The 2009-10 campaign saw Feyenoord, under the leadership of new manager and former striker Mario Been, secure a strong 4th-place finish in the Eredivisie, and narrowly missed out on silverware by finishing as KNVB Cup runners-up. Leading the attack was veteran talisman Jon Dahl Tomasson, whose 11 league goals (16 overall) proved crucial in a season built on the grit of captain Giovanni van Bronckhorst and the exciting emergence of future stars like Georginio Wijnaldum and Stefan de Vrij. It was a pivotal year that marked the beginning of De club aan de Maas's revival, laying the essential groundwork for their return to European competition.