The final whistle is approaching for a familiar face in Dutch football. Veteran striker Michiel Kramer has announced he will retire from professional football at the end of this season, bringing the curtain down on a nearly 500-game career.

Now 37 and leading the line for RKC Waalwijk, Kramer's journey is a classic tale of persistence and prolific scoring spells. He first made his name as a young, powerful forward at FC Volendam, where a stunning 22-goal season in the Eerste Divisie in 2012/13 earned him a coveted move to the top flight with ADO Den Haag.

It was at ADO where Kramer truly announced himself as an Eredivisie force. After a settling-in period, his second season yielded 17 goals, a performance that caught the attention of Dutch giants Feyenoord. His first season in Rotterdam was a roaring success, netting 16 crucial goals. While he lifted the Eredivisie trophy with Feyenoord the following year, his playing time and goal output diminished, leading to his departure in 2018.

Kramer's career then took him on a brief, challenging stint abroad with Maccabi Haifa before he returned to familiar ground in the Netherlands. He enjoyed a second spell with ADO Den Haag, demonstrating the loyalty that has marked his career, before finding a stable home with RKC Waalwijk. As he prepares to hang up his boots, the football world salutes a dedicated striker whose name has been on the scoresheet for clubs across the Netherlands for nearly two decades.