Robin van Duiven, the young, scoring captain of PSV U21, is only nineteen but is experiencing a dream start. He is captain in his first full season with the pledges and has already scored seven goals in as many matches. The young striker radiates pride, energy and maturity, but remains level-headed: he knows his career has only just begun.
Robin van DuivenAge: 19 years (8-04-2006)
Position: striker
Goals (2025 - 2026): 7Starof the Match (2025 - 2026): 1
Strengths: Goal-oriented, leadership, insight & sense of space
A dream start with responsibility
PSV U21's season started almost perfectly: six wins in seven games. In that, Robin, as the current top scorer of the Keuken Kampioen Divisie, played a leading role. "Pride, that's what I feel when I look back," he says. "How we started, you can really only dream about that. With this team, with the will to win every game, that gives so much energy. For me personally, it's extra special that I'm wearing the belt. That means confidence, and I want to repay that by taking the team with me."
The young captain
Besides being a goal scorer, Robin also wears the captain's armband, as he did earlier with the O19. A striking responsibility for a 19-year-old, but for him it feels natural. "Leadership does come naturally to me," he explains. "I get along well with everyone and know what is asked, on and off the field. I think it's important to talk to the boys before and after games, listen and make sure we're sharp."
Still, he emphasizes that it is not all about him. "I may wear the belt, but we do it together. In this team everyone speaks to each other, and that makes us strong. As captain, I try to set a good example, but everyone feels responsible. That's exactly what makes this team special."
'I have a good sense of where the ball is going to fall and where the spaces are. That's my quality'
His playing style
Whether it was in youth or now with PSV U21, one thing remains the same: scoring, and a lot. His strength lies in his instinct. "I have a nose for the goal, I sense well where the ball is going to fall and where the spaces are. I need few chances. That's my quality."
That hunger for goals translates into impressive numbers: last season he scored 32 times in 34 matches (O19), including four hat tricks. Now the tally already stands at seven after seven duels .
He gets inspiration close to home: "Luuk de Jong is a striker I still learn a lot from . How he chooses position, how he finishes headers, how he is always in the right place, I learn a lot from that. I used to sit in the Philips Stadium and secretly look up to him."
Child of the club
Robin is a true PSV'er: since 2018 he has been part of PSV Academy. Yet it didn't always go naturally for him. "In the beginning it was difficult, I often started on the bench. But I fought my way in every time. Being patient and persevering, that eventually led to more confidence from the trainers. What the club has taught me above all is that I must always rely on my own qualities. PSV knows what I can do, and I have to show that."
'I became independent early, and that has helped me as a player and as a person'
His career took on a mature hue early on. At the age of 13, Robin moved to Eindhoven with his brother Jason and their grandmother. "That wasn't easy. You leave your friends behind in Almelo, while you are actually still a child. But that move made me who I am today. I became independent early, and that has helped me as a player as well as a person."
The support of his family was indispensable in those years. "My parents, my brother, my grandmother, and now also my girlfriend, they are all very important to me. It gives me stability, especially now that more and more is coming my way. The fact that I can always fall back on them makes me feel free to give everything on the field."
Stepping out of the shadows
The name Van Duiven has been known at PSV for years thanks to brother Jason. Robin knows the comparison was inevitable. "Whenever I scored, you would often hear, 'Jason's little brother scores again.' As a result, it sometimes felt like I was standing in his shadow. Of course it's nice that our names are mentioned together, but I'm very aware now that I'm walking my own path. I am Robin, and that's how I want to show myself. We both have our own careers and I think it's nice that we can live them together, but ultimately I want people to see me as Robin van Duiven, not just as the brother of."
'People expect me to score every game, and I like that'
Dealing with pressure
As a striker, scoring is part of the job, and that comes with expectations. But Robin sees that as fuel rather than a burden. "People expect me to score a goal every game. And honestly? I like that. It means there is confidence in my abilities. Of course it's pressure sometimes, but I use that precisely to stay sharp. It comes with my position. I also put that pressure on myself: this season I want to score at least fifteen goals, and I hope to earn my debut with PSV 1. I'm really looking forward to that."
Future and ambitions
The short term is clear: be important for PSV U21, keep scoring and make his debut in PSV 1. But he also looks further ahead. "In the long term, I hope to play in the biggest leagues and in the Champions League. Hopefully at PSV, that would be fantastic. My ambition is big, but the most important thing is that I work hard for it every day. That's in me, and that's going to help me achieve my goals."