Footballers often like to catch fans by surprise with unlikely transformations after their playing career is over. After Didier Drogba surprising fans by going bald soon after his retirement, and Fernando Torres gaining an incredible amount of muscle in a more recent instance, Dirk Kuyt is the latest addition to that list.
His recent appearance on television showed the world that the retired Liverpool forward and Netherlands international has gone through a massive facial transformation ever since hanging up his boots.
Kuyt recently made appearances on Sky Sports News & Ziggo Sport to talk about his future as well as football in general and what attracted eyeballs the most on social media platforms was his drastically changed appearance.
The 40-year-old’s characteristic wild fringes of blonde hair were pulled back tightly, and he was seen sporting a beard as well. Fans and admirers on social media were left utterly surprised at the new look, as some even deemed the new appearance as almost unrecognizable.
If I were a betting person, I would have bet that Kuyt would be looking exactly the opposite considering he just went through a divorce but his recent appearance suggests that the former Liverpool star is ageing like a fine wine, looking younger and fresher than he ever did.
Kuyt sporting his new sleek hair and a beard looks like quite a different entity from the unkempt-haired Dutch forward we knew from his playing days. While he definitely seems more well maintained, Kuyt also seems to have put on a bit of weight since announcing retirement from the sport in 2018.
Check out the reactions below –
Name the former Red. #LFC pic.twitter.com/xjBoKjlFsr
— Anfield Central (@Anfield_CentraI) January 29, 2021
Don’t want to be controversial or anything, but the best thing to come out of tonight is that Dirk Kuyt’s dead handsome pic.twitter.com/IQzYIKMzkv
— Snakes (@coNor_Silcock) January 28, 2021
Do you recognize this football legend?…… take a good look……. dutch player…….. its Dirk Kuyt😳 pic.twitter.com/MuyRUebzKL
— LARS‼️ (@FifaMobileLars) January 28, 2021
Is this seriously Dirk Kuyt? 😂😂😂 How, what, I’m shook. pic.twitter.com/3wAlYawKTX
— Mon (@McMon86) January 29, 2021
Kuyt would be surprised to find himself as a trending online topic a couple of years since his retirement, after a distinguished career playing for big European clubs such as the likes of Liverpool, Feyenoord and Fenerbahce.
While there have been detractors, the admirers of the look have commented that Kuyt’s appearance has changed for the better: and there are a plethora of reasons to think of it that way.