Dirk Kuyt: The best way to end a football career
The rivalry between Liverpool and Manchester United is well established in the folklore of both English and World football, so a hat-trick scored in a fixture between these two must be the most special of someone’s career right?
Perhaps not for Dirk Kuyt.
The tenacious Dutchman joined Liverpool in August 2006 from Eredivisie club Feyenoord. Kuyt spent 6 years with the Reds, scoring in the 2007 Champions League final, the 2012 League Cup final, and being involved in a go-kart crash with Peter Crouch.
Among these highlights is the hat-trick he netted against Manchester United on 6th March 2011.
Heading into the game United sat atop the table, 4 points clear of Arsenal in second. Meanwhile Liverpool were in the midst of a disappointing season lying in 6th, 8 points adrift of Tottenham in 5th.
United were clear favourites heading into the match at Anfield but as is so often the case with the Premier League, things didn’t go to plan for the Red Devils.
Kuyt socred the first goal in the 34th minute tapping home the ball on the goal line after Luis Suarez took it round 3 United defenders.
His second and Liverpool’s second came just 5 minutes later when a wayward backwards header from Nani looped after Michael Carrick, with Kuyt stealing in behind to head the ball past Edwin van der Sar.
The Dutchman capped off his hat-trick after Van der Sar parried a Suarez free kick straight into his path, allowing the ball to be slotted home from 2 yards.
A poacher’s hat-trick against your biggest rivals would surely rank as the best of any hat-tricks in a footballer’s career, but this story is not finished.
After leaving Liverpool Kuyt spent 3 years at Turkish outfit Fenerbahce before rejoining former club Feyenoord ahead of the 15/16 season.
Heading into the last day of the 16/17 Eredivisie season Feyenoord sat 1st in the table, but needed a win against Heracles to guarantee them the league title.
It took just 38 seconds for Dirk Kuyt to score his first of the day, significantly easing the nerves of the Feyenoord faithful. A capitalised from a Heracles defender slipping whilst trying to deal with a bouncing ball, firing past the keeper into the left side of the net.
The cacophony from the stadium was immense and it’s one of those moments that gives anyone with a soul goosebumps, as Kuyt stood facing the now feral home fans with his arms held out.
Just 11 minutes later Kuyt scored his second, sneaking in between the 2 centre backs and heading in a cross from 6 yards out.
Bedlam in De Kuip.
He completed his hat-trick 6 minutes from the end after the referee awarded a pentlay when Feyenoord number 9 Nicolai Jorgensen was dragged down inside the box. Kuyt coolly stepped up and rolled the penalty past the keeper.
The celebration was one to remember as well, as he ripped his shirt off before placing it on the corner flag before holding it aloft in front of the fans.
Dirk Kuyt had secured Feyenoord their first league title since 1997, and the first team that isn't PSV or Ajax to win the Eredivisie since FC Twente in 2010.
3 days later Dirk Kuyt announced his retirement from professional football, and there are few better ways to end a career than the way did on that day.
A cult hero in Liverpool and a legend in Rotterdam. Kuyt’s career has largely gone under the radar where he registered 285 goals and 152 assists in 787 games for his various clubs, as well as 24 goals and 20 assists in 104 games for the Dutch national team.
