Champions League qualification

Feyenoord announced on 7 June 2026 that head coach Robin van Persie will leave the club before the start of the 2026‑27 season. Van Persie, who returned to his boyhood side in February 2025 on a contract until 2027, guided the Rotterdam team to a second‑place finish in the Eredivisie and secured a Champions League group‑stage spot. The club’s technical director Devy Rigaux said an internal analysis showed a downward trend in points earned both domestically and in European competition and that a change was needed for the next season. Van Persie recorded 30 wins in 58 matches (1.71 points per game) and the squad finished 19 points behind champions PSV Eindhoven. The decision was criticised by former Feyenoord coach Dick Advocaat, who called the move “unjust” given the injuries and the achievement of Champions League qualification. Feyenoord will appoint a new head coach in the coming weeks, with names such as Wouter Vrancken and other candidates being mentioned.