Furious Father Tijjani Reijnders: 'You're Not Going to Derail My Son's Career!'

Pulse Sports Team 15:37 - 20 June 2026

Years ago, Tijjani Reijnders was still playing amateur football, but now he's an indispensable part of the Dutch national team. His father, Martin Reijnders, played a significant role in that journey. His intense involvement wasn't always easy for everyone.

Tijjani's father also coached the current Dutch international for a period. A decade ago, the AC Milan midfielder was still playing amateur football under his father's guidance. After that, the midfielder moved to PEC Zwolle, meaning Reijnders no longer had full control over his son's development. This was sometimes difficult for him, as revealed in the 'Topsportouders' podcast by Erben and Renate Wennemars.

Papa Reijnders vividly recalls confronting a youth coach at Zwolle: "He was playing in the A1 team at PEC Zwolle then. The coach thought he was a great right-winger, but he has absolutely nothing of a right-winger. I watched it for a while and, stubborn as I am, I went to that coach and told him: 'You are not going to derail my son's career like that!'"

Reijnders Got His Way

When Renate Wennemars then asked if Martin Reijnders had made that request politely, he had to admit something. "I can be quite direct at times. If I think something is going in the wrong direction, I become verbally harsher. I shouldn't do that, I know." Nevertheless, Reijnders ultimately got his way. "He then played him as a holding midfielder in a practice match. Things suddenly took off from there."

'Of Course, You Can't Do That'

The father of the Dutch international has no regrets about his actions. Although the former professional footballer also knows that not every father can make such demands. "I made it very clear that this was not the intention. Which, of course, you can't really do," he now admits.

Tijjani Reijnders at the Euros

Times have changed. Tijjani Reijnders is now a regular midfielder for the Dutch national team. He started every match at the 2024 European Championship. He is currently playing in his first World Cup with the Oranje.

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