Champions League winner’s son makes Barcelona debut aged 18, 28 years after dad’s first game for club

THE Kluivert family’s Catalonian legacy continued after Patrick’s son Shane made his official Barcelona bow against Birmingham City. Almost 28 years after Dutch legend Patrick Kluivert first pulled on the Blaugrana shirt, his youngest son has followed suit at the tender age of 18. Shane Kluivert has risen up through the La Masia ranks and forms part of a rich footballing dynasty Patrick Kluivert is Barca’s eight highest goalscorer ever Father Patrick netted 122 times for the Catalan giants and tasted La Liga glory in his debut season, before passing the Barcelona baton on to his offspring. Shane has long been a known talent on the wing, and was scouted by Barcelona‘s iconic La Masia academy in 2017. Sign up for the Football newsletter Thank you! A first sponsorship deal with Nike swiftly followed when Kluivert was just nine years old – making him the only European athlete under ten with a clothing contract at the time. Hansi Flick gifted the versatile attacker the opportunity to strut his stuff with the first team this summer after he racked up six goals and an assist for Barcelona’s Juvenil and Atletic sides last season. Another of his father’s former clubs, Ajax, where he won the Champions League, were also reportedly sniffing around for Shane’s signature earlier this year, but he opted to extend his contract in Catalonia until 2028. Hopes that Kluivert would have a dream debut were ultimately dashed however. Birmingham City held Barcelona to a 2-2 draw at St Andrew’s, before the Blues triumphed 3-2 on penalties as hometown boy Jude Bellingham watched on. Shane’s unofficial debut proved more reminiscent of his father’s exploits for Barca, with daily sports newspaper Mundo Deportivo quick to hail the attacking starlet as “one of La Masia’s most promising talents”. Most read in Sport SUN VEGAS WELCOME OFFER: GET UP TO £100 BONUS Two of Shane’s brothers also play for some of Europe’s elite clubs The Kluiverts are starting to build a serious football dynasty, with three of Patrick’s sons now playing for Europe’s top teams. Attacking midfielder Justin Kluivert recently featured at the World Cup for the Oranje and will form a critical part of Bournemouth’s Europa League campaign next season. Meanwhile, his younger sibling Ruben has pedigree of his own as a pacy centre back, and recently helped Lyon qualify for the Champions League. Comment now