According to a report by The Sun on Thursday November 5, 2026, Dirk Kuyt has stepped down as Fenerbahce interim manager immediately after guiding the Turkish club to a remarkable 3-2 victory over his former team, Liverpool, in the UEFA Champions League.

The 46-year-old Dutchman was appointed interim manager last week following the departure of Ismail Kartal. However, his temporary spell in charge came to an end on Wednesday night after Fenerbahce confirmed Emre Belozoglu as their new permanent head coach.

Kuyt was given the responsibility of managing Fenerbahce against Liverpool despite the appointment of Belozoglu, who was announced as the club's new manager on Tuesday night.

The former midfielder made 227 appearances for Fenerbahce during his playing career and is expected to take over the team following Kuyt's departure from the interim position.

Kuyt's final match in charge turned out to be a memorable occasion as Fenerbahce came from behind twice to defeat Liverpool 3-2 in Istanbul.

Liverpool initially took the lead through Trey Nyoni in the 25th minute, but Mason Greenwood quickly equalised for the hosts.

Alexander Isak restored Liverpool's advantage in the second half, but Fenerbahce refused to surrender as Archie Brown and Vedat Muriqi scored to complete an impressive comeback.

Reacting to the victory, Kuyt described the occasion as a special night and praised his players for their determination and togetherness.

He said: "It was a very special night, I think not only for me, but everyone who loves Fenerbahce."

The Dutchman also explained that he encouraged his players to remain united and believe in themselves, revealing that he learned those important lessons during his time at Liverpool.

"We told each other to stick together, to be united. And also to keep believing in ourselves, and that is something I learned from another club that means a lot to me, and that was Liverpool, the club we played against tonight," he added.

Kuyt subsequently described the victory as another miracle in Istanbul, insisting that Fenerbahce deserved the three points against one of Europe's strongest teams.

He said the result was not down to luck, pointing to the number of chances his players created and their determination to keep pushing until the final whistle.

Despite ending his interim managerial spell, Kuyt has made it clear that he would be happy to continue working at Fenerbahce in another capacity.

"If the club and Coach Emre want me to stay here, I will continue to stay. I love Fenerbahce so much and of course I want to stay," he stated.

Kuyt enjoyed a successful playing career at Liverpool after joining the Premier League club from Feyenoord in 2006. He spent six years at Anfield, making 285 appearances, scoring 71 goals and providing 40 assists.

His victory over Liverpool was therefore particularly special, considering the important role the English club played in his football career.

The former Netherlands international will now leave the managerial responsibilities to Belozoglu, although his comments suggest he remains interested in continuing his association with the Turkish giants.