Van Persie started his managerial career in the summer of 2024 when Eredivisie side sc Heerenveen hired the Dutch icon following spells as a youth coach for several Feyenoord academy teams.
His time at the Frisian formation was highlighted by a 1-0 home win over then-leaders PSV Eindhoven, but saw the team struggle severely on other occasions with a 9-1 loss away at AZ and a 3-2 cup loss at amateur side Quick Boys also stealing headlines.
Special bond
41-year-old Van Persie moves to Feyenoord following an agreement with Heerenveen, where the Dutchman was under contract until June 2027. He will sign his new Feyenoord deal - which will also run until June 2027 - next Monday.
Feyenoord were without a manager following the sacking of Danish boss Brian Priske earlier this month. The 47-year-old former Sparta Prague manager got relieved of his duties after a series of bad results left the Rotterdam side 12 points astray from the league leaders.
"Everyone knows how special my bond with Feyenoord is," said Van Persie on the club website.
"I am enormously looking forward, together with a strong staff, to working with the player group at (training ground) 1908 and then playing matches at De Kuip, supported by the Legioen, and achieving successes together."
Club insiders reported that former Ajax and Manchester United boss Erik ten Hag was the top candidate for the Feyenoord job, but the former Eredivisie champions couldn't land the 55-year-old. Rene Hake, assistant manager under Ten Hag at Old Trafford, will assume the same role under Van Persie in Rotterdam.
"We are delighted to appoint a true club icon as the new coach of Feyenoord with Robin van Persie," uttered Feyenoord technical director Dennis te Kloese. "Robin knows the club incredibly well and knows exactly what is needed to achieve results.
"With his vast international experience, Robin can obviously help the players develop further here. Moreover, his football vision fits perfectly with what we have in mind at Feyenoord: attacking and well-kept football, combined with guts, intensity and fight."
The famous Dutch striker began his professional career at 16-time Dutch champions Feyenoord in 2001. He won the UEFA Cup with Feyenoord in May 2001 before moving to Arsenal in the summer of 2004.
After playing for the Gunners, Manchester United, and Turkish giants Fenerbahce, Van Persie returned to Feyenoord in 2018. During his season and a half in Rotterdam, the Flying Dutchman scored 25 times and won the KNVB Cup.
After the Dutch top goalscorer of all time retired, Van Persie got into coaching, starting as the striker's coach in the senior team. After starting as an assistant at the club's U16 team - the team his son Shaqueel played in - Van Persie moved on to the U18s along with head coach Brian Pinas in the summer of 2023.
Feyenoord currently occupy the third spot in the Dutch Eredivisie after Saturday's 2-1 win over lowly Almere City FC. The Rotterdam side have only won 2 of the last 7 league games, but qualified for the UEFA Champions League round of 16 after knocking out 7-time winners AC Milan last week.
Van Persie's first game in charge will be Saturday, March 1st when Feyenoord meet twelfth-placed NEC Nijmegen in their own De Kuip in Rotterdam.
