With a name inspired by a four-time Oscar-nominated Brazilian film, Zepiqueno Redmond is now looking to write a script of his own after leaving Feyenoord for Aston Villa before joining Huddersfield Town on loan this summer.
A product of the Alexandria ’66, CVV Zwervers and ADO Den Haag youth academies before eventually joining Feyenoord in 2019, Redmond now finds himself in England at the Kirklees Stadium in the next stage of his budding career.
The 19-year-old will be hoping to become the latest player with ties to Suriname, a small nation on the north-eastern coast of South America, to thrive amongst Europe’s elite, following in the footsteps of Frank Rijkaard, Edgar Davids, Clarence Seedorf and Virgil van Dijk – as well as others.
Despite being named after the main antagonist, Zepequeno, from the 2002 Brazilian Oscar-nominated crime thriller City of God, the comparisons end at the name between the new Huddersfield striker and the power-crazed villain, also known as Lil’ze.
“I think he’s a good person and a good player as well,” his former Feyenoord U21 boss Pascal Bosschaart told Sky Sports.
“I think on the pitch, he’s a player he will not give up. He puts 100 per cent always on the line. And in the dressing room, he is a character.
“He’s a funny character. He’s willing to help everyone looking after the boys as well, because I had him last year at the other 21s before he made his debut in the first team.”
His debut in the first team arrived in the starting line-up in a 4-1 win against Almere City, before netting his first goals for the first team versus MVV Maastricht in the KNVB Cup two months later.
The progress would not end there. Fast forward to February 2025, after injuries to Julian Carranza, Santiago Gimenez and Ayase Ueda, Redmond was tasked with leading the line at the San Siro against AC Milan at the age of just 18.
Zepiqueno Redmond during the Champions League game for Feyenoord against AC Milan at the San Siro
The decision was made by Bosschaart at the time after taking on the caretaker role following the departure of Brian Priske.
When asked how he told Redmond, or ‘Zepe’ as he refers to him from their time working together in the U21s, Bosschaart added: “Just the way, just the way I normally do it, if he’s going to play it, he’s going to play.
“Of course, people were struggling a little bit in that period with our strikers, and he was actually the third one, maybe the fourth one, but he was the first one in line.”
Playing at one of, if not the, most iconic stadiums in world football in Europe’s elite competition. A daunting prospect for most young players – but not Redmond.
“He told me he was ready for it,” the Feyenoord coach said when asked about the response from Redmond when he told him the news.
“Those are the things you want to hear as a coach that a player is ready to play, even if it’s in a Champions League game. Super. He was ready for it.”
After that experience in the Feyenoord first team, minutes began to dry up for Redmond when Robin van Persie took on the role of head coach, leading to his move to Villa and now Huddersfield.
Highlights of the Sky Bet League One match between Huddersfield Town and Peterborough United.
He is yet to make the match-day squad for either side since arriving in England but when he does, his former boss is backing the young forward to thrive in his new surroundings.
Bosschaart said: “The mentality, the physical side of him, everything is there.
“Of course, he needs to improve some football skills, but I think actually in England, it’s maybe a little bit more physical and I think it suits him very much.
“He can play a few positions on the right-hand side, forward and in the centre. But I think he’s more of a striker in the box.
“His physical capabilities are already great, and I think he can still improve that a little bit. Inside the box, I think he can be deadly.
“But I think he will be an outstanding player.”
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