“It is becoming increasingly difficult for me”
Record national player ends career
Updated on 25.03.2025 – 3:10 p.m.Reading time: 1 min.
He played 157 games for Belgium and 77 for Anderlecht. However, there are not many games for Jan Vertonghen.
Jan Vertonghen will end his career after this season. His RSC Anderlecht club announced this decision on Tuesday afternoon. The 37-year-old has been playing for the Belgian traditional club since September 2022.
Vertonghen explained that this decision was not easy for him, but he considered it right. “I realize that it is becoming more and more difficult for me to be physically ready for training and the games and show me as the player who I want to be – not only the fans and other players, but also myself,” said the Vertonghen.
In his career, the defender played 157 international matches for Belgium. His last game in the national jersey was the lost EM round of ultimate in 2024 against France. The central defender celebrated his greatest successes in the Netherlands at Ajax Amsterdam, where he became a master and cup winner twice.
Vertonghen became particularly well known during his eight years at Tottenham Hotspur, where he was an integral part of the team as a regular player.
From August 2024 to the beginning of February of this year, the Belgian was injured and only returned to the starting eleven as captain of Anderlecht shortly before the international break. During his time in the stands, he had a lot of opportunity to think, said Vertonghen. These considerations had finally made him decide to end his career this year.