He himself calls it a bizarre period. Jordi Altena (22) from Sleeuwijk played football for the amateurs of De Treffers last year, but now wears the shirt of the Scottish leader Heart of Midlothian. The Champions League beckons and he is also having a great time outside of football. “Edinburgh is a horrible city.”
Altena, who started playing football at VV Sleeuwijk, became professional football at Vitesse, but in 2024 the dream seemed to be over. He chose Second Divisionist De Treffers from Groesbeek. “To be honest, that was a blow to my sense of honour. Almost everyone thought it was over for me, but I always believed in a return as a professional. Even when I was on the bench at De Treffers for a while, I continued. I could have driven myself crazy, but I only became stronger.”
It was RKC Waalwijk that picked him up from De Treffers last summer. He soon improved his contract in Waalwijk, but during the winter break he decided to leave. The Scottish leader Heart of Midlothian reportedly had an amount of 1.5 million euros available for the Sleeuwijker. “First my career was going in a way I didn’t want and now this step came. A dream come true.”
Altena is originally a midfielder, but at RKC Waalwijk and now also at Hearts he has to focus on the right back position. “In Waalwijk I was given a fairly free role. In Scotland, different things are asked of a defender. I feel comfortable with the ball, but here I also have to head and do a lot of defensive work. Fortunately, things are going well and I am used to playing at a high intensity. The next step is to gain a permanent starting position, I am confident in that.”
“There are really top players on the field.”
In Scotland, Celtic and Glasgow Rangers are the two superpowers. Another club last became champion in 1985: Aberbeen led by Alex Ferguson. With ten games to go, Hearts is the surprising leader with a four-point lead.
“If you had said this within the club last season, everyone would have signed for it immediately,” says Altena. “It has been a season so far where a lot has gone well. The players, but also the staff members and supporters, have a lot of passion. On paper we have fewer well-known players than the clubs from Glasgow, but there are really top players on the field.”
The title is now the goal for the four-time national champion, the last time being in 1960. “That dream is becoming more and more realistic. It is very much alive in the city, everyone is talking about it. Of course there is pressure that we have to win, but there is zero stress. It is already a madhouse in the stands, but just imagine if there is a championship party.”
Altena feels great on a sporting and personal level. There is one minor point after his move. “I thought the weather in Scotland was comparable to the Netherlands, but here it is even worse,” he says laughing. “Life is great, I live in a fantastic city. The past year has been bizarre, I may not fully realize it yet.”
