Former Liverpool and Netherlands legend Dirk Kuyt appointed as Fenerbahçe interim head coach..

Fenerbahçe announced on their official website on Thursday that the club has appointed former Liverpool and Netherlands international forward Dirk Kuyt as its interim head coach.

According to Fenerbahçe’s official statement, Kuyt will serve as interim head coach and technical advisor, overseeing the first-team until a permanent successor is appointed.

The most highly anticipated match during his tenure will undoubtedly be next week’s Champions League clash at Anfield against his former club, Liverpool.

Fenerbahçe’s previous head coach, İsmail Kartal, resigned following the team’s 2-1 defeat to arch-rivals Galatasaray, marking his second sudden resignation this season.

Kartal had previously tendered his resignation in September, following a 1-1 draw against Roma in the Champions League, but the club president rejected his departure and persuaded him to stay.

About Dirk Kuyt

The 46-year-old Kuyt was born on July 22, 1980, in Katwijk, Netherlands. He is 1.83 meters tall and primarily played as a center-forward, he can also play as a right winger, left winger, or right wing-back. His nephew, Jan Plug, is also a professional footballer, currently playing as a center-back for Feyenoord.

Kuyt joined the youth academy of non-league club Quick Boys at the age of five. However, due to a local tradition in Katwijk that discouraged children from leaving their hometown before reaching adulthood, he did not join the Utrecht youth academy until he was 18.

Shortly after his arrival, his immense talent was spotted by the first-team manager during a training session, he was promptly promoted to the senior squad and completed his Utrecht first-team debut by coming on as a substitute in late August of that same year. 

During his five-year stint at Utrecht, Kuyt established himself as the first-team's undisputed key forward, notably helping the club win the KNVB Cup.

In the summer of 2003, Kuyt moved to Feyenoord for a fee of €1 million.

Thanks to his high goalscoring efficiency and outstanding performances, he was named the Dutch Footballer of the Year in 2006.

In the summer of 2006, Kuyt joined Liverpool for £9 million.

Over his six-year spell with the Reds, Kuyt won the League Cup and reached the finals of both the FA Cup and the UEFA Champions League. During this time, he formed one of the Premier League and Europe’s earliest "lethal attacking trios" alongside Fernando Torres and Steven Gerrard.

In the summer of 2012, Kuyt moved to Fenerbahçe for £1 million.

During his three-year spell with Sarı Kanaryalar, he won the Turkish Süper Lig, the Turkish Cup, and the Turkish Super Cup once.

In the summer of 2015, Kuyt returned to Feyenoord on a free transfer.

In this second stint, he helped the club win both the Eredivisie title and the KNVB Cup. The league title was particularly significant, as it was the club's first such triumph since 1999.

Internationally, Kuyt was a member of the Netherlands national team from 2009 to 2014. His greatest achievements with the Oranje included back-to-back third-place finishes at the 2010 and 2014 FIFA World Cups.

Since retiring, Kuyt has served as a coach for Feyenoord’s U19s side and has held head coaching positions at ADO Den Haag, Beerschot, and Dordrecht. 

In his very first season as its manager, he even helped Beerschot win the Challenger Pro League title. However, after failing to keep the club from being relegated the following year, Kuyt resigned at the end of the season.

In the summer of 2026, Kuyt returned to Fenerbahçe to serve as its assistant coach. Currently, after nine matchdays, Sarı Kanaryalar sit in fourth place on the table with 16 points, with a record of five wins, one draw, and three losses.

Image source: Internet / Liverpool FC official website