If there is one thing Dirk Kuyt can never be accused of as a professional footballer, it is lacking the desire to win at all costs.
It is no coincidence the former Liverpool winger was given the nickname of 'Mr Duracell' by Rafa Benitez during his time at the club, for the Dutchman made a habit of covering every blade of grass each time he stepped out onto the pitch.
Arriving at the club in the summer of 2006 from Feyenoord, Kuyt was aware of the sense of responsibility that representing the Reds would bring - but a pre-season tour of Asia ahead of the 2009/10 season opened his eyes to a whole new reality.
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"Liverpool was always one of my favourite teams in Europe, I already respected them a lot. When Rafa called me, it was just before the World Cup in 2006. I was surprised but also very happy. There was only one thing I wanted after that phone call, and that was to join Liverpool," he told the ECHO.
"You know the club from the television, I'd never been to the stadium before. But once you're in it and living the dream, it was amazing: the fans, the special nights. We also went to pre-season in Asia and there were so many fans - you then realise how big a club Liverpool is. With all these other things around Liverpool, it is actually more than a football club."
The 41-year-old was involved in a number of special occasions during his six-year stay, particularly on the European stage as Benitez looked to build on the success of Istanbul.
It was Kuyt who scored the winning penalty to book the Reds' place in the 2007 Champions League final to knock Chelsea out of the competition, though this was just the start of battles against the Londoners in Europe's elite competition. The two sides would meet in the knockout stages in both the 2007/08 and 2008/09 campaigns, with Chelsea coming out on top in ties filled with drama.
A fierce rivalry developed by Benitez and Mourinho reached new heights during this period, though these were matches the former Dutch international thrived in as he ensured the big occasion never got the better of him.
"I had some amazing Champions League nights and the game we played to reach the final after the penalty sessions against Chelsea was something amazing that I will never forget. We had so many games against each other, so many battles we fought. I also have a memory that we had to go to Stamford Bridge after unfortunately losing at Anfield and Fabio Aurelio scored really quickly in the game. It was a crazy match [4-4] with a lot of goals and I managed to score as well. They were always big fights on the highest level, and that's what you want as a football player. It was a privilege for me to play so many intense games.
"Back in the days, John Terry was a pretty good defender and a really tough one. I always liked playing against him because, as a footballer, you want to play against the best."
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Kuyt would walk away from the club in the summer of 2012, securing the League Cup in that year as his first and only piece of silverware as a Liverpool player. For all the highs of his career on Merseyside, losing out to AC Milan in the 2007 Champions League final remains a sore subject.
Describing his exit as coming 'at the right moment', the 2010 World Cup finalist started only 25 of the 44 appearances he made in his final campaign and felt a new challenge was required as a result of dwindling opportunities to impress from the off.
"The lowest moment was also the highest moment - the Champions League final [2007]. Once you're in it, you want to win it and we couldn't that day. It was very disappointing, but to play in the Champions League final - on the highest level - was something great," said Kuyt of the biggest setback he faced.
"I also had a difficult time when my dad passed away after the first season and I struggled on the pitch. Rafa gave me a bit of time during this period and it was nice as I had a lot of people from Liverpool, in and outside the club. I came back after that and the game against Inter was one of the first times I was on the pitch again. I managed to score the goal to make it 1-0, an important goal to help us reach the next stage."
On leaving Liverpool, he added: "That is one of the most difficult things, to say goodbye to a club. I had six great years and it was always my intention to stay as long as possible. But I am the sort of player who wants to put effort into work for the club and, in my opinion, I was just on the bench a little bit too much. It was the right moment for me to go, so people remembered me as the player I was: always giving 100 per cent for the team, the club, the players, the manager and supporters."
