Born out of the Ajax school, Jan Vertonghen shaped the defense of Tottenham Hotspur for years, became Belgium’s most capped player with 157 appearances, and also played for Benfica Lisbon. Since 2022, he has been back in his home country at RSC Anderlecht, where he will end his career in the summer at the age of 38.
Almost 19 years ago, Jan Vertonghen got his first taste of professional football. His career began in 2006 with the third-round Champions League qualifier against Copenhagen – and a bitter defeat. Ajax had put themselves in a good position with a 2-1 away win. Even when the 19-year-old Vertonghen entered the pitch in the 61st minute, the Dutch team was still on course for the Champions League thanks to the away goals rule, with the score at 0-1. However, an own goal from Thomas Vermaelen – who would later partner Vertonghen for years in the Belgian national team – sealed their fate.
Dutch Footballer of the Year 2012
However, the unlucky debut did not detract from his career. Quite the opposite: after two appearances in the UEFA Cup and three in the league, Vertonghen was loaned out to bottom-of-the-league RKC Waalwijk for six months. He was an immediate starter there. Even though he ultimately could not prevent relegation in the play-offs, the center back himself has since gone from strength to strength. He was subsequently a starting player for Ajax, winning the cup in 2010 and the league championship in 2011 and 2012, and in the latter of the two years he even won the Dutch Footballer of the Year award.
This did not go unnoticed in England either, and so Vertonghen left Ajax for Tottenham in the summer of 2012 after more than 200 appearances. There he was a mainstay in the center of defense for the next eight seasons, while also becoming an established member of the national team, with which he took part in three World Cups and three European Championships between 2014 and 2024. With 157 appearances, he is the Belgian record player. Just as in the national team – where he helped them to 3rd place at the 2018 World Cup in Russia – the only downside in these personally so successful years was the lack of titles with Spurs. The big highlight with the club was reaching the 2019 Champions League final with Spurs against Liverpool (0:2).
Back home via Portugal
In the second half of the following season, however, he started under José Mourinho, and slowly but surely began to lose his place in the starting lineup to Davinson Sanchez, which had previously only been taken from him by injuries. Accordingly, the Belgian decided to move to Portugal to Benfica Lisbon, where he was a set piece again. However, they only managed to finish third in the league and lost the cup final twice. He is unlikely to claim the league title in the 2022/23 season, in which he only came on as a substitute in the 89th minute on matchday 2 before joining RSC Anderlecht, as his own achievement.
In Anderlecht, too, Vertonghen was again what he has been throughout his career: a natural leader who led the way but repeatedly missed out on titles. In 2023/24, the central defender had to settle for second place with Anderlecht. Recently, however, injuries have become more frequent. This season, Vertonghen missed a large number of games with Achilles tendon problems and a sprained ankle, only playing once in the Europa League and four times in the league.
“I have noticed that it is becoming increasingly difficult to physically prepare for training sessions and games and to show myself as the player I want to be,” Vertonghen explained his retirement in the summer in the club newsletter. ‘It was not an easy decision, but it is the right one.’
In his last weeks as an active player, the now 37-year-old Vertonghen still has goals. “I will give everything in the remaining eleven games and hopefully experience a few more great moments with the fans and my teammates,” the captain looked ahead. In the Belgian championship round, which begins for Anderlecht on Sunday (1:30 p.m.) with a game at Club Brugge, the gap to league leaders Genk is eight points. The road to the cup is much shorter. They are already in the final, and their opponents are also Club Brugge. Perhaps Vertonghen will finally be able to win one of the rare titles in his long career after all. Either way, one thing is clear to the Belgian, who will turn 38 at the end of April: “I am proud of what I have been able to experience and of what I have achieved.”
