Lennard Hartjes and Antoni Milambo made their official debut in the first of Feyenoord on Thursday evening. The midfielders made their appearance as substitutes in the second half of the Conference League match with FC Luzern (3-0 win). For Milambo, 16 years and 131 days, it was a historic moment: he broke the club record of Georginio Wijnaldum (16 years and 148 days) from 2007. Afterwards, the two also made their official debut in front of the camera of ESPN, in an uninhibited atmosphere on the sidelines of a completely deserted Kuip.
Milambo was asked if he knew he would make history if he played. “I knew beforehand, yes. The boys said it to me in the locker room. My predecessor? Wijnaldum.” Milambo does not think he resembles the football player Wijnaldum. “Not really. He’s more stealing the ball and I’m more attacking.” Presenter Jan Joost van Gangelen asked the midfielder to introduce himself. “I’m Antoni Milambo, I’m sixteen years old and I live in South Rotterdam”, he said somewhat timidly.
“I am an attacking midfielder and have been with Feyenoord for seven years now. Did I think it was time to make my debut? Yes man!” said Milambo, who became national champion with Feyenoord Under-13 (!) two years ago, with a big smile on his face. Hartjes was also allowed to introduce himself. “I’m Lennard Hartjes, I’m eighteen years old and I come from Spijkenisse. In the beginning I was a bit nervous. It is different from a practice match, but I did enjoy it.”
Both Hartjes and Milambo did not know that an official debut would be possible. “The trainer hadn’t said anything about it and I hadn’t taken it into account,” assured Milambo, who was asked what kind of season it will be. “I think it will be a very good season. I have not yet heard whether I can stay with them,” Milambo emphasized. Hartjes also hadn’t heard anything yet. “But we would like to stay with the first selection. That is my ambition. I would really enjoy training every day.”
Marciano Vink asked about the examples of the teenagers. Hartjes: “He is not necessarily an example, but I do like to watch Frenkie de Jong’s game.” Milambo doesn’t really have an example either. “A lot of people compare me to Paul Pogba.” He was also asked if he should have sing a song. “No, but during the training camp. What?” The midfielder called Nairobi from Frenna, but that did not sound familiar to Van Gangelen. “Frenna Nairobi? I am an old man.”
After the departure of the two, Mario Been, Vink and Van Gangelen enjoyed the interview. “Very uninhibited and that is how it should remain. Great to see. How they compare to Pogba and things like that,” said Been. Vink added: “That’s why I asked that question. Then you get a picture of where they would like to grow. In both cases I can understand it quite well.”