1. Overview
Luciano Narsingh, born on September 13, 1990, is a Dutch professional footballer known for his role as a right winger, though he is also capable of playing as a left winger or an attacking midfielder. A right-footed player, Narsingh began his professional career with SC Heerenveen before moving to PSV Eindhoven, where he achieved significant success, including winning multiple Eredivisie titles. His career also saw him play for Swansea City in the Premier League, Feyenoord, and various other clubs including FC Twente, Sydney FC, Miedź Legnica, and currently Nea Salamina Famagusta. Narsingh has also represented the Netherlands national team since 2012, participating in major tournaments such as UEFA Euro 2012.
2. Early life and youth career
Luciano Narsingh was born in Amsterdam, Netherlands, on September 13, 1990. He is of Indo-Surinamese descent. Narsingh developed his football skills through several prominent youth academies in the Netherlands. His early youth career included spells at AVV Zeeburgia, AZ Alkmaar, and Ajax Amsterdam. He joined the youth setup of SC Heerenveen in 2006, remaining there until 2008 before transitioning to the professional ranks.
3. Club career
Luciano Narsingh's professional club career has spanned multiple leagues and countries, marked by periods of significant success and personal challenges, including recovery from a serious injury. His journey began in the Eredivisie, the top-tier football league in the Netherlands, before he moved to the Premier League in England and subsequently continued his career in various European and Australian leagues.
3.1. SC Heerenveen
Narsingh signed his first professional contract with SC Heerenveen in 2008, committing to the club until 2013. He made his official Eredivisie debut on October 29, 2008, under trainer Trond Sollied, coming on as a replacement for the injured Danijel Pranjić in a 2-0 loss against Vitesse. A month later, he also featured in an away match against FC Twente which ended in a 6-0 defeat. During the 2009-2010 season, Narsingh made two appearances for the club.
His breakthrough season came in 2010-2011 under coach Ron Jans, where Narsingh quickly became a sensation in the Eredivisie. He gained recognition for his exceptional dribbling skills, blistering speed, and precise passing movements, which ultimately led him to displace Roy Beerens from the starting lineup. In the 2011-12 Eredivisie campaign, Narsingh was notably the leading assist provider in the league, setting up 22 goals. His impressive performances attracted attention from larger Dutch clubs. On July 15, 2012, SC Heerenveen reached an agreement with PSV Eindhoven for Narsingh's transfer, valued at 4.10 M EUR.
3.2. PSV Eindhoven
Luciano Narsingh's tenure at PSV Eindhoven began promisingly. In the first half of his debut season, he contributed six goals and five assists, helping PSV comfortably lead the Eredivisie table with eleven wins out of thirteen games. However, his progress was halted when he suffered a serious ligament injury during a match against NAC Breda, which sidelined him for the remainder of that season.
After returning to playing fitness in October 2013, Narsingh found his playing time limited under new head coach Phillip Cocu, who had replaced Dick Advocaat and was cautious about gambling on Narsingh's full recovery. Nevertheless, Narsingh completed his recovery by 2014, making a significant impact in a match against defending champions Ajax. In that game, he first assisted Memphis Depay for an equalizer before scoring a goal himself, contributing to a surprising 3-1 victory.
Narsingh played a pivotal role in PSV's success. On April 18, 2015, he provided the opening goal for Luuk de Jong within three minutes and later scored the final goal in a dominant 4-1 victory over Heerenveen. This win secured PSV's 22nd Eredivisie title, their first since 2008. He continued to be an integral part of the squad that won a second consecutive Eredivisie title in the 2015-16 Eredivisie season. During his time at PSV, Narsingh also clinched the Johan Cruyff Shield three times, in 2012, 2015, and 2016.
3.3. Swansea City
On January 12, 2017, Luciano Narsingh made a move to the English Premier League, signing with Swansea City for a fee of 4.00 M GBP. During his time with the club, he scored one goal, which was the winning goal against Watford. He was a regular starter for his first two years at Swansea.
However, after Swansea City was relegated to the EFL Championship for the 2018-2019 season, Narsingh's playing time significantly decreased, with him appearing in only two matches. He later indicated that while the coach was willing to play him, the club's ownership prevented his inclusion. On May 18, 2019, Swansea City confirmed that Narsingh would be released from the club upon the expiration of his contract.
