Jan Vertonghen facts for kids
Vertonghen with the bronze medal for Belgium at the 2018 World Cup
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| Personal information | ||||||||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Date of birth | 24 April 1987 | |||||||||||||||
| Place of birth | Sint-Niklaas, Belgium | |||||||||||||||
| Height | 1.89 m | |||||||||||||||
| Playing position | Centre-back, left-back | |||||||||||||||
| Club information | ||||||||||||||||
| Current club | Anderlecht | |||||||||||||||
| Number | 14 | |||||||||||||||
| Youth career | ||||||||||||||||
| 1997–2000 | VK Tielrode | |||||||||||||||
| 2000–2003 | Germinal Beerschot | |||||||||||||||
| 2003–2006 | Ajax | |||||||||||||||
| Senior career* | ||||||||||||||||
| Years | Team | Apps† | (Gls)† | |||||||||||||
| 2006–2012 | Ajax | 155 | (23) | |||||||||||||
| 2006–2007 | → RKC Waalwijk (loan) | 12 | (3) | |||||||||||||
| 2012–2020 | Tottenham Hotspur | 232 | (6) | |||||||||||||
| 2020–2022 | Benfica | 57 | (0) | |||||||||||||
| 2022– | Anderlecht | 74 | (5) | |||||||||||||
| National team | ||||||||||||||||
| 2002 | Belgium U16 | 6 | (1) | |||||||||||||
| 2007 | Belgium U21 | 3 | (0) | |||||||||||||
| 2007–2024 | Belgium | 157 | (10) | |||||||||||||
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Honours
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Jan Bert Lieve Vertonghen (born 24 April 1987) is a Belgian professional footballer. He plays as a defender for the club Anderlecht in Belgium. He mostly plays as a centre-back, but can also play as a left-back.
Vertonghen started his professional career at the Dutch club Ajax in 2006. He played 220 games for them and scored 28 goals. He was the team captain from 2011 to 2012. While at Ajax, he won two Eredivisie titles (the top Dutch league) and two KNVB Cup titles. In 2012, he was named the Dutch Footballer of the Year.
In July 2012, Vertonghen moved to Tottenham Hotspur in England. He played 315 games for Spurs over eight years. He even helped them reach the 2019 UEFA Champions League final. He was named the club's Player of the Year in 2018. After playing two seasons for the Portuguese club Benfica, he joined Anderlecht in 2022. At 37, he is currently the oldest outfield player on their team.
Vertonghen first played for the Belgian national team in 2007. He has played 157 games for Belgium, which is more than any other player in the country's history. He helped Belgium finish fourth at the 2008 Olympics. He also helped them finish third at the 2018 FIFA World Cup. He reached the quarter-finals at UEFA Euro 2016 and Euro 2020. On 5 July 2024, after 17 years, Vertonghen announced he was retiring from international football.
Contents
Early Life and Youth Career
Jan Vertonghen was born in Sint-Niklaas, Belgium. His parents are Ria Mattheeuws and Paul Vertonghen. He has two brothers, Ward and Lode, who also played football.
Jan started playing football at VK Tielrode and Germinal Beerschot. Later, he moved to the Netherlands. There, he joined the youth academy of AFC Ajax, a famous club in the Eredivisie. He began as a midfielder but soon became a regular centre-back for Ajax.
Becoming a Star at Ajax
Vertonghen made his first team debut for Ajax on 23 August 2006. This was in a Champions League qualifying game. He played his first league game in a big 6–0 win against Willem II.
Loan to RKC Waalwijk
After the first half of the 2006–07 season, Vertonghen was loaned to RKC Waalwijk. This team was struggling in the league. He played 12 matches and scored three goals for them. One of his goals was against his own club, Ajax, in a 2–2 draw. Even though he scored, he could not stop RKC from being relegated.
Breakthrough and Captaincy
Vertonghen returned to Ajax for the 2007–08 season. He was expected to become a big star. He signed a new contract until 2013. The 2008–09 season was a big one for him. He became a regular starter in central defence. He played 23 games and scored four goals.
