Willy van der Kuijlen died at the age of 74, PSV announced Monday morning. The former attacker is the Eindhoven club’s all-time top scorer with 308 goals in 528 league games, an achievement that earned him the title ‘Mister PSV’. In addition, he is the all-time top scorer in the Eredivisie with 311 hits. Van der Kuijlen, who had been suffering from Alzheimer’s disease for some time, continued to work for PSV in various positions for many years after his active career. The dismay in the Philips Stadium can therefore be called great.
Van der Kuijlen, born on December 6, 1946 in Helmond, started his playing career at the local club HVV, where the top scorer made his debut in professional football in 1962. What followed were 46 goals in 44 games, after which the switch to PSV followed. From 1964, Van der Kuijlen wore the PSV shirt for eighteen seasons. Skiete Willy, as his nickname is, won three national titles in Eindhoven, twice the TOTO KNVB Cup and the UEFA Cup in 1978. At the end of his career, the former striker played for MVV Maastricht and Overpelt in Belgium for a short while.
???? seasons, ?????? league matches, ?????? goals. No player will ever match the performance of club icon Van der Kuijlen at PSV.#MisterPSV pic.twitter.com/bwTCinYXDA
– PSV (@PSV) April 19, 2021
After ending his career, Van der Kuijlen, top scorer of the Eredivisie in 1966, 1970 and 1974, returned to his great love PSV. The native Helmonder serves the club as a youth coach, scout and assistant coach. He is also an ambassador for PSV and is always present at the presentation of new players. “No player will ever match the performance of Van der Kuijlen at PSV. The striker is and will always be the top scorer of PSV and the Eredivisie”, PSV praises the club icon in the statement on the website.
The all-time top scorer in the Eredivisie did not have a great career as an international of the Dutch national team. Van der Kuijlen eventually came to only 22 international matches (7 goals). The former top scorer never took part in a major tournament with the the Dutch. Van der Kuijlen put an end to his international career because he no longer felt at home in the the Dutch, which was dominated by Johan Cruijff and several other Ajax players.