De Kogel began his career with the youth team of FC Utrecht.[3] He played senior football as a forward for FC Utrecht, VVV-Venlo, Almere City, Go Ahead Eagles and Cornellà, scoring 53 goals in 168 league appearances.[4]
De Kogel's career ended following a serious car accident in Salini, Malta, on 11 June 2018.[5] He was visiting the island on holiday with friends.[6] De Kogel had to be cut out of the car he was travelling in by the fire service.[3] He underwent hours of surgery, and doctors doubted that he would ever walk again, let alone play football.[3] Four days after the accident his former club FC Utrecht paid for de Kogel to be flown back to the Netherlands, where he spent a further six weeks in hospital.[6] Doctors suggested a prosthetic knee, although de Kogel was opposed to that.[6]
Following the accident his Spanish club Cornellà stopped paying his salary, and the insurance company of the taxi driver responsible for the accident did not make a payout.[7] Settlement was reached with Cornellà in December 2018 following the intervention of both the Dutch and Spanish players' associations.[6] However, de Kogel was still involved in legal proceedings related to the accident in March 2019.[6]
Six months after the accident, de Kogel was still undergoing rehabilitation at a military centre in Doorn, from Monday to Friday every week.[2] In December 2018 he was considering his future, whether in or outside of football.[2] Later that month he returned to football as a youth coach at SV Houten.[5] Eight months after the accident de Kogel was still walking with crutches.[6]
Due to his financial difficulties, a FC Utrecht fan started a collection for de Kogel.[8] There were donations from fans of numerous clubs, the sale of shirts and pennants,[8] and a charity match between Jong FC Utrecht and Go Ahead Eagles,[3] which de Kogel symbolically 'kicked off'.[9] The total raised was just under €24,000, from donations, sales, and match proceeds.[9] Professional footballer Hakim Ziyech later contributed.[7]
