Gjivai Zechiël
![]() Zechiël playing for Feyenoord in 2023 | |||
Personal information | |||
---|---|---|---|
Date of birth | 1 June 2004 | ||
Place of birth | Rotterdam, Netherlands[1] | ||
Height | 1.71 m (5 ft 7 in) | ||
Position(s) | Midfielder | ||
Team information | |||
Current team |
Sparta Rotterdam (on loan from Feyenoord) | ||
Youth career | |||
Swift Boys | |||
XerxesDZB | |||
2012–2018 | Sparta Rotterdam | ||
2018–2023 | Feyenoord | ||
Senior career* | |||
Years | Team | Apps | (Gls) |
2023– | Feyenoord | 10 | (0) |
2025– | → Sparta Rotterdam (loan) | 8 | (1) |
International career‡ | |||
2024– | Netherlands U21 | 6 | (1) |
*Club domestic league appearances and goals, correct as of 12 April 2025 ‡ National team caps and goals, correct as of 25 March 2025 |
Gjivai Zechiël (born 1 June 2004) is a Dutch footballer who plays as a midfielder for Eredivisie club Sparta Rotterdam on loan from Feyenoord.
Club career
[edit]Zechiël is a youth product of the Dutch clubs Swift Boys, XerxesDZB and Sparta Rotterdam, before moving to the youth academy of Feyenoord in 2018. On 5 April 2022, he signed his first professional contract with Feyenoord until 2025.[2] On 27 August 2023, Zechiël made his professional debut for Feyenoord, coming in a substitute in a 6–1 league win over Sparta Rotterdam.[3] He made his debut for the club in the UEFA Champions League appearing as a second half substitute in a 3-1 home defeat to Red Bull Salzburg on 6 November 2024.[4]
On 4 February 2025, Zechiël returned to Sparta Rotterdam on loan until the end of the season, the club he had previously been at between 2012 and 2018.[5] He made his debut for the club on 8 February 2025, as a second half substitute in a 3-0 away loss to Feyenoord.[6] He scored his first goal for the club in a 3-0 away win on 29 March 2025 against Fortuna Sittard.[7]
International career
[edit]Zechiël was called up to the Netherlands U19s for a set of 2022 UEFA European Under-19 Championship qualification matches in September 2022.[8]
He featured for the Netherlands national under-21 football team in a 3-3 draw against Slovakia U21 in friendly match on 21 November 2024, scoring the third Dutch goal on the day as they came from 3-1 down.[9]
Career statistics
[edit]- As of match played 12 April 2025
Club | Season | League | Cup | Europe | Other | Total | ||||||
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Division | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | ||
Feyenoord | 2023–24 | Eredivisie | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 0 |
2024–25 | Eredivisie | 8 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 2[a] | 0 | 1[b] | 0 | 13 | 0 | |
Total | 10 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 15 | 0 | ||
Sparta Rotterdam | 2024–25 | Eredivisie | 8 | 1 | — | — | — | 8 | 1 | |||
Career total | 18 | 1 | 2 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 23 | 1 |
- ^ Appearances in UEFA Champions League
- ^ Appearance in Johan Cruijff Shield
Personal life
[edit]Born in the Netherlands, Zechiël is of Surinamese descent.[10] His father, Rowan Zechiël, was a semi-professional footballer who played for his youth club XerxesDZB.[11]
Honours
[edit]Feyenoord
References
[edit]- ^ "Gjivai Zechiël". Soccerway. Retrieved 27 April 2025.
- ^ Keemink, Mischa (5 April 2022). "Gjivai Zechiël tekent eerste profcontract". WaterwegSport.nl. Retrieved 27 April 2025.
- ^ "Feyenoord-debutant Zechiël na afloop overmand door emoties" [Feyenoord debutant Zechiël overwhelmed by emotions after match]. 27 August 2023. Retrieved 27 August 2023.
- ^ "FEYENOORD VS. SALZBURG 1 - 3". Soccerway. 6 November 2024. Retrieved 27 April 2025.
- ^ "Zechiël keert op huurbasis terug bij Sparta" [Zechiël returns to Sparta on loan] (in Dutch). Sparta Rotterdam. 4 February 2025. Retrieved 6 February 2025.
- ^ "FEYENOORD VS. SPARTA ROTTERDAM 3 - 0". Soccerway. 8 February 2025. Retrieved 27 April 2025.
- ^ "FORTUNA SITTARD VS. SPARTA ROTTERDAM 0 - 3". Soccerway. 29 March 2025. Retrieved 27 April 2025.
- ^ "34-koppige voorselectie Onder 19 voor kwalificatieduels bekend". www.onsoranje.nl. 2 September 2022. Retrieved 27 April 2025.
- ^ "SLOVAKIA U21 VS. NETHERLANDS U21 3 - 3". Soccerway. 14 November 2024. Retrieved 27 April 2025.
- ^ "Tranen van geluk bij Feyenoord-talent Zechiël na debuut: `Heel erg dankbaar`". drimble.nl. 28 August 2023. Retrieved 27 April 2025.
- ^ "Voormalig XerxesDZB talent Gjivai Zechiel maakt debuut voor Feyenoord!". 28 August 2023. Retrieved 27 April 2025.