RVP FACTS :: Born in Rotterdam, August 6, 1983, Van Persie grew up supporting Feyenoord and his childhood dream was to spend his career with his hometown club - even if his father says he wore an Arsenal shirt from the age of 11. :: No wonder the Dutch master is such an artist on the pitch - his mother Josee Ras mother is a painter and jewellery designer and his father Bob is a sculptor. :: His father claims that when Van Persie was a born a clairvoyant told him what his son would go on to achieve: "She told me that he would be in the Dutch national team, that he would be a king on the field." :: The 29-year-old’s sublime skills were honed on the streets of Kralingen on concrete courts with high-wire fencing known as the ‘cage.’ :: He played for Excelsior as a youth and is still held in high regard. The club have named a stand after him at their 3,500- capacity Stadion Woudestein in Rotterdam. :: His high school was Thorbecke Voortgezet Onderwijs which is where Feyenoord academy players study. :: Even at the age of 13 Van Persie was tipped for stardom in his homeland with observers likening him to Holland legend Johan Cruyff. :: He was originally a left winger, but was converted to a striker. :: Endured a terrifying experience during an under-21 game between Feyenoord and Ajax when he and other players were attacked as hooligans invaded the pitch. :: United could have signed Van Persie back in 2001 when Sir Alex Ferguson sent chief scout Jim Ryan to watch him - only for the teenager to be sent off. “Robin was only 16 or 17 at the time,” said Ferguson. “Jim said he was a fantastic talent, but felt that he was a little immature. At 16, we’re all immature, but we didn’t progress it, and then he went to Arsenal." :: Van Persie is married to wife Bouchra and has two children - a son called Shaqueel and a daughter called Dina. :: An all-round sportsman, he is a fan of darts and tennis, while he has a particular talent for table tennis. :: He is a fan of the classic Al Pacino gangster movie Scarface. :: As a youngster at Feyenoord he was once made to wait in line by Pierre van Hooijdonk when they both turned up for a massage that Van Persie had booked. :: He ranks Thierry Henry, Dennis Bergkamp and Marco van Basten as some of the major influences on his career. :: Van Persie revealed that his son called him ‘Daddy Arsenal’ during his days as a Gunner, which could have posed some problems after his switch to United last summer. :: To continue the Arsenal theme, his father has a piece of artwork inside the Emirates Stadium made from old Arsenal magazines. Other works include instalments from telephone directories. :: He had the choice of wearing the number 20 or 21 when he first moved to United. "The reason I took this shirt is because we’re all here to be champions this year and that would mean a 20th league title for Manchester United. That’s the main reason I took 20," he explained at the time. :: If he scores against Swansea next month it will mean that QPR and Norwich are the only Premier League teams to keep him out this season. :: Has only scored more than one goal in a league match three times (Southampton, Wigan and Villa) #Ranx
Posted on: Sun, 25 Aug 2013 09:16:58 +0000