NafisaMats Knoester has secured a league championship before, but hoisting the Scottish Cup with Aberdeen meant even more.
The Dutch defender was part of the Ferencvaros squad that captured the Nemzeti Bajnokság I title in 2022-23 during his debut season after transferring from Eredivisie side Heracles.
It was the Hungarian club’s fifth consecutive league triumph — they made it seven on Saturday under boss Robbie Keane — but Knoester confessed that playing a part in ending Aberdeen’s 35-year wait for Scottish Cup success ranks higher following the dramatic penalty win over Celtic after a 1-1 draw at Hampden.
“This one is the best by far – 100 per cent,” he said. “Better than winning the league, because it means more. In Ferencvaros you have to win every year but here you can see it has been so long. It’s more emotional. It’s hard to put into words. I think you should just look around you and take it all in. It’s a lot to describe what just happened.”
Knoester, who progressed through Feyenoord’s academy, signed for Aberdeen in January on a two-and-a-half-year contract after his Ferencvaros deal expired.
His spell with the Dons has been a rollercoaster, but clinching the man of the match prize in a cup final win over Celtic ensured a spectacular end to his season.
It might have been Knoester himself who sealed the victory for Aberdeen, but the team’s assigned fifth penalty taker was spared the task when Dimitar Mitov denied Alistair Johnston in the shoot-out to secure a 4-3 triumph. The 26-year-old, however, was confident he would have converted his effort.
“I was fifth, the last one,” he revealed. “I was ready but Dimi saved it so it was all good. Of course, I gave him the biggest hug afterwards. My penalties were good in the practice, so I had confidence, but it’s nicer if you can finish it earlier. The earlier the better.”
Knoester was among just four Aberdeen outfield players who lasted the entire 120 minutes in what was a massive defensive shift against a Celtic side that had thrashed them 5-1 at Pittodrie just 10 days earlier.
Manager Jimmy Thelin’s choice to switch to a back five proved successful as the backline stood strong, conceding only via an unfortunate Alfie Dorrington own goal before Celtic keeper Kasper Schmeichel gifted one back.
“We had previous matches with Celtic, of course, and they are a really good team,” he said. “They win a lot of prizes so we knew we had to change our tactics and maybe do something different. This was our plan and it worked out well so we’re very happy with that.”
Aberdeen were widely expected to suffer a heavy defeat in the final after shipping 19 goals across their five clashes with Celtic this term, including a 6-0 rout at Hampden in the League Cup semi-final in November. Defying the sceptics made the win even more satisfying, while also confirming a spot in next season’s Conference League group stages.
“We have European group stage football so we have it all now,” Knoester beamed. “For me personally, it’s just about belief in yourself, in your team, in the tactics. Shut down all the noise around you and then prove them wrong after. It’s the best feeling.”
Nafisa
