Gjivai Zechiël
|
Zechiël playing for Feyenoord in 2023 | |||
| Personal information | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Date of birth | 1 June 2004 | ||
| Place of birth | Rotterdam, Netherlands[1] | ||
| Height | 1.71 m (5 ft 7 in) | ||
| Position | Midfielder | ||
| Team information | |||
Current team |
FC Utrecht (on loan from Feyenoord) | ||
| Number | 21 | ||
| Youth career | |||
| Swift Boys | |||
| XerxesDZB | |||
| 2012–2018 | Sparta Rotterdam | ||
| 2018–2023 | Feyenoord | ||
| Senior career* | |||
| Years | Team | Apps | (Gls) |
| 2023– | Feyenoord | 11 | (0) |
| 2025 | → Sparta Rotterdam (loan) | 13 | (2) |
| 2025– | → FC Utrecht (loan) | 25 | (5) |
| International career‡ | |||
| 2024– | Netherlands U21 | 9 | (2) |
|
* Club domestic league appearances and goals as of 18:44, 1 March 2026 (UTC) ‡ National team caps and goals as of 18 November 2025 | |||
Gjivai Zechiël (born 1 June 2004) is a Dutch footballer who plays as a midfielder for Eredivisie club FC Utrecht on loan from 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 1 March 2026
| Club | Season | League | Cup | Europe | Other | Total | ||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Division | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | ||
| Feyenoord | 2023–24 | Eredivisie | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 0 |
| 2024–25 | Eredivisie | 8 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 2[a] | 0 | 1[b] | 0 | 13 | 0 | |
| Total | 10 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 15 | 0 | ||
| Sparta Rotterdam (loan) | 2024–25 | Eredivisie | 13 | 2 | — | — | — | 13 | 2 | |||
| FC Utrecht (loan) | 2025–26 | Eredivisie | 25 | 5 | 1 | 0 | 13[c] | 1 | — | 39 | 6 | |
| Career total | 48 | 7 | 3 | 0 | 15 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 67 | 8 | ||
- ^ Appearances in UEFA Champions League
- ^ Appearance in Johan Cruijff Shield
- ^ Appearances in UEFA Europa League
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
References
- ^ "Gjivai Zechiël". Soccerway. Retrieved 27 April 2025.
- ^ Keemink, Mischa (5 April 2022). "Gjivai Zechiël tekent eerste profcontract". WaterwegSport.nl. Retrieved 27 April 2025.
- ^ "Feyenoord-debutant Zechiël na afloop overmand door emoties" [Feyenoord debutant Zechiël overwhelmed by emotions after match]. 27 August 2023. Retrieved 27 August 2023.
- ^ "FEYENOORD VS. SALZBURG 1 - 3". Soccerway. 6 November 2024. Retrieved 27 April 2025.
- ^ "Zechiël keert op huurbasis terug bij Sparta" [Zechiël returns to Sparta on loan] (in Dutch). Sparta Rotterdam. 4 February 2025. Retrieved 6 February 2025.
- ^ "FEYENOORD VS. SPARTA ROTTERDAM 3 - 0". Soccerway. 8 February 2025. Retrieved 27 April 2025.
- ^ "FORTUNA SITTARD VS. SPARTA ROTTERDAM 0 - 3". Soccerway. 29 March 2025. Retrieved 27 April 2025.
- ^ "34-koppige voorselectie Onder 19 voor kwalificatieduels bekend". www.onsoranje.nl. 2 September 2022. Retrieved 27 April 2025.
- ^ "SLOVAKIA U21 VS. NETHERLANDS U21 3 - 3". Soccerway. 14 November 2024. Retrieved 27 April 2025.
- ^ "Tranen van geluk bij Feyenoord-talent Zechiël na debuut: `Heel erg dankbaar`". drimble.nl. 28 August 2023. Retrieved 27 April 2025.
- ^ "Voormalig XerxesDZB talent Gjivai Zechiel maakt debuut voor Feyenoord!". 28 August 2023. Retrieved 27 April 2025.