A former Liverpool star looked different to his playing days when he appeared on TV
Dirk Kuyt on Ziggo Sport TV
Liverpool legend Dirk Kuyt looks very different now compared to his playing days(Image: Ziggo Sport TV)
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Liverpool legend Dirk Kuyt looks remarkably different today compared to his playing days. Yet, despite speculation that he has had cosmetic surgery, the Dutchman says he has only undergone an unrelated eyelid operation.
Kuyt, 45, spent six years of his prime at Anfield, where he became a fan favourite for his relentless work ethic and selfless wing-play. The versatile forward hung up his boots in 2018 and was largely out of the UK public eye for several years.
That changed when the former Netherlands international, now a manager, went viral in 2021 while working as a pundit for Dutch television broadcaster Ziggo Sport. Covering a match between Liverpool and Tottenham, Kuyt looked exceptionally dapper wearing a black turtle neck.
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However, viewers and online fans were left stunned by what they deemed a major transformation in his physical appearance, too. His famous blonde curls and clean-shaven appearance had vanished. Instead, he flaunted a slicked-back, short back-and-sides hairstyle and had grown out his facial hair.
The consensus was that Kuyt's appearance looked rejuvenated, with fans on social media even suggesting he resembled a trendy hipster. Some even wondered whether he had undergone a facelift.
But the Liverpool cult hero dismissed those suggestions by denying he'd had cosmetic work done. He clarified that he underwent a very different procedure, saying: "What I did have was eyelid surgery on both eyes.
"That was necessary because when I was tired or had a glass of wine, my eyelids would droop. After the procedure, my face was a bit swollen, just when I was filming for Ziggo Sport. And I have a different hairstyle."
Dirk Kuyt of Liverpool celebrates as he scores in the penalty shoot out during the Carling Cup Final match between Liverpool and Cardiff City at Wembley Stadium on February 26, 2012 in London, England.
Kuyt had long hair when he was at Liverpool(Image: Getty Images)
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Kuyt also attracted attention when he announced his divorce from his wife, Gertrude, in June 2020, following 22 years of marriage. No public reason was given for the separation, though he described it as the most painful period of his life.
He said at the time: "It's a sad situation the family and I are in. Both Gertrude and I have to process the separation, and I have to make sure it's handled well for the children as well."
It even prompted Kuyt to step down from his coaching position in charge of Feyenoord's Under-19s, after he'd been tipped to eventually progress and manage the club where he featured 199 times across two separate spells.
Kuyt had left Liverpool in 2012 to sign for Fenerbahce, having netted 71 goals in 286 appearances for the Reds. After three years in Turkey, he returned to his former club Feyenoord and hung up his boots after a spell with amateur side Quick Boys in 2018.
He has since resumed his coaching career, taking charge of Belgian side Beerschot in December 2023. He steered them to promotion to the Belgian Pro League during his debut campaign, but relegation the following season saw him sacked in June 2025 after just five wins from 36 matches.
A week later, Kuyt accepted the head coach role at second-tier Dutch outfit FC Dordrecht, who currently sit seventh in the table.
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