CELEBRITIES

—Robin Van Persie:

—Born on August 6, 1983, in Rotterdam, Netherlands, Robin van Persie began his professional soccer career with the local Feyenoord club. He blossomed with England's Arsenal F.C., and recovered from an ankle injury to lead the Dutch team to the final of the 2010 FIFA World Cup. Van Persie the Dutch international scorer in 2013. 

—The third child of two artists, van Persie learned to play soccer in his ethnically diverse neighborhood of Kralingen. He joined the youth system of S.B.V. Excelsior shortly after his parents split when he was 5, eventually moving to rival Rotterdam club Feyenoord as a highly regarded teenage player.

—Van Persie was a U-21 international and took part in the 2004 and 2006 European Championship qualifying. Van Persie was used in a wider role as a left wing due to the preference of the experienced Klaas-Jan Huntelaar in the striker role.