ROTTERDAM, Netherlands — Giovanni van Bronckhorst was hired Wednesday to coach Feyenoord in the Champions League next season, replacing his Netherlands teammate from the 2010 World Cup final Robin van Persie.
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Van Bronckhorst takes over again at Feyenoord where he won a Dutch league title as coach in 2017 , the Rotterdam club said in a statement confirming he signed a two-year contract.
“Everybody knows my relationship with Feyenoord,” said Van Bronckhorst, whose playing career started with the Rotterdam club. “The club is a red line through my life.”
Van Persie was fired this month despite leading the team to a runner-up finish behind PSV Eindhoven and direct entry to the Champions League.
After spending last season at Liverpool as an assistant to now-fired coach Arne Slot , Van Bronckhorst’s staff at Feyenoord will include Sipke Hulshoff, who also was at Anfield.
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The 51-year-old Van Bronckhorst started and finished his playing career at Feyenoord, and also had spells at Arsenal, Barcelona and Rangers.
He retired after the 2010 World Cup, where he scored a spectacular goal in a semifinal win over Uruguay. The Dutch lost the final to Spain 1-0 in extra time.
Van Bronckhorst’s coaching career includes his four seasons at Feyenoord until 2019 and taking Rangers to the Europa League final in 2022.
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