Jan Vertonghen

At 37 years old, Jan Vertonghen has this physical status:

Jan Bert Lieve Vertonghen (born 24 April 1987) is a Belgian professional footballer who competes for Tottenham Hotspur and the Belgium national team.

He is mainly a central defender, but he also plays as a left back. He began his senior career with Ajax in 2006 and played 220 games and 28 goals for them in all competitions, as their captain from 2011 to 2012.

During his time with the club, he won two Ethnicities and two KNVB Cup titles, and in 2012, he was named Dutch Footballer of the Year.

Vertonghen joined Tottenham in July 2012 and made the PFA Team of the Year in his first Premier League season, winning their Player of the Year award in 2018 and going on to make over 200 appearances for Spurs. Vertonghen made his international debut for Belgium in 2007 and his 116 caps (including three unofficial games, according to FIFA rules) are the most in the national team's history.

He was a member of Belgium's national team that finished fourth at the 2008 Olympics and the 2014 FIFA World Cup and the UEFA Euro 2016, as well as third place at the 2018 FIFA World Cup in Brussels.

Early life

Vertonghen was born in Sint-Niklaas, Belgium, to Ria Mattheeuws and Paul Vertonghen. Ward and Lode are two brothers, and both have played football.

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Club career

Vertonghen left the Netherlands and signed a youth academy of Ethnic Beerschot after spending time in VK Tielrode and Germinal Beerschot. He started as a midfielder but then became a regular at center-back for Ajax. During his time in the reserves, he became well-known for an incident in a 2006 KNVB Cup game against Cambuur Leeuwarden, his first home game at the Amsterdam Arena, where he scored a goal to bring Ajax 3–0 up. When a teammate was receiving medical attention, he had attempted a back pass to the Cambuur goalkeeper, but instead the ball went into the goal. Ajax allowed Cambuur to score a goal in return because it was unintentional. Vertonghen made his first team debut in the Champions League third qualifying round against Copenhagen on August 23, 2006. In a 6–0 victory over Willem II at the Amsterdam Arena, he made his debut and Eivisie debut and will play another two games in the first half of the season.

He was sent on loan to struggling RKC Waalwijk for the remainder of the season after the winter break of the 2006-07 season. He would play 12 games in which he scored three times, but he was unable to help the team prevent relegation to the Eerste Divisie. In a 2–2 draw that ended Ajax's parent club, RKC Waalwijk, finishing second in the league on only one goal difference with PSV.

Vertonghen was back to Ajax for the 2007–08 season, where he was tipped for fame, but he was unable to break through due to a serious injury and the presence of central defenders John Heitinga and Thomas Vermaelen. On September 26, 2008, Johan Cruyff revealed that he had no secret admiration for the left-footed youngster who can play any left-sided position in defense and midfield, opting to prolong his deal until June 30, 2013.

The 2008-09 season was a breakthrough for the young defender. Vertonghen was Thomas Vermaelen's first-choice partner in central defense after John Heitinga left for Atlético Madrid; the former played in and scored four goals in 23 games. He won by 3–0 on 28 September after scoring a rare double against Vitesse. Despite recovering from injury during the week, Vertonghen was involved in the match against Groningen on January 24th, which was billed as a "must-win" match by coach Marco van Basten; Ajax lost 1–0; Vertonghen was unfortunate enough to be suspended for two yellow cards. He was out for a month after suffering a hamstring injury in an away victory against Utrecht on March 1, but his return to the league was short-lived.

Vertonghen stayed in the starting lineup for the 2009–10 season under new coach Martin Jol. Despite injuring his toe while on international service against Spain last week, he scored his first goal of the season, a free kick, in a 6–0 thrashing of NAC Breda on September 13th. With the departure of Thomas Vermaelen to Arsenal, he and fellow Belgian Toby Alderweireld became the first choice center-back pairing and soon became a firm fan favorite. Despite Ajax's erratic form in the weeks leading up to the winter break, he put on some good shows and piqued the attention of several clubs, including Barcelona, but played down the rumors, saying he wanted to see out his deal with Ajax.

Ajax went on a nine-game unbeaten streak in the league after winter break, with Vertonghen playing a key role. When the visiting team was given a penalty, their streak of six clean sheets was snapped off in a 4–1 home win over PSV. Vertonghen was linked to Newcastle United and then Milan, where he later was linked with Milan, saying, "I've heard Milan Director Adriano Galliani talk about me after the Champions League match in San Siro, and his words were very flattering."

