18 years is a long, long time to wait.
Arsenal haven’t won the Premier League in 13 years and counting, and every single season the title slips out of their fingers, they become a ‘club in crisis’. The ‘Wenger Out’ brigade come out in force with their placards and planes carrying banners.
So imagine how Feyenoord fans feel, having not won the Eredivisie since 1999. To put that into perspective, a 26-year-old Jerzy Dudek was their starting goalkeeper that campaign. The Polish shot-stopper has been retired from the beautiful game for six years now.
In that historic season for Feyenoord, an 18-year-old Dutch striker by the name of Dirk Kuyt was making serious waves in the Eredivisie. He spent the next four seasons there before signing for Feyenoord and becoming one of the most prolific marksmen in the league.
After a long spell at Liverpool and a shorter one at Fenerbahce, Kuyt returned to Feyenoord in 2015 and immediately became a nailed-on starter. The following season, he became a pivotal character in their successful league campaign and when they needed him the most, in the clash against Heracles that would secure them the trophy, he showed up in a big way.
#kampioenen #kuyt #mrfeyenoord #handinhand #feyher pic.twitter.com/mNh0fLjwbf
— Die uit zuid! (@FeyahnoordScf) May 14, 2017
They needed a win, and Kuyt was hell bent on making it happen. Scoring just 30 seconds into the match.
Just over 10 minutes later, he bagged his brace. He leaped into the air to drill a perfectly-placed cross crashing into the opposition net.
The fans were ecstatic.
https://twitter.com/sb007ck/status/863736767974977536
Of course, just because it was going that way, he got his hat-trick through a penalty kick. Not even a last-minute consolation goal could dampen the party.
Lekker Kuyt!! #FEYHER pic.twitter.com/tFM5vjBUNz
— Jasper Janssen (@JasJanssen) May 14, 2017
The game ended 3-1. Feyenoord are champions of the Netherlands yet again.
