Goalkeeper Ronald Koeman junior fires Telstar to survival and grabs global headlines: 'It all passed in a blur'
Ronald Koeman junior experienced an unforgettable evening at the Kras Stadion in Volendam: the Telstar goalkeeper left his goal, drilled a decisive penalty into the right corner and fired his side to Eredivisie survival. The footage spread around the world at lightning speed, drawing international attention.
A penalty that went around the world
It was one of the most remarkable moments of the Dutch football season. Ronald Koeman junior, goalkeeper of Telstar, stepped forward with the score at 1-1, placed the ball on the spot and dispatched a powerful, precise penalty to steer his side to safety. The images conquered the internet in no time. From Spain to England, international media picked up the story of the goalkeeping son of the famous Koeman footballing family, who left his net for one of the most decisive moments of the matchday.
'Don't slip' was the only thought
A day after the historic moment, Koeman junior admits he is still somewhat dazed by the events. 'It all passed in a blur,' he says. Just before he placed the ball on the spot, one thought occupied his mind: don't slip. 'Their keeper had churned up the penalty spot and it was already a bit muddy. But he stood there for a long time, and if you wait too long, you don't score.' Hard into the right corner: the ball went in. Telstar were safe and the play-offs were avoided.
Asked the bench for permission
A goalkeeper stepping up in a drawn game also raised a few eyebrows. What if the penalty was missed and Volendam could still strike on the counter? Koeman junior had thought about that himself. 'Before I took it, I walked over to the bench to ask for permission,' he says. 'They believed in me, so I took it.' That backing from the coaching staff gave him the confidence to go through with it.
More than sporting joy: thoughts of his mother
Abroad, Koeman junior was largely portrayed as his father's son. But in the dressing room, phone in hand and messages from his mother Martina in front of him, his thoughts turned to her. Martina Koeman is suffering from cancer. 'She follows everything so closely, and I follow everything she goes through. These are the moments when you stop and think about that,' the Telstar goalkeeper said. The emotion after the goal was therefore about far more than sport. 'You could probably see that on my face. I score now, but it's the whole picture you feel in that moment: we've all fought so hard for this together.'
Unpleasant messages from Volendam supporters
The match against FC Volendam carried extra weight for Koeman junior. After he had previously described supporters of the opposition as 'a bit sad' following offensive chants, he received unpleasant messages from Volendam fans this week. 'We shouldn't blow it out of proportion, but a lot comes your way,' he says. During last season's away match at Volendam, supporters had already sung songs about his mother's illness. 'That does get to you.'
World Cup with his father? 'I'll come along as fourth goalkeeper'
Now that Telstar are safe, Koeman junior can start planning his holiday — unless his father has other ideas. When asked whether national team manager Ronald Koeman senior might still need him as a goalkeeper at the World Cup, the Telstar stopper responds with a smile: 'If he needs me, I'll cancel my holiday, no problem. And I'll happily come along as the fourth goalkeeper.'
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Source: Via NOS (GNews)
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