Under new coach Martin Jol, Vertonghen kept his spot in the starting team for the 2009–10 season. He and fellow Belgian Toby Alderweireld became the main centre-back pair. Fans really liked them. Vertonghen played a key role as Ajax went on a nine-game unbeaten run.
During the 2011–12 Eredivisie season, Vertonghen became one of Ajax's best players. He showed he could play well in many different positions. After a great season, he was named the Eredivisie Player of the Year. He became the team captain and led Ajax to their second league title in a row. He scored eight goals in 31 league games that season.
Moving to Tottenham Hotspur
Vertonghen wanted to play for Tottenham Hotspur. On 12 July 2012, Tottenham officially signed him. He played his first game for Tottenham in a friendly match on 14 July. He scored his first goal for the club on 26 September in a cup game.
He scored his first Premier League goal against Manchester United in a 3–2 win at Old Trafford. He scored twice against Liverpool on 10 March. He was named Premier League Player of the Month for March 2013. Vertonghen was also chosen for the PFA Team of the Year for the 2012–13 season.
Key Player for Spurs
In the 2014–15 season, Vertonghen became a key player again. He formed a strong partnership with Federico Fazio. Together, they helped Spurs win 11 out of 15 games. Vertonghen also helped Spurs reach the 2015 League Cup Final. However, they lost to Chelsea 2–0.
For the 2015–16 season, his former Ajax teammate Toby Alderweireld joined him in defence. Their partnership was very important for the team. Tottenham had one of the best defensive records in the league that season. In January 2016, he got a knee injury and was out for 11 weeks.
On 2 December 2016, Vertonghen signed a new contract with Tottenham until 2019. In January 2017, he got an ankle injury. He returned to the team in February. This season, Tottenham had their best defensive record ever in the Premier League. They only let in 26 goals.
Later Years at Tottenham
On 7 January 2018, Vertonghen scored his first goal for the club since 2013. It was a long-range shot in an FA Cup game. He played in 36 of the 38 Premier League games this season.
In the first game of the 2018–19 season, Vertonghen scored Tottenham's first goal. This helped them win 2–1 against Newcastle United. He got a hamstring injury in September and was out for two months. His contract was extended to 2020 in December 2018.
In the Champions League round of 16, Vertonghen played as a left wing back. He scored a goal and set up another in a 3–0 win. He was praised for his performance. In the Champions League semi-final against Ajax, he got a head injury. He played the next game with a protective mask. Tottenham won and reached their first Champions League final. Vertonghen later said the injury affected him for nine months.
In the 2019–20 season, Vertonghen scored a late winning goal against Wolverhampton Wanderers. On 26 December 2019, he played his 300th game for Tottenham. His contract ended on 30 June 2020, and he left the club.
Benfica and Anderlecht
On 14 August 2020, Vertonghen signed a three-year deal with Benfica in Portugal. He made his debut on 15 September in a Champions League qualifying game. Three days later, he played his first game in the Primeira Liga. On 3 December 2020, he scored his first goal for Benfica in a Europa League match.
On 2 September 2022, Vertonghen joined the Belgian club Anderlecht. He made his debut for Anderlecht on 7 August 2022. He scored his first goal for the club on 18 September 2022 with a strong header.
Vertonghen first wore the captain's armband for Anderlecht on 23 October 2022. He became the full-time captain for the 2023–24 season. On 11 December 2023, he played his 50th game for Anderlecht. On 5 May 2024, he got a groin injury that ended his season. On 18 July 2024, Vertonghen signed a new one-year contract with Anderlecht.
International Career
Vertonghen played for Belgium's under-21 team starting in 2006. He played in the 2007 UEFA Under-21 Championship.
On 2 June 2007, he played his first game for the senior national team. This was in a Euro 2008 qualifying match against Portugal. He also played in every game at the 2008 Olympics, where Belgium finished fourth.
He became a regular player for Belgium in the 2010 FIFA World Cup qualifying games. He scored his first international goal in August 2009 against the Czech Republic.