3.4. Feyenoord
Following his departure from Swansea City, Luciano Narsingh returned to the Eredivisie, signing a two-year contract with Feyenoord on July 5, 2019. He quickly made his mark for his new club, scoring his first goal in a dominant 4-0 victory against FC Dinamo Tbilisi in the third qualifying round of the 2019-20 UEFA Europa League.
3.5. Later club career
After his initial spell at Feyenoord, Luciano Narsingh continued his club career with a series of moves, including loan spells and permanent transfers across different leagues. On January 22, 2021, he was sent on a six-month loan deal to fellow Eredivisie club FC Twente.
Subsequently, Narsingh ventured to Australia, joining Sydney FC for the 2021-22 A-League Men season. After his time in Australia, he moved to Poland to play for Miedź Legnica in the Ekstraklasa during the 2022-23 season. During this period, he also made an appearance for the club's reserve team, Miedź Legnica II, in the III liga. In 2023, Narsingh transferred to Cypriot club Nea Salamina Famagusta, competing in the Cypriot First Division for the 2023-24 season.
4. International career
Born in the Netherlands, Luciano Narsingh is of Indo-Surinamese descent. His international career with the Netherlands national team began with appearances for various youth squads.
In February 2012, Narsingh received his first call-up to the senior Netherlands football team by manager Bert van Marwijk for a friendly match against England at Wembley Stadium. On May 7 of the same year, he was included in the provisional list of 36 players for the UEFA Euro 2012 tournament, being one of nine uncapped players selected for the preliminary squad. He made his unofficial international debut in a friendly match against Bayern Munich, during which he scored a goal. He subsequently made the final 23-player squad to represent the Netherlands at Euro 2012. His official international debut came in a friendly match against Slovakia on May 30.
Narsingh scored his first international goal on August 15, 2012, in a 4-2 defeat to Belgium. He was also involved in the Netherlands' qualification campaign for the 2014 FIFA World Cup in Brazil, contributing one goal and three assists in four games before suffering an injury. Due to this injury, Narsingh was unable to participate in the 2014 World Cup, and his spot in the squad was ultimately taken by Leroy Fer. He continued to represent the national team, scoring his third international goal in a UEFA Euro 2016 qualifying match against Latvia in June 2015, and his fourth against England in a friendly match in March 2016.
5. Playing style
Luciano Narsingh is primarily recognized as a right winger, a position where he utilizes his speed and dribbling ability effectively. He is a right-footed player, which influences his preference for operating on the right flank, allowing him to cut inside or deliver crosses. Beyond his main role, Narsingh also demonstrates versatility, capable of playing as a left winger and on both sides of attacking midfield. His key strengths include his impressive dribbling skills, high pace, and accurate passing, which contributed to his reputation as a formidable attacking threat during his peak years, particularly evident in his record for most assists in the Eredivisie.
