From Marcus Thuram to Timothy Weah to Federico Chiesa, more and more players are escaping the shadows of their legendary footballer fathers and making a name for themselves at the game’s top level. One such case is Bournemouth forward Justin Kluivert.
Born in Amsterdam, Kluivert grew up in a footballing dynasty: his grandfather Kenneth represented the Suriname national team, whilst his father Patrick scored 40 goals in 79 appearances for the Netherlands and was named as one of the 125 greatest living footballers by Pelé in 2004. Like his father, Justin honed his skills in Ajax’s famed De Toekomst academy, joining in 2007 and eventually making his first-team debut on January 15, 2017.
He quickly burst onto the scene for club and country, reaching the 2016/17 UEFA Europa League Final, winning the AFC Ajax Talent of the Future award, and eventually making his international debut under Ronald Koeman. Kluivert played in friendlies against Portugal and Italy in March and September 2018. Little did he know it, but he would have to wait until November 19, 2024 for his first senior start for the Netherlands and his competitive debut, playing 66 minutes in a 1-1 draw vs. Bosnia and Herzegovina in the UEFA Nations League.
This is a guest article. Read the full article here: Justin Kluivert Escaping Father’s Shadow at Bournemouth
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