Lutsharel Geertruida: ”The hood gave me the mentality to survive.”
Life After Football meets… Lutsharel Geertruida. As a young boy, Lutsharel would sit in his living room, listening to the roar of De Kuip echo through the neighborhood. Years later, het Kind van Zuid (Child of the South), would walk onto that very pitch as Feyenoord’s captain. Now playing for RB Leipzig, we catch up with the defender to talk about his journey, his love for music, finding his voice in front of the camera, and the powerful influence of family and lifelong friends.
Although Lutsharel Geertruida wore the captain’s armband at Feyenoord, he often stayed out of the spotlight when it came to post-match interviews. Speaking on camera didn’t come easy, he struggled with a stutter. But in music, it was a different story. There, he had no trouble finding the right words.
”Music has always been important in my life”
Lutsharel Geertruida: “Music has always been important in my life. There was always music at home. Often Curaçaoan music, soul, and jazz. That’s how I grew up. My father, Luthson, is a music teacher, so it’s important to him as well.” Geertruida started making music with friends himself. “We just used beats from YouTube. Just at home in our rooms. It was a lot of fun, but that was back then. Over the years, we’ve become much more professional. Now we rent a studio.”
Geertruida writes his own lyrics:
“I look in the mirror when I mess up again,
They don’t know, but still many judge,
Got my eyes on the prize, look how hard we go,
Don’t let a bitch mess with your mind and soul,
Everything happens for a reason, it is what it is,
Became a role model in the hood without even knowing it,
How can you hate on someone else, that’s what I don’t understand,
All the L’s I took, we take them light.”
“My lyrics are about life, about what I go through. Not about football, no. Although ‘eyes on the prize’ does refer to that, of course. Football is sometimes just like real life, highs and lows. It also shapes who I am.”
Music is a form of relaxation for him. “But football is number one and will always stay number one.”
”It’s a sign that we’re there for each other.”
He’s proud of his roots in the Peperclip, a residential building in the Feijenoord district of Rotterdam, which may not have the best reputation, but he refuses to speak badly of it. “The neighborhood gave me everything I’ve achieved. I had a great childhood, I didn’t lack anything. The hood gave me the mentality to survive in the football world. A world where you constantly face moments that could go either way.”
Geertruida was always a talent, but there were sometimes doubts. A spot in the starting lineup took a long time. Again and again, he straightened his back and came back stronger. “Friends from the neighborhood, I’m still close with them. That’s a bond that never fades. I still talk to those boys every day. They’re in the stands for me at every match in De Kuip, and I’m also always at their matches. They play for amateur clubs in the region. It’s no chore, I enjoy it. It’s a sign that we’re there for each other.”
At every home game, there’s always a big group of friends and family in the stands. “My parents are always there too. Before the match starts, when we’re all lined up, I look for them in the stands and wave. For every contract extension, I’ve invited as many friends and family as possible to De Kuip. They’ve all contributed to that success.” His mother, Sharmine, sends him long messages before every match. “You should see them, they’re so long. I get a lot of strength from them.” His father is always critical. “He’s always kept me on my toes, pushed me to stay sharp.”
”I thank God for every match”
Geertruida wants to keep developing. As a person, as a speaker, as a father. “Since becoming a father to my daughter, I feel even more responsibility. I want to spend a lot of time with her. Also together with my family.” He’s also working more on his physical condition. “I train hard in the gym and pay attention to my diet and rest. I thank God for every match. That’s important to me. I try to go to church as often as I can. It gives me strength and guidance on the path to a bright future.”
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