6. Career statistics
6.1. Club
Appearances and goals by club, season and competition
| Club | Season | League | National cup | League cup | Other | Total | ||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Division | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | ||
| SC Heerenveen | 2008-09 | Eredivisie | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | - | - | 2 | 0 | ||
| 2009-10 | Eredivisie | 2 | 0 | 1 | 0 | - | - | 3 | 0 | |||
| 2010-11 | Eredivisie | 24 | 5 | 2 | 0 | - | - | 26 | 5 | |||
| 2011-12 | Eredivisie | 34 | 8 | 5 | 4 | - | - | 39 | 12 | |||
| Total | 62 | 13 | 8 | 4 | - | - | 70 | 17 | ||||
| PSV | 2012-13 | Eredivisie | 18 | 6 | 2 | 0 | - | 6 | 0 | 26 | 6 | |
| 2013-14 | Eredivisie | 20 | 0 | 1 | 0 | - | 3 | 0 | 24 | 0 | ||
| 2014-15 | Eredivisie | 32 | 6 | 3 | 1 | - | 11 | 1 | 46 | 8 | ||
| 2015-16 | Eredivisie | 30 | 8 | 2 | 0 | - | 8 | 1 | 40 | 9 | ||
| 2016-17 | Eredivisie | 15 | 1 | 2 | 1 | - | 6 | 1 | 23 | 3 | ||
| Total | 115 | 21 | 10 | 2 | - | 34 | 3 | 160 | 26 | |||
| Jong PSV | 2013-14 | Eerste Divisie | 3 | 3 | - | 3 | 3 | |||||
| Swansea City | 2016-17 | Premier League | 13 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | - | 13 | 0 | |
| 2017-18 | Premier League | 18 | 1 | 4 | 1 | 2 | 0 | - | 24 | 2 | ||
| 2018-19 | EFL Championship | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | - | 2 | 0 | ||
| Total | 33 | 1 | 4 | 1 | 2 | 0 | - | 39 | 2 | |||
| Feyenoord | 2019-20 | Eredivisie | 15 | 2 | 2 | 2 | - | 9 | 1 | 26 | 5 | |
| 2020-21 | Eredivisie | 9 | 1 | 0 | 0 | - | 2 | 0 | 11 | 1 | ||
| Total | 24 | 3 | 2 | 2 | - | 11 | 1 | 37 | 6 | |||
| Twente | 2020-21 | Eredivisie | 17 | 1 | 0 | 0 | - | 0 | 0 | 17 | 1 | |
| Sydney FC | 2021-22 | A-League Men | 10 | 1 | 0 | 0 | - | 4 | 0 | 14 | 1 | |
| Miedź Legnica | 2022-23 | Ekstraklasa | 29 | 5 | 2 | 0 | - | - | 31 | 5 | ||
| Miedź Legnica II | 2022-23 | III liga | 1 | 0 | - | 1 | 0 | |||||
| Nea Salamina Famagusta | 2023-24 | Cypriot First Division | 37 | 8 | 2 | 0 | - | - | 39 | 8 | ||
| Career total | 331 | 56 | 28 | 9 | 2 | 0 | 49 | 4 | 411 | 69 | ||
6.2. International goals
Netherlands tallies go first, scores indicate each Narsingh goal.
| Goal | Date | Venue | Opponent | Score | Result | Competition |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1. | 15 August 2012 | King Baudouin Stadium, Brussels, Belgium | Belgium | 1-1 | 2-4 | Friendly |
| 2. | 7 September 2012 | Amsterdam ArenA, Amsterdam, Netherlands | Turkey | 2-0 | 2-0 | 2014 World Cup qualification |
| 3. | 12 June 2015 | Skonto Stadium, Riga, Latvia | Latvia | 2-0 | 2-0 | UEFA Euro 2016 qualifying |
| 4. | 29 March 2016 | Wembley Stadium, London, England | England | 2-1 | 2-1 | Friendly |
7. Honours
Luciano Narsingh has collected several team titles and individual accolades throughout his professional football career.
PSV Eindhoven
- Eredivisie: 2014-15, 2015-16
- Johan Cruyff Shield: 2012, 2015, 2016
Individual
- Most assists in the Eredivisie in the 2011-12 campaign (22 assists)
8. Assessment and Legacy
Luciano Narsingh's career is marked by his significant impact as a winger, particularly during his time in the Eredivisie. He emerged as a standout talent at SC Heerenveen, where his exceptional dribbling, speed, and passing prowess earned him the distinction of leading the league in assists in the 2011-12 season. This performance led to a high-profile move to PSV Eindhoven, where he played a crucial role in securing back-to-back Eredivisie titles in 2015 and 2016, and multiple Johan Cruyff Shields. His ability to create scoring opportunities and score vital goals contributed significantly to PSV's domestic dominance during that period.
Despite a challenging period with a serious ligament injury during his early years at PSV and later facing limited playing time at Swansea City, Narsingh demonstrated resilience and continued to contribute to teams in various leagues. His international career saw him represent the Netherlands at UEFA Euro 2012 and contribute to World Cup qualifying campaigns, showcasing his talent on the international stage. Narsingh's legacy is defined by his explosive wing play and his instrumental role in PSV's championship-winning squads, cementing his place as a notable Dutch footballer of his generation.