Jan Vertonghen, a skilled defender, was born on April 24th, 1987, in the Belgian city of Sint-Niklaas. He began his professional journey in 2003 when he joined the renowned Ajax academy, before signing with the Dutch side in 2006. Over the course of his tenure, Vertonghen went on to play an impressive 200 matches or more for Ajax, capturing the title in both 2011 and 2012. As a regular captain of the team, he received the prestigious Dutch 'Player of the Year' award in 2012.
Vertonghen made the transition to Tottenham Hotspur in the summer of 2012, becoming one of the club's longest-serving players. His inaugural campaign was nothing short of exceptional, culminating in his selection for the PFA's Premier League 'Team of the Year,' chosen by his peers. Throughout the 2012/13 season, he consistently started in both central defense and left-back, making a total of 49 appearances across all competitions, including a remarkable six goals.
Injuries plagued his second season at Tottenham Hotspur in 2013/14, but he bounced back to form in the following campaign. In 2014/15, he reunited with his central defensive partner, Toby Alderweireld, with whom he had previously played at Ajax.
Vertonghen's 2016/17 season was outstanding, as Tottenham Hotspur secured a spot in the UEFA Champions League and finished second in the Premier League. Throughout the season, he started 42 matches across all competitions, despite a five-week layoff due to injury. The following season, 2017/18, he was nearly ever-present, scoring his first goal since October 2013 with a long-range strike in a 3-0 FA Cup third-round victory over AFC Wimbledon in January 2018.
During his seventh season with Tottenham Hotspur in the 2018/19 season, Vertonghen delivered a memorable performance, filling in as a left wing-back in the 3-0 home win over Borussia Dortmund in the round of 16 in February 2019. He scored one goal and assisted another, solidifying his impressive performance.
Jan Vertonghen began the 2019/20 season in the final year of his contract with Tottenham Hotspur.
As a Belgian international, Vertonghen was a member of the squad that qualified for the 2014 FIFA World Cup and subsequently made it through to the quarter-finals in Brazil before losing to Argentina. He scored the winner against South Korea in the group stage of the tournament. He also represented his nation at Euro 2016 and became the all-time leading appearance-maker for Belgium by winning his 97th cap in October 2017. In the summer of 2018, he was part of the Belgium squad that finished third at the 2018 FIFA World Cup in Russia, scoring in the knockout stages against Japan.
