Feyenoord parts ways with Robin van Persie despite qualifying for the Champions League.

Feyenoord has officially announced the departure of Robin van Persie from his position as coach. The Dutch club stated that it would start the 2026-2027 season with a new manager at the helm. In a brief statement published on its social media, the Rotterdam club confirmed the news and thanked its former coach for his work. “Feyenoord will start the 2026-2027 season with a new coach. The club would like to thank Robin van Persie for all he has contributed during his tenure,” the statement reads.

A former star of the club, Van Persie returned to Feyenoord in February 2025 to take the reins of the first team. In just over a year, he led the Rotterdammers to a second-place finish in the Eredivisie, securing qualification for the upcoming Champions League. Despite these results, the management deemed a change necessary before the start of the new season.

Technical director Devy Rigaux justified this decision by referencing the conclusions of an internal evaluation conducted by the club. “We conducted a thorough analysis of the situation. We specifically studied the evolution of the playing style as well as the decline in the team’s performance, both in the Eredivisie and in European competitions,” he explained.

Before concluding: “We have come to the conclusion that it is preferable to approach the next season with a new head coach.” Feyenoord is now in search of Van Persie’s successor to continue its development on both the national and European stages.