Kuyt named Fenerbahce interim boss before Liverpool tie

Published28 October 2026, 09:41 GMT

Former Netherlands forward Dirk Kuyt has been appointed Fenerbahce's interim coach a week before they face his former club Liverpool in the Champions League.

The 46-year-old is stepping up to the role after being the assistant of Ismail Kartal, who resigned as the Turkish club's manager following the side's 2-1 defeat by arch rivals Galatasaray on Monday.

Fenerbahce said, external Kuyt, who won the Turkish league title with the club as a player in 2013-14, would hold the post "until a new head coach is appointed".

Kuyt's first game will be a league match against Goztepe on Saturday before Fenerbahce host Liverpool in a Champions League group stage tie on Wednesday, 4 November (17:45 GMT).

The Dutchman spent six years with the Anfield side,, external winning the League Cup with the Reds in 2012 and scoring 71 goals for them in 285 appearances.

He went on to have a three-year stint at Fenerbahce and, after a spell at Feyenoord, retired as a player in 2017.

Kuyt held managerial posts at ADO Den Haag, Beerschot and FC Dordrecht before becoming Fenerbahce assistant, external in June 2026.

Kartal had previously stepped down as manager in September but had stayed in the post after his resignation, on that occasion, was not accepted.

Kuyt takes over with Fenerbahce fifth in the Turkish top-flight and six points behind leaders Galatasaray.

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