Joshua Zirkzee emulates Ruud van Nistelrooy and Robin van Persie in brilliant debut | OneFootball

While Manchester United’s academy has produced many if not most of the club’s greats over the years, the delightful country of the Netherlands has also had a big part to play, especially in this millennium.

Two of the club’s greatest strikers of the modern era, Ruud van Nistelrooy and Robin van Persie, have both had a big hand in shaping the club’s successes.

It was fitting and a pleasant coincidence that another Dutchman, Joshua Zirkzee, scored on his United debut on Friday as the Red Devils beat Fulham in their opening game of the 2024/25 Premier League season.

BBC reporter Simon Stone pointed out on X after the game: “A popular late goal against Fulham for a Dutchman on his PL debut 23 years after another Dutchman also scored (two) on his PL debut for @ManUtd against Fulham at Old Trafford.

“If Joshua Zirkzee gets anywhere close to Ruud van Nistelrooy he will have done very well but he made an excellent start.”

Van Nistelrooy’s debut goals were scored on 19th August, 2001.

Zirkzee is unlikely to reach the legendary striker’s tally of 150 goals for the club, although it is not impossible. That is not because he is an inferior player, but rather because he is a self-proclaimed “9 and a half” – not an out-and-out striker but more of a link player.

However, on Friday he showed us that he knows where the back of the net is.

In some ways, the parallels are greater with Van Persie than Van Nistelrooy. He, too, was able to play alongside or behind another striker although he was equally adept as a lone front man.

It was also fitting, therefore, that fans outside the ground after the game showed their appreciation for the new signing by singing Van Persie’s old song to him. “Oh, Robin van Persie” has become “Oh, Joshua Zirkzee”.

Once Rasmus Hojlund is fit, it will be interesting to see how Erik ten Hag lines his team up. He has already said he plans to use both players at the same time. Perhaps Zirkzee will play as a second striker and Bruno Fernandes will go back into his favourite number eight position.

Ultimately, it will depend on how both strikers are performing and again, in another happy coincidence, one key man in that regard will be Van Nistelrooy himself.

The great man joined United as a first team coach this summer and will no doubt be instrumental in the development of the young star who intends to follow in his footsteps.

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