"Give me the Japanese jersey quickly" Feyenoord coach sparks buzz with 'looking out for his Japanese student' "I'll wear it to cheer for the WC"... Did he also give one to Hwang In-beom?

*This content was translated by AI.

Japanese national team defender Tsuyoshi Watanabe (29, Feyenoord) publicly revealed the special affection his team's coach, Robin van Persie (43), has for him as a student.

Japan's "Nikkan Sports" reported on the 26th that "Watanabe, who received an early vacation ahead of the World Cup, shared a pleasant anecdote about gifting the Japanese national team jersey to Coach van Persie."

The Japanese national team conducted a training camp in Chiba, Japan, on the 26th in preparation for the 2026 FIFA World Cup in North America.

According to media reports, Watanabe mentioned the coach's full support. Coach van Persie, a legend of the Dutch national team, granted Watanabe and forward Ayase Ueda a special vacation by leaving them out of the Eredivisie league's final match on the 17th.

Watanabe stated, "I had already conveyed to the coach my desire to focus on the World Cup," and added, "The coach readily understood and permitted me to finish the season early."

Coach van Persie asked his students for the jerseys first. In a press conference just before the league's final match, he declared, "My students are gifting me the Japanese national team jersey. I will wear it to cheer for them," sparking widespread attention.

Watanabe said, "The coach repeatedly urged me to give him the jersey quickly," and expressed his gratitude, noting, "I delivered the jersey in person, and he truly supports us with all his heart."

Korean national team midfielder Hwang In-beom is also a key player at Feyenoord, drawing attention from domestic fans. While Coach van Persie has been urging his Japanese students to hand over the jerseys, questions arise as to whether he also received a Korean national team jersey or a Taegeukgi flag from Hwang In-beom.

Coincidentally, Japan and the Netherlands are set to face each other in the first match of Group F of the tournament on the 15th. Watanabe smiled, saying, "Cheering for players from my own country is unusual. It shows how much he respects us," but added, "However, when the match against the Netherlands actually takes place, I don't think he will cheer for us."

Meanwhile, Watanabe identified Liverpool defender Virgil van Dijk as the top defensive target to watch against the Netherlands. He remarked, "His defensive ability is at the world's highest level, and he also boasts set-piece scoring prowess in the Premier League," and emphasized, "It is most important to figure out how to stop Van Dijk as a team rather than individually."

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*This content was translated by AI.