On 13 May 2014, Vertonghen was chosen for Belgium's squad for the 2014 FIFA World Cup. In their first game, he gave away a penalty, but Belgium still won 2–1. In the final group match, Vertonghen was the captain and scored the winning goal against South Korea.
In 2016, he injured his ankle during training before a UEFA Euro 2016 quarter-final game. He missed the match, which Belgium lost. On 2 June 2018, exactly eleven years after his debut, Vertonghen played his 100th game for Belgium. He was the first Belgian player to reach this milestone.
At the 2018 FIFA World Cup in Russia, Vertonghen scored a goal against Japan. His goal started Belgium's comeback from being 2–0 down to win 3–2.
Vertonghen was also part of Belgium's squads for UEFA Euro 2020 and the 2022 FIFA World Cup. He was called up for UEFA Euro 2024 as well. He scored an own goal in their 1–0 loss to France in the round of 16.
On 5 July 2024, Jan Vertonghen announced his retirement from international football. He ended his career with Belgium having played a record 157 games over 17 years.
Career Statistics
Club
| Club | Season | League | National cup | League cup | Europe | Other | Total | |||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Division | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | ||
| Ajax | 2006–07 | Eredivisie | 3 | 0 | 0 | 0 | — | 3 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 6 | 0 | |
| 2007–08 | Eredivisie | 31 | 2 | 3 | 0 | — | 1 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 37 | 2 | ||
| 2008–09 | Eredivisie | 26 | 4 | 2 | 0 | — | 7 | 1 | — | 35 | 5 | |||
| 2009–10 | Eredivisie | 32 | 3 | 7 | 0 | — | 10 | 0 | — | 49 | 3 | |||
| 2010–11 | Eredivisie | 32 | 6 | 6 | 1 | — | 13 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 51 | 8 | ||
| 2011–12 | Eredivisie | 31 | 8 | 3 | 2 | — | 8 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 42 | 10 | ||
| Total | 155 | 23 | 21 | 3 | — | 42 | 2 | 2 | 0 | 220 | 28 | |||
| RKC Waalwijk (loan) | 2006–07 | Eredivisie | 12 | 3 | 1 | 0 | — | — | — | 13 | 3 | |||
| Tottenham Hotspur | 2012–13 | Premier League | 34 | 4 | 1 | 0 | 2 | 1 | 12 | 1 | — | 49 | 6 | |
| 2013–14 | Premier League | 23 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 8 | 1 | — | 33 | 1 | ||
| 2014–15 | Premier League | 32 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 6 | 0 | 7 | 0 | — | 47 | 0 | ||
| 2015–16 | Premier League | 29 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 4 | 0 | — | 33 | 0 | ||
| 2016–17 | Premier League | 33 | 0 | 3 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 6 | 0 | — | 42 | 0 | ||
| 2017–18 | Premier League | 36 | 0 | 4 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 6 | 0 | — | 47 | 1 | ||
| 2018–19 | Premier League | 22 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 10 | 1 | — | 34 | 2 | ||
| 2019–20 | Premier League | 23 | 1 | 4 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 3 | 0 | — | 30 | 2 | ||
| Total | 232 | 6 | 15 | 2 | 12 | 1 | 56 | 3 | — | 315 | 12 | |||
| Benfica | 2020–21 | Primeira Liga | 28 | 0 | 3 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 9 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 42 | 1 |
| 2021–22 | Primeira Liga | 28 | 0 | 3 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 13 | 0 | — | 46 | 0 | ||
| 2022–23 | Primeira Liga | 1 | 0 | — | — | 0 | 0 | — | 1 | 0 | ||||
| Total | 57 | 0 | 6 | 0 | 3 | 0 | 22 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 89 | 1 | ||
| Anderlecht | 2022–23 | Belgian Pro League | 24 | 1 | 1 | 0 | — | 11 | 1 | — | 36 | 2 | ||
| 2023–24 | Belgian Pro League | 34 | 3 | 2 | 0 | — | — | — | 36 | 3 | ||||
| 2024–25 | Belgian Pro League | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | — | 0 | 0 | — | 2 | 0 | |||
| Total | 60 | 4 | 3 | 0 | — | 11 | 1 | — | 74 | 5 | ||||
| Career total | 516 | 36 | 46 | 5 | 15 | 1 | 131 | 7 | 3 | 0 | 711 | 49 | ||
International
| National team | Year | Apps | Goals |
|---|---|---|---|
| Belgium | 2007 | 6 | 0 |
| 2008 | 7 | 0 | |
| 2009 | 7 | 1 | |
| 2010 | 7 | 0 | |
| 2011 | 8 | 1 | |
| 2012 | 9 | 2 | |
| 2013 | 10 | 0 | |
| 2014 | 13 | 1 | |
| 2015 | 9 | 1 | |
| 2016 | 13 | 0 | |
| 2017 | 9 | 2 | |
| 2018 | 12 | 1 | |
| 2019 | 8 | 0 | |
| 2020 | 5 | 0 | |
| 2021 | 13 | 0 | |
| 2022 | 9 | 0 | |
| 2023 | 8 | 1 | |
| 2024 | 4 | 0 | |
| Total | 157 | 10 | |
- Some friendly matches are not officially recognised by FIFA due to too many player changes.
