Kuyt's hat-trick leads Feyenoord to 1st Eredivisie title in 18 years
For the first time since 1999, Feyenoord is atop the Dutch football pyramid.
Powered by a hat-trick from Dirk Kuyt - his first treble since 2015 - Feyenoord recorded the victory it needed to pip Ajax to the Eredivisie crown on Sunday, a 3-1 win over Heracles giving the club its first league title in 18 years.
The on-field celebrations were, predictably, a sight to behold:
Zondag 14 mei 2017. Een legendarische zondag voor #Feyenoord. Landskampioen. #debeslissing #feyher https://t.co/7z2rmPflh1 pic.twitter.com/W8FcbM04Bo
— FOX Sports (@FOXSportsnl) May 14, 2017
(Courtesy: FOX Sports)
Club icon Kuyt, 36, now has 102 goals for the Rotterdam side; his trio of tallies in Sunday's title-clinching win saw him join Cor van der Gijp and Ove Kindvall as the only players to reach the century mark with the club in league play.
A hat-trick from 36yo Dirk Kuyt helps 42yo coach Giovanni van Bronckhorst win Feyenoord's first Eredivise title since 1999.
— Mark Donaldson (@DonaldsonESPN) May 14, 2017
The well-travelled attacker wasted no time opening the scoring in the match, a looping effort from a tight angle getting the party started in the opening minute:
His second goal, a glancing header that doubled the advantage, ultimately proved to be the winner:
What a way to end a drought that lasted nearly two decades.