Erik ten Hag’s post-match interview from FC Twente’s 2001 KNVB Cup win resurfaces ahead of Man Utd’s Europa League match

Footage of a young Erik ten Hag after he captained FC Twente to KNVB Cup glory in 2001 has resurfaced ahead of Wednesday’s Europa League clash at Old Trafford.

Manchester United will face Eredivisie side FC Twente in their opening game of the 2024/25 Europa League campaign.

Ten Hag, who was a centre-back during his playing days, enjoyed three separate spells with The Tukkers – a club he started and ended his career with.

Speaking ahead of Wednesday’s clash, the 54-year-old said he would have preferred not to play against his former side because it’s “not nice to have to hurt something you love.”

He added: “FC Twente has brought me a lot. I was put through their academy, I was part of the generation of the first youth team when the youth competition was started up again after many years.”

Image credit: Getty

Ten Hag also played for De Graafschap, RKC Waalwijk and FC Utrecht during the 1990s but the only major trophy of his career came at Twente in the KNVB Cup.

After a lack of goals in normal and extra time at the De Kuip Stadium in Rotterdam, the game against PSV Eindhoven was decided on penalties.

FC Twente would go on to lift the KNVB Cup for the second time in their history and, after the full-time whistle, a delighted Ten Hag took part in an entertaining post-match interview with Dutch TV channel SBS.

After greeting the reporter with three kisses on the cheek, Ten Hag spoke about the tense penalty shootout, as well as beating “one of the best” teams in the Netherlands.

You can watch that post-match interview below:

Last year, United manager Ten Hag spoke about his background at FC Twente, as well as idolising club legend Epi Drost, during an interview with Manchester United’s official channel.

“My love for football began as a kid,” he said. “The first time I meet the ball, I start to play, play with your friends. You start following football and, in my young days, Ajax were famous but in my region was FC Twente.

“We had a great player, at that time, and a really good team. Twente had really many more good players but it was Epi Drost, he was the libero. He was famous for all the risks he’d take from the back.

“He was a good player and famous, really an idol for FC Twente. Still, there is a stand mentioned after him. He was one of the famous, probably the most famous player of FC Twente ever, the club icon.

“I had the luck to work with him later on, when I was selected by FC Twente and came into the youth team.”