Vertonghen revealed on several occasions during the 2010–11 season that he was considering leaving Ajax at the end of the season. Roberto Mancini, the 2011 KNVB Cup Final, where Vertonghen's side lost 3–2 to Twente, was confirmed by Frank de Boer in May 2011. After qualifying for the UEFA Champions League 2011–12 campaign, Mancini is said to have been scouting Vertonghen to improve his team's.

Vertonghen was one of Ajax's best players during the 2011-2012 season, demonstrating his versatility to cover a multitude of positions. Ajax had allowed several regular players to borrow for long-term loans. He was named the 2011–12 Either of the Year, after an impressive season, with a standout against Manchester United he was singled out for praise against Manchester United in the UEFA Europa League Round of 16 on Thursday. Frank de Boer, his team captain, won his second title in a row, and his Ajax scored eight goals in 31 league games, highlighting his attacking strengths. He also dropped the Championship plate for the second time. "Now it falls on my toe – this plate just doesn't like me," Vertonghen said.

Vertonghen was a member of English club Tottenham Hotspur and frequently expressed his desire to transfer to White Hart Lane ahead of numerous other clubs in the 2011-12 season. He wanted to play as a center-back, but Arsenal wanted to use him as a defensive midfielder, which was a determining factor. Tottenham decided a fee and terms for Vertonghen, subject to a medical test on Monday. Tottenham Hotspur revealed on July that they had successfully completed Vertonghen's contract, worth approximately 12 million euros, after he successfully completed his medical. Vertonghen won in a 3–2 friendly win over Brentford on July 14th and then scored his first goal for the club in a 3–0 victory over Carlisle United in the third round of the Football League Cup on Saturday.

In a 2–3 victory at Old Trafford, Vertonghen scored his first Premier League goal against Manchester United, but Jonny Evans's goal was later determined to be his own goal. In a win at White Hart Lane over Swansea City, he scored in the league on December 16th, his only goal of the season. In a losing effort against Liverpool on March 10, Vertonghen scored a brace. For March 2013, he was named Premier League Player of the Month, making him his second Belgian and 12th Spurs player to win the award. Vertonghen was sent-off against Basel on April 11, 2013 during Tottenham's Europa League quarter-final second leg. After a 4–4 draw on aggregate, Tottenham went on to lose the tie 4–1 on penalties. Vertonghen was included in the 2012-13 PFA Team of the Year, alongside Rio Ferdinand, Leighton Baines, and Pablo Zabaleta in defense.

Nicklas Helenius, a villa striker, gained notoriety after Vertonghen pulled down his shorts when shooting on goal, which revealed his briefs. Chelsea coach José Mourinho said Vertonghen should not have been playing because of the Helenius incident, which caused Fernando Torres to be sent off, and Chelsea coach José Mourinho thought that Vertonghen left the striker "naked."

Vertonghen appeared to be out of favour with new boss Mauricio Pochettino at the start of the 2014–15 season. Vertonghen was limited to games, preferring Younès Kaboul and Federico Fazio. Kaboul remained in Vertonghen, who developed a fruitful partnership with Fazio. The pair also won 11 games in a row of 15 games, with just one losing. Vertonghen helped Spurs reach the 2015 League Cup Final and kicked off the season on March 1, 2015, but Tottenham also lost at Wembley Stadium to rival club Chelsea 2–0, but Tottenham also lost to rival club Chelsea.

At the start of the 2015–16 season, Vertonghen was joined in defense by former Ajax teammate and compatriot Alderweireld. Vertonghen and Alderweireld were ten out of the first ten games of the season, with Spurs suffering only one loss in that period. He suffered his medial knee ligament damage in late January 2016 and did not play for 11 weeks. He appeared in the home match against Manchester United on April 10, 2016, which ended in a 3–0 win, Tottenham's first home league victory over Manchester United since 2001. The club's relationship with Alderweireld in the defence was deemed crucial for the club, which had the joint-lowest number of goals conceded in the Premier League this season.

Vertonghen agreed to a new deal with Tottenham Hotspur on December 2, 2016. However, Vertonghen sustained an ankle ligament injury in mid-January 2017 that would keep him out of action for five weeks. In the fifth round FA Cup match against Fulham at Craven Cottage, he returned to the team on February 19th. Vertonghen was part of Tottenham Hotspur's outstanding defensive record in the Premier League this season (and only 9 conceded in home league games), 6 goals better than the previous record of 32 conceded in the second division, which was lower than the previous record of 32 conceded in the 1908-09 season. He was voted one of the top defenders in the Premier League at the time.

