Givairo Read named Johan Cruyff Talent of the Month

Givairo Read helped Feyenoord secure victories over N.E.C. Nijmegen (3-1), PEC Zwolle (7-0) and FC Utrecht (5-0) in September. The Rotterdam side collected a maximum nine points from three matches, recording a goal difference of +14. Alongside Giovanni van Bronckhorst, who was named Rinus Michels Manager of the Month on Tuesday, Read has also been recognised with an award this week.

The 20-year-old defender played a key role in Feyenoord’s attacking play. Read provided four assists in the Eredivisie in September, more than any other player. Based on his Expected Assists (xA) figure of 1.0, he would have been expected to register just one assist. Instead, he delivered four, outperforming his expected total by three assists: the biggest difference of any player in September.

Read also created six chances from open play, four of which directly resulted in goals.

His assist statistics are equally impressive over a longer period. Against FC Utrecht, the Netherlands Under-21 international made his 50th appearance in the Eredivisie. He registered 13 assists in those first 50 matches, more than any other defender in their first 50 league appearances this century.

Read also provided three assists in a single match against PEC Zwolle, becoming just the 12th player to achieve that feat since 2000. Remarkably, it was not even his first time doing so: he also registered three assists in a league match against FC Twente in March.

Read also made his presence felt defensively. The Feyenoord right-back recorded 15 touches in the opposition penalty area, with only AZ's Mateo Chávez (16) registering more among defenders.

Read also won 15 of his 25 duels, giving him a success rate of 60%. All 15 were ground duels, with no other Feyenoord player winning more in September.

The right-back also impressed with his pressing. Read regained possession three times in the attacking third, the second-highest total in the Eredivisie in September. He also made eight tackles, six of which were successful, giving him a success rate of 75%.

Finally, with Read in defence, Feyenoord conceded just one goal throughout September and kept two clean sheets.

This is Givairo Read's second Johan Cruyff Talent of the Month award. The defender previously won the prize in April 2025.

As part of the award, Read receives a €2,500 cheque from the Friends Lottery (VriendenLoterij) for his former amateur club AVV Zeeburgia, where he began his football career. An additional €5,000 will be donated to the Johan Cruyff Foundation to support community projects.

The Player of the Month and Johan Cruyff Talent of the Month awards are based on more than 60 different Opta statistics. These are divided into various categories and weighted according to each player's position. Players can also receive a bonus based on assessments by an expert panel of former players.

These statistics also play a role in determining the Player of the Year and Johan Cruyff Talent of the Year. Both awards are presented at the end of the season during the Eredivisie Awards.

The Player of the Month and Johan Cruyff Talent of the Month awards are an initiative of Eredivisie CV, in collaboration with ESPN, Friends Lottery (VriendenLoterij) and the Johan Cruyff Foundation.