Highlighted: We will miss this about Vitesse

Since the 1989/90 season, Vitesse has been continuously competing in the Eredivisie, with only four teams currently having a longer uninterrupted presence in the league. In their first season following their most recent promotion, the Arnhem-based team finished fourth in the Eredivisie, a feat no other newly promoted team has achieved since then. Vitesse's best season was in 1997/98 when they finished third. For years, Vitesse was a staple in the upper echelon of the league. This prominence led to European matches against major clubs like Real Madrid in 1992 and Liverpool in 2002. More recently, in the 2021/22 season, Vitesse played against Tottenham Hotspur and Roma.

Over the years, Vitesse's team has often been characterized by some unique talents. This season, for example, they have Carlens Arcus from Haiti and Anis Hadj Moussa from Algeria. In total, players from 64 different nationalities have played for Vitesse, more than any other Eredivisie team. Sometimes, these players even become club legends. For instance, Georgian Guram Kashia holds the record for the most Eredivisie matches played for Vitesse, with 244 appearances. Only four other teams in Eredivisie history have a foreign player as their most-capped player in the top division, including Almere City FC, where Frenchman Thomas Robinet, along with Dutch players Peer Koopmeiners and Rajiv van La Parra, has played 29 Eredivisie matches.

But some players from Arnhem have also made an impression in the yellow and black. One of the most famous examples is Theo Janssen. The midfielder impressed in the early 2000s with his excellent shooting skills, often scoring from direct free kicks. Free kick goals were something Vitesse excelled at. Alongside Janssen, players like Pierre van Hooijdonk, Nicky Hofs, and Lewis Baker frequently found the net from set pieces. Since 2000, only PSV and Ajax have scored more often from direct free kicks in the Eredivisie.

Given the financial situation, it's uncertain how quickly we'll see Vitesse back in the Eredivisie. For now, it's especially good to reflect on the highlights that the team from Arnhem has experienced.