 After making his debut, Engelaar made a difficult start to his first two season at NAC Breda, not registering a goal for the club until two thunderous drives into the back-of-the-net against Heerenveen on 14 September 2002.He would score another brace, three weeks later on 5 October 2002.The 2002–03 season proved to be a breakthrough for Engelaar, as he scored twelve goals in thirty-three appearances and also helped the club qualify for the UEFA Cup, as they finished fourth in the league.