Feyenoord win first Eredivisie title in 18 years after holding off Ajax

Dirk Kuyt netted a hat-trick to help Feyenoord to a 3-1 win over Heracles this afternoon, making sure of their first Eredivisie title success since 1999.

The Rotterdam club squandered the chance to get the job done last weekend when suffering a shock 3-0 loss at Excelsior, leaving the door open for Ajax to pounce in the concluding round of matches.

There was to be no final-day nerves for Feyenoord, however, as Kuyt netted three times - the first arriving just 38 seconds in after a defensive error - to seal the title triumph.

Europa League finalists Ajax did all they could, beating Willem II 3-1 with the youngest starting lineup ever fielded in a Eredivisie match - an average age of just 20 years and 139 days.

Feyenoord will feel that justice was done on the back of their surprise result last weekend, having topped the table for the entire duration of the season.