The PSV Foundation, in cooperation with FC Robinstijn, has named a FAN of the Match every PSV home game since 1998. Due to the corona virus, this is not possible during the first half of the 2020-2021 season. A great opportunity to look back with a FAN of the Match from the past. This week: nine-year-old Luc van Aaken.
Uncertain summer
The summer vacation looked different for the Van Aaken family in 2019. Luc became very ill, bringing the vacation to an abrupt end. After a period of uncertainty and many tests in the hospital, Lyme disease was diagnosed. Luc was hospitalized for a while. A teaching assistant at the hospital spoke to Luc the words, "If you still do well with these examinations, I know something nice for you at PSV."
Bull's-eye
That statement obviously made Luc go full steam ahead. On September 14, 2019, the home game against Vitesse, he was FAN of the Match. Because Luc was doing well, he was able to be present live in the stadium and did not have to watch with a video robot. The fact that Luc was also FAN of the Match during this game made it even better. A 5-0 victory over Vitesse and five goals by Donyell Malen! "It was wonderful, a great initiative of PSV and FC Robinstijn," says Eveline, Luc's mother.
Stunned
"We still talk about it a lot," says Eveline. "From the moment we were picked up at home and Luc was given a PSV cap, scarf and shirt, he was completely amazed." Eveline herself is a PSV fan at heart, so to see her son like this gave her a special feeling. What Luc liked best? "That he was allowed to walk onto the field with the ball and be photographed with the players after the match he thought was really fantastic. You could see the impact of everything on his little face."
Proud
Luc is now completely the old Luc again. For several months he has been completely cured and is full of energy again. Whenever the special day comes up, he always talks about it with pride. "We have already had the tour of the stadium, huh mom," is what Luc says several times when friends of his tell him that they also think the Philips Stadium is so beautiful and would like to see it up close. "The summer of 2019 was all about Luc. An outing like this is so special then," concludes mother Eveline.
There is still a remote FAN of the Match. One of PSV'ers takes a specially made robot onto the field every home game when the team walks onto the field.