Vertonghen scored his first goal for the club since October 2013, a 30-yarder, in the 3–0 victory over Wimbledon in the third round of the 2017–18 FA Cup. He made 36 appearances out of the 38 Premier League games, as well as six in the UEFA Champions League, and five in the cups.

Vertonghen scored Tottenham's first goal of the season 8 minutes into the game, helping the team win by 2–1. However, he sustained a hamstring injury in the game against Huddersfield on September 29th and was out for two months, returning to the starting lineup in the Champions League match against Inter Milan in late November. In December 2018, his Tottenham Hotspur deal was extended to 2020. Vertonghen was playing in the Champions League's last 16 round home game against Borussia Dortmund, scoring one goal and giving one assist in a game that ended 3–0. He has received a lot of credit for his participation in this tournament, and UEFA named him Champions League Player of the Week this week.

He sustained a head injury while playing against Ajax in the Champions League semifinals after clashing his head with Toby Alderweireld. He returned to play in the Amsterdam leg wearing a protective mask and helped the team beat Ajax 1-0, sending Tottenham to their first Champions League final. Vertonghen later revealed that the accident left him with symptoms of concussion such as dizziness and headaches for nine months, which affected his performance in the following and final season with Tottenham.

Vertonghen's first goal of the season, as the winning goal in the away game against Wolverhampton Wanderers, a 2–1 win. In a 2–1 home comeback victory over Brighton and Hove Albion on December 26, 2019, he made his 300th appearance for Tottenham Hotspur. Vertonghen's deal was originally scheduled to end on June 30, 2020, but the 2019-20 campaign was postponed due to a halt in operations related to COVID-19. Since the club's last game of the season against Crystal Palace, he became a free agent. Vertonghen did not appear in the match.

Benfica reported the signing of the 33-year-old on a three-year contract on August 14, 2020. In the third qualifying round of the Champions League, he made his debut on September 15 against Greece's PAOK FC, a 2–1 loss in a one-leg match in which he scored his own goal. He played for the first time in the Primeira Liga three days later, winning 5–1 at F.C. In the season's opener, Famalico was on display. Vertonghen scored his first goal for Benfica in a home match against Lech Poznan in the Europa League's group stage on December 3rd.

After Vertonghen and Benfica decided to the end of his deal, he and Belgium Anderlecht signed on a free transfer on September 2nd.

International career

Vertonghen made his international debut at the under-21 level in 2006 and represented the 2007 UEFA U21 Championships.

In UEFA Euro 2008 qualification, he made his senior debut for the national team against Portugal on June 2nd. Hugo Almeida, a replacement striker who had been suspended, fouled him at the end of the game. As the Belgians unexpectedly took fourth place, Vertonghen was also selected for the 2008 Olympics and participated in every match.

He began to establish himself as a regular in 2010 World Cup qualifying, first at centre-back as former Ajax teammate Thomas Vermaelen's partner. In a 3–1 loss, he scored the first goal, his first international goal, in a August 2009 friendly against the Czech Republic that ended in a 3–1 loss. In a World Cup qualifying away match against Spain on September 7, 2009, he suffered his toe and was forced to be stretched off and replaced in the 29th minute. The match ended badly, with a 5–0 loss. Vermaelen and Vincent Kompany are the most common pairing in central defence, with Vermaelen and Vincent Kompany now playing as leftback. He was back in the starting lineup for the friendly against Hungary, a 3–0 victory and a 1–0 loss to Croatia the next month.

Vertonghen was named in Belgium's squad for the 2014 FIFA World Cup on May 13, 2014. After Vertonghen pulled down Sofiane Feghouli and received a yellow card, the African team was awarded a penalty in the team's first match against Algeria. Feghouli scored for Algeria from the penalty spot, but Belgium came back to win 2–1. Thomas Vermaelen was then brought on to the starting lineup for the second match against Russia on June 22. Vermaelen was forced to leave with an injury and replaced by Vertonghen after 31 minutes. Belgium defeated South Korea 1–0 in the final group match, with Vertonghen captained the team and scored the winning goal.

Vertonghen knocked a child unconscious with a misplaced shot during a training session with the Belgian team early in the 2014-15 season. He suffered two ligaments in his ankle in an accident while training against Wales in UEFA Euro 2016, but as a result, Belgium lost the match against Wales.

Vertonghen's 100th cap was awarded to him by his mother, eleven years to the day on his international debut against the same opposition (Portugal).

Vertonghen led Belgium's second-half comeback from a 0–2 deficit against Japan to a 3–2 victory in a 3–2 comeback victory.

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