When you’ve racked up almost 500 goals in your career for club and country – including the winner in the Champions League final – perhaps you’d expect some of your talent to rub off on your sons.
And that’s certainly proven to be the case this week as Patrick Kluivert saw THREE of his sons all get on the scoresheet to help their sides to victory.
On Wednesday, 18-year-old Shane scored a screamer to equalise for Barcelona Under 19s in their 2-1 UEFA Youth League win against PSG’s U19s, curling the ball home from the edge of the box.
The following night his brother Ruben, 24, netted his first goal for Lyon following his £3m move to France from Portuguese side Casa Pia. The centre back rose highest to head a cross into the bottom corner to seal a 2-0 Europa League win over Salzburg.
And then on Friday evening, 26-year-old Justin opened his account for the Premier League season with a stunner in Bournemouth’s 3-1 win over Fulham at the Vitality Stadium.
Ruben Kluivert celebrates scoring for Lyon against Salzburg in the Europa League
Justin Kluivert scored a screamer in Bournemouth’s win over Fulham on Friday
Shane Kluivert was overjoyed after his goal in the UEFA Youth League for Barcelona
Their famous father Patrick was part of Ajax’s 1990s Golden Generation and in 1995 became the youngest player to score in a Champions League final when he came off the bench to snatch a late winner against AC Milan, aged just 18.
Kluivert’s eldest son Quincy was a youth footballer too, coming through the Ajax academy.
Talking to Daily Mail Sport in 2023, Kluivert said of his sons: ‘If we’re making a family five-a-side team, I’m still outfield, just! Quincy, my oldest boy, he’d be in goal. Justin is at Bournemouth. Ruben is a defender in Holland (then at Dordrecht). Then I have my little one, Shane.
‘It’s funny, when we play in the garden, it’s so competitive. I’m sweating my ass off! They want to show their skills, to each other and to me. But they get on so well, always connected even though they’re not always together. For me, that is the most important.
‘For a father, and also my father, it is so beautiful to see. I didn’t push them, either. They fell into it. It’s not easy, because they have “Kluivert” on the back. It gives an extra dimension, an expectation.’
Patrick Kluivert won the Champions League with Ajax in 1995 when he was just 18
Kluivert went on to score 13 goals in the 2004-05 season at Newcastle United
After leaving Ajax, Kluivert senior went on to score 124 goals in 249 games for Barcelona before joining Newcastle for the 2004-05 season, where he scored 13 goals under Bobby Robson and later Graeme Souness.
He also scored 40 goals for the Netherlands in a storied international career between 1994 and 2004 – putting him fourth on their all-time scorers list behind Klaas-Jan Huntelaar (42), Robin van Persie (50) and Memphis Depay (52).
Bournemouth star Justin has hit the heights in the Premier League since his move from Roma in 2023, scoring 12 goals last season.
In an interview with Daily Mail Sport this year after scoring consecutive hat-tricks against Wolves and Newcastle, he opened up on the family dynamic.
‘My little brother Shane is very like me, how he plays, he looks up to me,’ said Justin. ‘He wants to be like his big brother, just like I wanted to be like my dad! He obviously wants to be like his dad too, his idol. Ruben is a defender. I am proud of them all.
‘I think as soon as I was born maybe I was given a football directly then! I had no chance to be anything else but a footballer. With a dad like that, of course, you want to be like him.
‘My dad was never strict. He was easy-going. I didn’t live with him when I was younger so it was different but he gives me some advice. I know enough about football now, though. After games he texts me to congratulate me.’
