Like father, like son. Ronald Koeman Jr, the set-piece specialist… who is also a goalkeeper

Former Barcelona and Netherlands captain Ronald Koeman was renowned for his goalscoring abilities despite playing the majority of his career in defence.

The Dutch legend racked up 239 goals in his playing career, which included an incredible record of 115 penalties scored from 131 attempts.

Now his son, Ronald Koeman Jnr, is following in his footsteps, but with a twist — he’s a goalkeeper.

The 31-year-old scored two penalties for Telstar in Sunday’s 2-2 draw against visitors Cambuur in the Eredivisie, the Dutch top flight.

With his team trailing 2-0 and down to 10 men, Koeman Jr scored in the 63rd minute and again in the 11th minute of added time to earn a point.

A goalkeeper scoring in football is usually a freak occurrence from a last-gasp corner, but Koeman Jr has form for this sort of thing.

Two penalties. Two goals. History made. 🤯

Ronald Koeman Jr. becomes the first goalkeeper to score TWICE in a Dutch Eredivisie match, the 2nd an equaliser in the 101st minute for his side Telstar 🧤 pic.twitter.com/lI2oqmVtdO

— Football on TNT Sports (@footballontnt) September 6, 2026

In May, he scored another penalty in the 88th minute to save Telstar from relegation. Despite the team’s two top scorers, Jochem Ritmeester van de Kamp and Patrick Brouwer, being on the pitch in that vital game against Volendam, it was the ’keeper who stepped up. He channelled his father’s composure and ripped his shirt off to celebrate the moment.

Telstar manager Anthony Correia suggested at the time that he should be immortalised in bronze.

“Ronald Koeman Jr is a legend; he deserves a statue,” Correia said, as reported by TNT Sports. “It’s really cool that he did it. The (Volendam) ‘keeper can dive to the corner, but goodbye! He shot it so well. I’m normally not much of a drinker, but I am going to have a small beer now.

“They did a great job. This feels like a championship. I didn’t think we would get 37 points.”

It is a rarity for goalkeepers to be charged with such responsibility, but not unheard of.

Brazilian ’keeper Rogerio Ceni was Sao Paulo’s set-piece taker between 1997 and 2015, and scored 129 goals. He would trot upfield anytime there was a dead-ball situation around the opposition penalty area and often curled a shot into the top corner.

Ceni is in the Guinness Book of Records as the highest-scoring goalkeeper, but Colombia international Rene Higuita was no slouch either, managing 43 goals, including 35 from the spot.

Maybe it is more of a South American quirk, with Paraguay’s Jose Luis Chilavert scoring over 60 times, including a record eight in international football.

Villarreal goalkeeper Geronimo Rulli showed similar confidence in the 2020-21 Europa League final against Manchester United when he saved the 22nd kick in a marathon shootout from his counterpart David De Gea, then got up and beat the Spaniard with his to claim the trophy.

Germany’s Hans-Jorg Butt scored 26 Bundesliga goals from the spot for Hamburg and Bayer Leverkusen, but Koeman Jr has brought the novelty to the neighbouring Netherlands.

Given his heritage, it is a wonder Telstar did not test his abilities in the opposition area sooner.