Every soccer fan is well aware of a player like Jan Vertonghen. This is a Belgian defender who has been playing for Tottenham Hotspur for 6 years. He is also the champion of his country’s national team in the number of matches held.
What is his life like? Where did he start his career? This and much more will now be discussed.
Childhood and youth
Ian Vertonghen was born on April 24, 1987 in Sint-Niklaas. He became the third son of his parents, Ria and Paula. Together with his brothers - Lode and Ward - played football. The boys trained in a children's team in the small village of Tilrode.
Then, when Ian was 11 years old, he joined FC Germinal Beershot. After playing there for three years, the young man moved to the Dutch Ajax. But at that time he was still a schoolboy. Ian could not give up education, and therefore went to an educational institution located in the Amsterdam region of Beylmer.
At the same time, the teenager played in the B-1 team, and then in the A-1 team. In 2005, he was transferred to the youth structure of Ajax.
Carier start
Footballer Jan Vertonghen signed his first contract on July 1, 2005. With Ajax, of course. While still in the youth team, he took part in the Netherlands Cup. And then one curious situation happened.
Derk Burrigter, an Ajax striker, was injured and could not even get up from the grass. The Kambury football players, being supporters of fair play, sent the ball out. After they helped Derk, Ian would have to return him to his opponents. But something went wrong. Having hit the ball, the Belgian overdid it and ... scored a goal. Jan Vertonghen managed to drive him into the opponents' goal from 50 meters!
The score now stands at 3-0. But the Ajax coach immediately asked the players to concede a goal, and Theis Howing, a forward from Cambury, just rolled a ball into their goal. The game ended with a score of 3: 1.
At the heart of Ajax
In the summer of 2006, Vertongen was transferred to the main club. The debut came on August 23, and it was a match held within the Champions League - FC Copenhagen was the opponent. The young man was released in the 61st minute to replace Hedviges Maduro. Copenhagen won, and Ajax did not go any further.
But then the team got the opportunity to participate in the UEFA Cup. There, Jan Vertongen's debut took place on November 2. He was released again to replace, but already in the 78th minute.
At the end of the season, it turned out that the young Belgian was sent to FC Valveik, who wished to rent it. Looking ahead, it should be noted - for his entire career in Ajax, which ended with him in 2012, Ian played 155 matches and scored 23 goals.
FC Valveik
The Belgian joined this Dutch club on January 31, 2007. Interestingly, Jan Vertonghen, whose photo is presented above, was not the only player whom the team leased. “Ajax” for the time said goodbye to Derk Burrigter, Mikael Cron-Delhi, Donovan Sleingard and Ridell Pupon.
Jan played his first game for Valwijk on February 3. And after 10 days he scored his debut goal. He scored on 35 minutes, hitting the gate from 16 meters.
An interesting game took place on April 8th. Then Valveik played with Ajax. Players from Amsterdam opened an account, but after just one minute, a goal by Jan Vertongen flew into their goal, which he sent there with a blow to the head. He soon tried to repeat the success, but missed, failing to realize the moment.
For the 4 months spent in Valveik FC, Jan played 12 matches and scored 3 goals.
Relocation to England
In 2012, Jan Vertonghen signed a contract with the London Tottenham Hotspur. His career in England began successfully - on September 29, he scored his first goal, and he was sent to the gate of Manchester United.
Vertonghen is an important player. For 6 years he won 191 matches and scored 5 goals, together with the team he won the title of vice champion of England in the 2016/17 season and bronze in 2015/16. At the moment, he continues his career at Tottenham Hotspur, and is not going to leave the club.
Team Activities
Jan Vertonghen has been playing for his national team since 2007. During this time he has already played 110 matches and scored 9 goals.
He started, incidentally, with Faris Harun. In June, the Belgian team had a meeting with Portugal - a match was planned as part of the qualifying round for the 2008 European Championships. In this meeting, Jan made his debut. But then his team lost.
But at the Olympic Games, also held in 2008, in Beijing, Vertonghen together with the national team took 4th place. And in the match for bronze, they lost to Brazil, which is not very disappointing. Although a strong opponent beat them with a score of 3: 0.
Also, one cannot fail to note the fact that enhanced training for the national team did not prevent Jan from winning personal awards. He became the talent of the year in the 2007/08 season, the best player in 2011/12, but the title of football player of the year in the Netherlands in 2012 became the most prestigious award.
Personal life
Well, a little attention should be paid to this topic. Jan’s father, who was so important to the player, died on January 23, 2007 of brain cancer. Paul Vertonghen was seriously ill for the past 15 years, and general problems started even earlier - when the boy was 6 years old, the man first suffered an epileptic seizure.
It should also be noted that Jan has a long, serious relationship with Sophie de Vries. He met her while studying at a high school in Baylemer. The girl studied at the college of art, now she is a theater director. In 2014, young people announced their engagement. It should be noted that this news discouraged numerous fans of Jan.
Now the couple has two children - a small son and a grown daughter. Sophie is not a public person, but sometimes appears with Jan at various events.
Her Instagram profile is closed, but Vertonghen regularly publishes family photos and even individual shots of his children on his page, inventing charming captions for them. One of the pictures showing the happy Vertongens family can be seen above.