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Jan Vertonghen (35) has spoken for the first time since the World Cup. The experienced defender is still burning with ambition: both at Anderlecht and at the Red Devils. The Italian Giorgio Chiellini, who became European champion at the age of 36, can serve as an example. The record international also thinks it is not bad that a new wind is blowing at the national team. “It was nice to receive a message from our new national coach.”
Jurgen Geril
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Jan Vertonghen is in shape. He is the leader of the Anderlecht defense and the Purple & White has become a much more stable team in recent weeks. Okay, a 1-0 deficit against Ludogorets has to be cleared, but Vertonghen still believes in qualifying. “It is good that it is clear that we have to win this European match,” he says. “We will attack in a controlled manner and the ambition to push through in Europe is certainly there. If I didn’t feel that anymore, I’d better stop.”
Vertonghen is not yet thinking about the latter, although he is already 35 years old. The season at Anderlecht is anything but smooth sailing, but the most difficult period seems to be over. “A lot has happened here before the World Cup,” it sounds. “With a trainer change and chaos on and off the field. Anyway, I have also experienced that in the past at Ajax and Benfica. A little less at Tottenham. If we as players perform on the field, it also ensures peace within the club. Since the World Cup I have the feeling that performance is on the rise. There is a trainer and a group of players who like to work for Anderlecht and who radiate a lot of hunger. The system with four defenders in the back also works.”
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Vertonghen does not feel that his choice for Anderlecht will diminish his chances with the Red Devils. After the World Cup in Qatar, the record international certainly indicated that he still wants to continue with the national team. He can become the Giorgio Chiellini of Belgium. “Chiellini won another major prize at the age of 36 (European title, ed.). So yes, I feel ready for that. I now feel in top form here at Anderlecht: both physically and mentally. Before the World Cup in Qatar, it was sometimes said that 35 years was too old and that may have created extra pressure. I myself do not have a great need for proof, but I am still happy that the Belgian defense and myself have done well there. It was also nice to receive a message from the new national coach (Domenico Tedesco, ed.) recently. I think he contacted the entire players’ council and everything that’s probing, but we’ll see. The best team will play anyway and it is not because you are called up in March for the international matches against Sweden and Germany that you will also be at the European Championship later.”
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New incentives
The record international did indicate that the Devils may need a breath of fresh air after the elimination in Qatar. “I have not looked back at the images of our elimination against Croatia,” Vertonghen concluded. “I rarely rewatch matches and certainly not this one. It hurt, of course, but sometimes it’s not so bad when something bad happens. That’s good to encourage some change. At the Red Devils, things were sometimes glossed over because of the good results. Sometimes we didn’t play very well, but Belgium won. Perhaps too much was based on the quality that was always there. Only that changed at the World Cup. This time there was no longer preparation and in the exhibition match against Egypt (2-1 loss, red) things did not go well. In the first two World Cup matches we did not find an answer to that state of affairs. We didn’t play well and we didn’t win anymore. As a result, some matters have been raised more quickly with the national team and some irritations have been resolved. Sometimes it is good to get new incentives.”
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