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Birthdate:
22.07.1980
Birthplace: Katwijk, Netherlands
Other clubs: Quick Boys (amateur), FC Utrecht, Feyenoord
Bought from: Feyenoord
Signed for LFC: £9000000 18.08.2006
International debut: 03.09.2004 vs. Liechtenstein
International caps: 59/13 (36/9 at LFC) - 18.11.2009
Liverpool debut:
26.08.2006
Last appearance: 06.02.2010
Debut goal: 20.09.2006
Last goal: 06.02.2010
Contract expiry: 2012 (signed 2009)
LFC league games/goals: 129 / 36
Total LFC games/goals: 181 / 50
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Player Notes:
Dirk Kuyt started his career with FC Utrecht in the 1998/99 season and finally rose to stardom in the 2002/2003 season with 20 goals in 34 league games in the first division. Feyenoord snapped him up in 2003 and he scored on a regular basis for them, 83 goals in 122 games. He was topscorer of the Eredivisie in 2005, scoring 29 goals and captained the side in the 2005/2006 season, which proved to be his final season in the Netherlands.
Kuyt has a tremendous work ethic and bags of talent. He hit the ground running in England, and played like he had been at Liverpool for 10 years. The Dutchman scored 14 goals in his debut season including Liverpool's goal in the Champions League final in Athens. He struggled for consistency in his second season. The death of his dearly beloved father, who had followed his son's progress with intensity, no doubt contributed to Kuyt's erratic form. Kuyt finally was back to his best in the last part of the 2007-2008 campaign, though playing on the right flank instead of up front. Kuyt only scored 3 league goals in 2007-08 but scored 7 goals in the Champions League and was particularly important in the latter stages of the competition scoring in the last 16 vs. Inter Milan, quarter-final vs Arsenal and in the semi-final vs. Chelsea.
Kuyt was a starter in Holland's Euro 2008 team that beat Italy 3-0 and France 4-1, scoring one goal, in the group-stage. He was replaced at half-time as Holland were eliminated 1-3 vs Russia after extra time in the quarter-finals. Kuyt continued to impress at Liverpool in the 2008-9 season and scored an important goal in the 118th minute vs Standard Liege in the 2nd leg of the Champions League 3rd Qualifying round when a penalty shoot-out was looming at Anfield. The Dutchman went though a dry spell from middle of November to middle February, but created a lot of scoring opportunities for others and contributed to the team's cause. He equalled his league total of 12 goals from his first season and added three in the Champions League, including Liverpool's fourth goal in the second leg of the exciting 4-4 quarter-final vs Chelsea at Stamford Bridge. |
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