The Derby van het Noorden against sc Heerenveen in early 2014 was a traumatic experience for FC Groningen. As manager Erwin van de Looi noted in his column, the team collapsed, conceding three goals in ten minutes and suffering a painful 1-3 defeat on home soil. Yet, the matchday programme ritual must go on, and page 18 reveals the results of the “Essent Speler van het Jaar” SMS voting for that exact, miserable match.
In moments of heavy defeat, fans often refuse to vote, or they vote ironically. But the Groningen faithful used their texts to reward the one player who never stopped running: Michael de Leeuw. The tireless attacker claimed the Man of the Match title, beating out defender Eric Botteghin and striker Género Zeefuik.
The photo on the page shows De Leeuw holding his bouquet, but his face tells the real story. There is no wide smile, just a stoic, professional expression. He knew that individual accolades mean very little when the team loses the biggest regional clash of the year. However, his victory in the poll is a testament to the blue-collar values of the Euroborg. The fans forgave the tactical collapse, but they recognized and rewarded De Leeuw’s relentless pressing and refusal to give up.
A Look into the Future
Michael de Leeuw‘s attitude during difficult matches like this derby is exactly why he became a club legend. He was the embodiment of the “Boeren” (Farmers) work ethic. He would eventually become the club’s top scorer and a KNVB Cup winner. Looking back at this specific Man of the Match award, it stands out not because it was a glorious victory, but because it proves that in Groningen, effort is respected just as much as the final scoreline.