As Dirk Kuyt leads Feyenoord on Sunday at Den Haag on the back of hat-tricks in each of his last two Eredivisie fixtures, we take a look at the Dutchman’s career and points to the fact that he is known more for his hard work, but less for his talent as a goalscorer.
Tough luck
None of the teams Kuyt has represented in his long career would ever doubt his industry or even his generosity as a colleague.
But the Dutchman has seldom been greatly appreciated for his aesthetic qualities – as a goalscorer or provider.
That can be tough when you are from the Netherlands, a country that likes to think it helped make the sport more attractive on the eye.
Dutch barge
But listen to the supporters of Feyenoord, and Kuyt – who turned 35 in July – can do no wrong. On Wednesday night he contributed decisively to a 1-0 win over fierce rivals Ajax in the Dutch Cup.
His pressure on Ajax’s Joel Veltman forcing his marker to deflect a cross into his own net just ahead of the final whistle.
“Typical Kuyt,” Ajax coach and former Dutch star Frank de Boer muttered, suspecting the striker had barged the Ajax man.
Hustle and bustle
Though not a tall man, Kuyt certainly knows how to outmuscle opponents.
And despite making his name as a reliable goalscorer, coaches have through preferred to use his qualities of stamina, industry and tenacity outside the penalty area.
At the last World Cup, he could often be spotted at right-wing back. At Liverpool, where he spent six seasons, he was frequently deployed in wide positions.
The Mersey to the Bosphorus
Kuyt is in his second spell at Feyenoord, where he scored 71 league goals in three seasons up until 2006.
He then joined Liverpool, where his gumption made him popular with supporters, but his versatility may in some ways have worked to his disadvantage.
He was never a prolific scorer there, as he had been in the Eredivisie. Similarly, during his three seasons at Fenerbahce, the goals-to-games ratio tailed off, but he still contributed substantially to the 2013-14 Super Lig title.
Lots of goals
He has 10 goals in 10 league matches this season, and his club went into this weekend locked on 25 points at the top of the table with Ajax.
“With his character and his desire, he is pulling everybody in the team upwards,” said his Feyenoord coach, Giovanni van Bronckhorst.
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