In December 2014, FC Groningen possessed one of the most lethal and creative midfielders in the Eredivisie: Tjaronn Chery. The matchday programme against Vitesse dedicated its main feature, “De Hoofdrolspeler,” to the number 10. What starts as a standard pre-match interview quickly turns into a fascinating collection of bizarre anecdotes, footballing nerdiness, and a prophecy that would define the club’s history.
The interview reveals a highly unusual international situation. Chery mentions receiving an honorable call-up for the Surinamese national team, managed by Dean Gorré, for a Boxing Day friendly against W Connection from Trinidad & Tobago. However, the timing was comically bad. “Unfortunately, I heard about the plan too late and I had already booked a holiday,” Chery admits. Furthermore, because the match fell outside the official FIFA window, the club refused to release players anyway. It’s a quirky reminder of the logistical hurdles in international football outside the European elite.
But the most intriguing part of the interview is Chery’s tactical confession regarding football equipment. He openly admits to preferring the Nike ball used in away games over the club’s own home balls (traditionally Derbystar). “In away games we play with that Nike ball, which I really like,” he says, referencing a bizarre free-kick goal he scored against FC Twente and their goalkeeper Nick Marsman. “A knuckleball, a lot lighter than our own balls.” It is incredibly rare for a player to publicly critique the aerodynamics of their own stadium’s match ball in the official club magazine.
Finally, Chery looks ahead to the upcoming KNVB Cup match against FC Volendam, calling it the “first step” to Europe. He dreams aloud: “It would of course be beautiful if we could repeat the scenario of last year, but it is really too early to talk about the Grote Markt again.”
A Look into the Future
Reading those final words from the perspective of 2026 sends shivers down the spine of any FC Groningen fan. Chery wasn’t just dreaming; he was prophesying. Five months after this interview was printed, Chery would lead the team to their first-ever major trophy, winning the KNVB Cup. And yes, they did end up on the balcony at the Grote Markt, celebrating with tens of thousands of fans. Chery’s career subsequently exploded, taking him on a lucrative global journey through QPR, the Chinese Super League, Maccabi Haifa, and eventually back to the Eredivisie. But in December 2014, he was just a guy who liked the Nike ball and had a feeling that something special was brewing.