Robin van Persie will likely close up shop on his playing career at the end of this season.
The Dutch star, 35, says he’s been playing since he was five and is ready to give his body a reprieve.
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“When I have to stop? That is probably at the end of this season,” he said. “I will be 36 years old and will have been a professional for 18 years. From the age of five, I’ve only been involved in football.”
Van Persie is back at his childhood club, Feyenoord, where he has six goals and two assists in nine matches. Those are fine numbers even for the free-scoring Dutch top flight, and come after he missed half of the 2017-18 season with an injury.
Feyenoord won the KNVB Cup last season and sits third in the Eredivisie through nine matches. That’s seven points back of PSV, who is plays Dec. 2. Feyenoord faces second place side Ajax in De Klassieker this weekend.
Van Persie said Feyenoord has helped him to recapture the fun of playing football.
“How is it successful? This is actually it, if you look at the whole picture. I had lost the fun. That’s not how I wanted to end, without pleasure. The fun has returned at Feyenoord.”
“RVP” scored 50 goals in 102 caps for the Netherlands, and nearly 150 Premier League goals between Arsenal and Manchester United.