Gjivai Zechiël (born 1 June 2004) is a Dutch footballer who plays as a midfielder for club Feyenoord and the Netherlands national team.
Club career Zechiël is a youth product of the Dutch clubs Swift Boys, XerxesDZB and Sparta Rotterdam, before moving to the youth academy of Feyenoord in 2018. On 5 April 2022, he signed his first professional contract with Feyenoord until 2025. On 27 August 2023, Zechiël made his professional debut for Feyenoord, coming in a substitute in a 6–1 league win over Sparta Rotterdam. He made his debut for the club in the UEFA Champions League appearing as a second-half substitute in a 3–1 home defeat to Red Bull Salzburg on 6 November 2024.
On 4 February 2025, Zechiël returned to Sparta Rotterdam on loan until the end of the season, the club he had previously been at between 2012 and 2018. He made his debut for the club on 8 February 2025, as a second-half substitute in a 3–0 away loss to Feyenoord. He scored his first goal for the club in a 3–0 away win on 29 March 2025 against Fortuna Sittard.
International career Zechiël was called up to the Netherlands U19s for a set of 2022 UEFA European Under-19 Championship qualification matches in September 2022.
He featured for the Netherlands national under-21 football team in a 3–3 draw against Slovakia U21 in friendly match on 21 November 2024, scoring the third Dutch goal on the day as they came from 3–1 down.
In September 2026, Zechiël was included in the senior Netherlands squad for the first time, ahead of the start of the 2026–27 UEFA Nations League. He made his debut on 1 October, coming on as a substitute in the away match against Greece.
Career statistics
+Appearances by club, season and competitionClubSeasonLeagueKNVB CupEuropeOtherTotalDivisionAppsGoalsAppsGoalsAppsGoalsAppsGoalsAppsGoalsFeyenoord2023–24Eredivisie20000000202024–25Eredivisie802020101302026–27Eredivisie750010—85Total175203010235Sparta Rotterdam (loan)2024–25Eredivisie132———132FC Utrecht (loan)2025–26Eredivisie3481013110499Career total641530161208516
International
+ Appearances and goals by national team and yearNational teamYearAppsGoalsNetherlands202620Total20
Personal life Born in the Netherlands, Zechiël is of Surinamese and Cape Verdean descent. His father, Rowan Zechiël, was a semi-professional footballer who played for the youth of Sparta Rotterdam and his youth club XerxesDZB.
Honours Feyenoord Johan Cruyff Shield: 2024
Individual Eredivisie Talent of the Month: October 2025, May 2026 Eredivisie Player of the Month: August 2026
References