Gjivai Zechiël

Gjivai Zechiël
Zechiël playing for Feyenoord in 2023
Personal information
Date of birth (2004-06-01) 1 June 2004
Place of birth Rotterdam, Netherlands[1]
Height 1.71 m (5 ft 7 in)
Position Midfielder
Team information
Current team
 Feyenoord
Number 8
Youth career
Swift Boys
XerxesDZB
2012–2018 Sparta Rotterdam
2018–2023 Feyenoord
Senior career*
Years Team Apps (Gls)
2023– Feyenoord 12 (1)
2025 → Sparta Rotterdam (loan) 13 (2)
2025–2026 → Utrecht (loan) 34 (8)
International career‡
2024– Netherlands U21 10 (4)
* Club domestic league appearances and goals as of 16:25, 16 August 2026 (UTC)
‡ National team caps and goals as of 27 March 2026

Gjivai Zechiël (born 1 June 2004) is a Dutch footballer who plays as a midfielder for Eredivisie club Feyenoord.

Club career

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

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

As of match played 16 August 2026
Appearances by club, season and competition
Club Season League Cup Europe Other Total
DivisionAppsGoalsAppsGoalsAppsGoalsAppsGoalsAppsGoals
Feyenoord 2023–24 Eredivisie 2000000020
2024–25 Eredivisie 80202[a]01[b]0130
2026–27 Eredivisie 210000—21
Total 121202010171
Sparta Rotterdam (loan) 2024–25 Eredivisie 132———132
FC Utrecht (loan) 2025–26 Eredivisie 3481013[c]11[d]0499
Career total 591130151207912
  1. ↑ Appearances in UEFA Champions League
  2. ↑ Appearance in Johan Cruijff Shield
  3. ↑ Appearances in UEFA Europa League
  4. ↑ Appearance in European play-offs

Personal life

Born in the Netherlands, Zechiël is of Surinamese and Cape Verdean descent.[10] His father, Rowan Zechiël, was a semi-professional footballer who played for the youth of Sparta Rotterdam and his youth club XerxesDZB.[11]

Honours

Feyenoord

Individual

References

  1. ↑ "Gjivai Zechiël". Soccerway. Retrieved 27 April 2025.
  2. ↑ Keemink, Mischa (5 April 2022). "Gjivai Zechiël tekent eerste profcontract". WaterwegSport.nl. Retrieved 27 April 2025.
  3. ↑ "Feyenoord-debutant Zechiël na afloop overmand door emoties" [Feyenoord debutant Zechiël overwhelmed by emotions after match]. 27 August 2023. Retrieved 27 August 2023.
  4. ↑ "FEYENOORD VS. SALZBURG 1 - 3". Soccerway. 6 November 2024. Retrieved 27 April 2025.
  5. ↑ "Zechiël keert op huurbasis terug bij Sparta" [Zechiël returns to Sparta on loan] (in Dutch). Sparta Rotterdam. 4 February 2025. Retrieved 6 February 2025.
  6. ↑ "FEYENOORD VS. SPARTA ROTTERDAM 3 - 0". Soccerway. 8 February 2025. Retrieved 27 April 2025.
  7. ↑ "FORTUNA SITTARD VS. SPARTA ROTTERDAM 0 - 3". Soccerway. 29 March 2025. Retrieved 27 April 2025.
  8. ↑ "34-koppige voorselectie Onder 19 voor kwalificatieduels bekend". www.onsoranje.nl. 2 September 2022. Retrieved 27 April 2025.
  9. ↑ "SLOVAKIA U21 VS. NETHERLANDS U21 3 - 3". Soccerway. 14 November 2024. Retrieved 27 April 2025.
  10. ↑ "Tranen van geluk bij Feyenoord-talent Zechiël na debuut: `Heel erg dankbaar`". drimble.nl. 28 August 2023. Retrieved 27 April 2025.
  11. ↑ "Voormalig XerxesDZB talent Gjivai Zechiel maakt debuut voor Feyenoord!". 28 August 2023. Retrieved 27 April 2025.
  12. ↑ "Gjivai Zechiël named Johan Cruyff Talent of the Month". Eredivisie. 31 October 2025. Retrieved 6 November 2025.
  13. ↑ "Gjivai Zechiël named Johan Cruyff Talent of the Month for the second time". Eredivisie. 20 May 2026. Retrieved 20 May 2026.
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