Feyenoord, who'd lost seven of their last 10 games across all competitions, were down 2-0 to neighbours Sparta when the 19-year-old Shaqueel van Persie was brought on by father and manager Robin van Persie in the 64th minute.
After teammate Hwang-In Beom cut Sparta's lead to one goal, Shunsuke Mito restored the visitors' two-goal lead, giving Feyenoord a mountain to climb in order to win their first game since December 6th.
Van Persie took matters into his own hands in the closing stages, however. The young striker produced his first moment of magic in the red-and-white Feyenoord shirt by scoring a sensational backheel goal in the 87th minute, giving Feyenoord a lifeline.
It was then Van Persie who made the stadium erupt again. Just one minute after scoring his first senior goal, Shaqueel van Persie scored a spectacular equaliser when he fired in a Luciano Valente cross with a stunning bicycle kick.
It wasn't enough for Feyenoord to beat Sparta, however, as the visitors scored a dramatic 94th-minute winner to leave Feyenoord and father and son Van Persie empty-handed in a 4-3 defeat.
Shaqueel van Persie debuted for Feyenoord in their UEFA Europa League loss to Celtic, who beat Feyenoord 3-1 in Rotterdam. The decision to hand his son his debut in a crucial European tie earned manager Robin van Persie his fair share of criticism after the game, but he defended his decision.
"I made that call as a coach, not as a dad, because we needed a goal," the Premier League icon said after the game. "Shaqueel is a player who can score a goal from all angles. That was the reason I brought him on."