As Holland’s players danced around the Green Point stadium on Tuesday night, their jubilation matched only by the country’s Royal family in the stands, few smiles shone brighter than that of Dirk Kuyt.
The celebrations which marked the Dutch’s first World Cup final appearance since 1978 – remember Buenos Aires, Mario Kempes and ticker tape? – went on long into the night.
Amsterdam, Eindhoven and Rotterdam found themselves at a virtual standstill; Cape Town was painted orange for the evening.
And in amongst it all stood Kuyt.
It was his floated 73rd minute cross which allowed Arjen Robben to head home the goal that finally killed off Uruguay, and his tireless running and intelligent use of the ball ensured Bert Van Marwijk’s side remained on the front foot throughout a frenetic second half.
He even popped up with a dramatic last-ditch tackle in his own penalty area, as Óscar Tabárez’s men surged forward in pursuit of a dramatic late equaliser.
It was typical Kuyt, and even more impressive given that many experts had criticised the Liverpool man’s selection, amid concerns over his ‘graft over craft’ style.
Van Marwijk’s faith, however, never wavered; it was he who took Kuyt to Feyenoord from FC Utrecht as a 23-year-old, and his former charge has started each of Holland’s six World Cup games this summer.
“In the Netherlands there were quite a few debates about which players I should play,” said Van Marwijk. “Dirk Kuyt, par excellence, is a team player.
“He is the example of a true and genuine team player. He’s so focused, he’s working so hard for the team and gives such a positive signal to the rest of the players. I’m so pleased with him.”
Van Marwijk’s words will sound familiar to Liverpool supporters. Since his move to Anfield in 2006, almost all talk of Kuyt has been punctuated with tributes to his spirit, his dedication, his attitude.
It is now impossible to speak of the 29-year-old without adding a caveat about his incredible work-ethic.
Kuyt himself is typically humble when asked about the role he plays within the Dutch dynamic.
He knows he is no superstar, but football for him has never been about individual glory, and his attitude seems to be infecting the rest of a side notorious in years gone by for an inability to live in harmony.
“There are players who can change the course of a match with a single touch and others who are there to serve the team,” says Kuyt.
“I have no problem admitting I’m in the second category. I try to do what I can to win each match. I’m a battler.
“Every match is equally important to me, and if you win all the time, the titles will eventually come. That’s how I see things, anyway.”
Even Johan Cruyff is a fan. After Kuyt had helped inspire Holland’s quarter-final success over Brazil last week – negating the threat of the marauding Maicon, before setting up the game’s winning goal for Wesley Sneijder – the Godfather of Dutch football took time out to lavish praise upon the 29-year-old.
And considering the pioneer of ‘Total Football’ is today known almost as much for his cutting opinions as for his mesmeric displays of the 70s, that is something to be proud of.
“Look at what he did so far,” said Cruyff, “He started the tournament on the right, then as a forward, and then against Brazil on the left. Not only did he keep Maicon out of the game, he also went and set up the winner. Someone like that is worth his weight in gold.”
Praise indeed. And whilst, aesthetically at least, he and Cruyff could not be further apart – and there are those in Holland who lament the team’s sudden switch from beauty to pragmatism – there is also a growing feeling that players like Kuyt are emblematic of the new Dutch football spirit.
He may not possess the freewheeling appeal of Cruyff, the ruthless potency of Marco Van Basten, nor the effortless grace of Dennis Bergkamp, but he is now ready to tread where none of those icons could. ‘Total Football’ charmed the world in 1974, but ultimately failed. Van Basten, Gullit, Bergkamp and co never managed to right that particular wrong, but the new generation is looking to go one step further.
And if in Johannesburg on Sunday they can do what the greats of the past failed to, and lift the World Cup, then the name Dirk Kuyt may just be mentioned amongst the legends of Dutch football.
Not that he would ever say so himself, of course.
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