From the start of his career at Ajax, Justin Kluivert was always known more as “Patrick’s son” than just “Justin.” Given that his father, Patrick, was a legendary forward, mostly for Ajax, Barcelona, and the Dutch national team, it made sense for Justin’s career to be compared to his dad’s.
Justin’s career was following a familiar pattern — a talented player but one who seemed to be taking a more average route compared to his famous father.
The numbers tell this story. Before this season, Justin played 285 matches and scored 65 goals for teams like Ajax, Roma, RB Leipzig, OGC Nice, Valencia, and Bournemouth. He only managed to score double digits in one season, at Ajax, with 10 goals.
On the other hand, Patrick scored 206 goals in 480 games for clubs like Ajax, Barcelona, AC Milan, and Newcastle United. Patrick also had a remarkable record for the national team with 40 goals in 79 appearances. Justin, however, has only played three times for the Netherlands and has yet to score.
So, when Justin arrived at St. James’ Park for a match against Newcastle, many saw him just as the son of a former star who briefly played for Newcastle. People didn’t expect much from him, especially considering how well Newcastle was performing, having won their last seven games. Meanwhile, Justin was one of only 12 fit senior players for Bournemouth.
Newcastle, however, should have paid more attention to Justin Kluivert and Bournemouth. In the sixth minute of the match, Justin scored by running onto a pass from Antoine Semenyo and placing it into the far post with his left foot. Although Newcastle equalized, just before half-time, Justin scored again after a pass from Dango Outtara.
This time, he struck a quick shot with his right foot that was too powerful for Martin Dubravka, the Newcastle goalkeeper.
Then, in the 92nd minute, Justin made it even more memorable. He intercepted a pass from Tyler Adams, and from about 25 yards out, he fired a powerful shot into the net. A left-footed goal, followed by a right-footed finish, and then a long-range blast — it was a stunning hat trick.
This remarkable performance helped Bournemouth secure a 4-1 win, with Justin also assisting Milos Kerkez for the fourth goal just minutes later.
After the game, Justin joked, “I heard I had more goals than him here already [Patrick scored just one home goal for Newcastle], so that is one win over him.” He also added, “I followed Newcastle when I was younger – unfortunately for them, the Kluivert now plays for another team.”
For Newcastle fans, this was unfortunate, as Justin’s performance is turning out to be a standout season for him. As a modern #10, Bournemouth’s coach Andoni Iraola has helped Justin shine, using his quick passing, pressing, and smart movement as key parts of their attack.
Justin had already scored a hat trick in the 2024-25 season — a record-setting three penalty goals against Wolves — but this one felt different. With this hat trick, he has already matched his career-high goal tally of 10 in a league season, and there is still time left in the season.
His performance against Newcastle truly felt like a moment where Justin was stepping out from his father’s shadow. It marked the beginning of him becoming his own player and proving that he could make a name for himself.
