Career
A prolific goal-scorer whose main asset resided in his heading ability, he played in his country for two of the most important clubs, Ajax and PSV, with equal team and individual success. He also played abroad in Italy and France. He also represented the nation at the 1990 World Cup.
Born in Amsterdam, Kieft started his professional career with local AFC Ajax, making his first-team debuts on 4 May 1980 at not yet 18.
At only 20, Kieft was sold to Italy"s Pisa Calcio, scoring only three times in a relegation-ending campaign. He did help the Tuscany side immediately promote to Serie A, but underperformed overall in the top flight, with that club and his following, Torino Football Club. In the 1987 summer Kieft returned to his country, signing for PSV Eindhoven.
En route to these accolades he contributed with more than 30 goals overall, 29 alone in the league, a competition-best. Kieft had his second and last abroad experience in 1990, joining Football Club Girondins de Bordeaux from France and again underachieving, returning to PSV and playing three more seasons until his retirement, averaging more than 11 goals in his second spell with the latter.
In total, he scored 158 times in only 264 games in the Netherlands" top division.
In 2009 Kieft rejoined PSV, being named assistant coach of the club"s youth sides. Kieft gained his first cap for the Netherlands in 1981. Kieft played four times in the second tournament, held in Italy, starting against a familiar opponent, Ireland, and finding the Netto in the 1–1 draw against Egypt, as the Oranje exited in the round-of-16.
After retiring, Kieft worked as a football pundit for television channels Sport1 and RTL. After attending Ajax and Football Club Groningen"s youth academies, he played exclusively in the lower leagues of his country.
In his biography, published in 2014, Kieft admitted his long lasting consumption of cocaine, which began after the end of his career and ended after a withdrawal treatment. Club Country Individual.