- Belgium score listed first, score column indicates score after each Vertonghen goal.
| No. | Date | Venue | Cap | Opponent | Score | Result | Competition |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 12 August 2009 | Na Stínadlech, Teplice, Czech Republic | 15 |  Czech Republic |
1–3 | 1–3 | Friendly |
| 2 | 29 March 2011 | King Baudouin Stadium, Brussels, Belgium | 30 |  Azerbaijan |
4–1 | 4–1 | UEFA Euro 2012 qualification |
| 3 | 15 August 2012 | King Baudouin Stadium, Brussels, Belgium | 39 |  Netherlands |
4–2 | 4–2 | Friendly |
| 4 | 7 September 2012 | Millennium Stadium, Cardiff, Wales | 40 |  Wales |
2–0 | 2–0 | 2014 FIFA World Cup qualification |
| 5 | 26 June 2014 | Arena Corinthians, Paulo, Brazil | 58 |  South Korea |
1–0 | 1–0 | 2014 FIFA World Cup |
| 6 | 13 November 2015 | King Baudouin Stadium, Brussels, Belgium | 74 |  Italy |
1–1 | 3–1 | Friendly |
| 7 | 3 September 2017 | Karaiskakis Stadium, Athens, Greece | 92 |  Greece |
1–0 | 2–1 | 2018 FIFA World Cup qualification |
| 8 | 7 October 2017 | Stadion Grbavica, Sarajevo, Bosnia and Herzegovina | 93 |  Bosnia and Herzegovina |
3–2 | 4–3 | 2018 FIFA World Cup qualification |
| 9 | 2 July 2018 | Rostov Arena, Rostov-on-Don, Russia | 105 |  Japan |
1–2 | 3–2 | 2018 FIFA World Cup |
| 10 | 12 September 2023 | Koning Boudewijnstadion, Brussels, Belgium | 150 |  Estonia |
1–0 | 5–0 | UEFA Euro 2024 qualification |
Awards and Achievements
Ajax
- Eredivisie: 2010–11, 2011–12
- KNVB Cup: 2006–07, 2009–10
Tottenham Hotspur
- EFL Cup runner-up: 2014–15
- UEFA Champions League runner-up: 2018–19
Benfica
- Primeira Liga: 2022–23
- Taça de Portugal runner-up: 2020–21
- Taça da Liga runner-up: 2021–22
Belgium National Team
- FIFA World Cup third place: 2018
Individual Awards
- Ajax Talent of the Year: 2007–08
- Ajax Player of the Year: 2011–12
- Dutch Footballer of the Year: 2012
- AFC Ajax Club of 100: 2012
- PFA Team of the Year: 2012–13 Premier League, 2017–18 Premier League
- Premier League Player of the Month: March 2013
- UEFA Champions League Squad of the Season: 2018–19
- RBFA 125 Years All Star Team: 2020
- IFFHS All Time Belgium Dream Team: 2021
- Vlaamse Reus: 2024
See also
- List of men's footballers with 100 or more international caps
