Cillessen on his time without a club: 'Worked hard in the Hungarian way'

The 37-year-old goalkeeper made his debut for Go Ahead Eagles in Tuesday's cup win after months without a club, training at amateur level to maintain fitness.

Jasper Cillessen returned to competitive football on Tuesday, making his debut for Go Ahead Eagles in a 5-0 cup victory against Koninklijke HFC. The 37-year-old had been without a club since leaving NEC, spending recent months training on amateur pitches and with TOP Oss to stay in shape while waiting for an opportunity.

In an interview, Cillessen reflected on the challenging period. "There were moments when it wasn't going well," he said. "When you get out of bed at 7 a.m. and look outside and it's still dark... that's not always optimal." Despite receiving some offers, none initially appealed to him. He trained regularly with TOP Oss, where keeper coach Gábor Babos put him through demanding sessions. "Gábor worked me hard in his Hungarian way," Cillessen laughed.

Go Ahead Eagles signed him after Nick Marsman suffered an injury. "They didn't make me any promises, just said 'show us what you can do'," Cillessen explained. After four group training sessions, he was selected to start. "That feeling of being wanted again—it was great." Looking ahead, he expressed his desire to continue playing: "I hope to contribute for a few more years."