End of era: Hertzberger will quit top hockey after this season

The 38-year-old striker, who remained loyal throughout his career to the club where it all began for him, announced his decision via a press release on Wednesday.

For twenty seasons, Hertzberger was the driving force behind Rotterdam, a player who bridged generations and always guaranteed goals. He made his first minutes in the first team in 2003, when the club was still playing in the Overgangsklasse. Two seasons later, he made his debut in the Hoofdklasse, and hasn't missed a season since.

His name is inextricably linked with Rotterdam, his childhood love that he has always remained loyal to. In 2013, he captured the first - and so far only - national title in club history with the team, the absolute highlight of his club career.

But his impact extended beyond his achievements on the pitch. His unmatched match mentality, his ability to take teammates in tow and his unbridled dedication made him a leader both inside and outside the lines.

However his last games as a top hockey player turn out - with or without the playoffs for the national title - Hertzberger will leave an indelible legacy. No player in the Hoofdklasse managed to find the board or the net more often than him. Field goals, penalty corners and penalty strokes - Hertzberger always found a way to score, season after season. On 4 November 2023, he broke the historic record of 347 goals in the Hoofdklasse and he has since increased that number to 377 goals. A record that will stand for a long time to come.

But his rain of goals was not limited to the Dutch league. Add his hits in other official Rotterdam matches, his periods in India and Malaysia and his international career, and the tally now stands at a staggering 592. An unmatched number in Dutch hockey.

Farewell to Orange

Hertzberger had already announced his farewell to the Dutch national team at the end of November. Although he had not been part of Oranje since the 2021 Tokyo Olympics, he himself always kept the door ajar. But under national coach Jeroen Delmée, a return failed to materialise. Therefore, he himself took the decision to end his international career after 267 international matches, 127 goals and 26 title tournaments.

Hertzberger still has at least five league games ahead of him with Rotterdam, which is still in the race for a ticket to the play-offs. And one last European adventure awaits him over the Easter weekend: the Euro Hockey League in Den Bosch, where his team will face Old Georgians of England in the quarterfinals. With 47 goals, Hertzberger is also the most prolific player of all time in that tournament - a status he is only too happy to enhance.