Joshua Zirkzee has become Manchester United’s first signing of the 2024 summer transfer window. In doing so, he’s become the second Dutch player to be signed by Erik ten Hag for the Red Devils. But Zirkzee’s roots are well beyond any normal Dutch person’s because of the diversity of his parents.
After being unveiled as a Red Devil, pictures emerged of Zirkzee doing a tour of Old Trafford with his entire family. This included his young brother Jordan (also a footballer), his agent Kia and most prominently his parents. Joshua’s father Remco and mother Doris are all smiles after witnessing their son join such an iconic club.
Zirkzee is coming off a prolific 2023/24 season, where he won the Serie A under-23 Player of the Year title. He also helped Bologna secure a place in the UEFA Champions League next season after delivering 19 goal contributions (12 goals, 7 assists) in all competitions. His kind of profile attracted Ten Hag’s attention and caused United to pay just over his release clause to get the deal done.
The 23-year-old has already had quite the diverse playing career despite his age. But all throughout his career, his parents have been his biggest supporting pillars and allowed him thrive as a top level footballer. Zirkzee was born on 22 May, 2001 to a Dutch father Remco Zirkzee and a Nigerian origin.
His mother was born and brought up in Nigeria before having immigrated to the Netherlands at a later age in her life. Thanks to his mother, Joshua has links to the Isoko Tribe in the Delta State in Nigeria, even though the 23-year-old can’t really speak their language as he never resided in the country in his life.
Zirkzee comes from relatively humble beginnings as his family lived in the Schiedam town in South Holland in his adolescent ages. The place has a population of just over 75,000, and the family quickly realized they need to move to aspire a better life for Zirkzee and his siblings, including his younger brother Jordan (who is also a footballer).
Hence, when Joshua was around five, Remco and his wife decided to move to Spijkenisse and enroll their child into the youth academy of VK Hekelingen. Hence began the aspiring career of the Dutch footballer, with his parents strongly encouraging him to take up a career in the beautiful game and honing his skills by constantly upgrading the environment he played in.
Zirkzee went from starting as a youth football in Hekelingen to Dutch second division side ADO den Haag as a 12-year-old and joining Feyenoord’s academy at the age of 15. He would then move to Germany to join Bayern Munich’s academy at 16, kicking off what’s been an eventful football career.
But the 23-year-old could not have done it without his parents there to back him up. Joshua’s father had no problem cleaning the black marks on their home’s walls caused by his two sons kicking footballs at them all day long.
Joshua has credited his father for being among his strongest supporters and in an interview last year, he noted: “I have a very strong relationship with my father Remco, we speak once every two days and he tries to come to all the games even though my parents are still living in Holland. He will be there on Sunday against Monza.”
His mother Doris was probably the more stricter parent who was often infuriated by the courageous nature of her son and how much he was devoted into street football.
Zirkzee revealed this in an interview with La Gazzetta dello Sport, revealing: “Now I know… I became an adult there but let’s say street football shaped me. Because it’s always a duel, you fight for yourself, if you fall on the asphalt you get hurt a lot and then you train to stand , because you feel free to play. A school of life, of football, where you have to improve yourself every day. I never went home, like many children. And mother Doris got really angry. How many scoldings have I received.“
Even though Remco and his wife have continued staying in the Netherlands than be closer to their son, that hasn’t stopped their unwavering support. Perhaps they can now look to script a new chapter in their own lives by taking early retirement and enjoying life in Manchester with their son as he aims to make Manchester United great again.
