| FULL NAME | Jan Bert Lieve Vertonghen |
| BORN | April 24, 1987 |
| HEIGHT | 1.89 m (6 ft 2 in) |
| NATIONALITY | Belgian |
| ROLE | Defender |
Jan Bert Lieve Vertonghen is a Belgian professional footballer who was born in the Belgian city of Sint-Niklaas on April 24, 1987. He is a centre defender who represents both Tottenham Hotspur and Belgium.
Background
Vertonghen was a huge football fan as a kid. VK Tielrode was where he spent his formative years. In addition, he played junior football with Germinal Beerschot and Ajax.
He also represented Belgium at the under-16 and under-21 levels.
Debut
Vertonghen made his Ajax debut. For Ajax, he was the center-back. He made his debut in the Amsterdam Arena, scoring a goal to put Ajax in up 3–0.
In the year 2012, he made his debut for Tottenham Hotspur. In a 3–2 friendly win over Brentford, he made his debut as a Tottenham player. In a 3–0 win over Carlisle United, he scored his first goal for the club.
In 2007, Vertonghen was named to the Belgian national football squad, and he made his debut against Portugal.
Rise to glory
During Vertonghen’s time at Ajax, he was the team’s centre defender and scored a rare brace in a 3–0 win over Vitesse. In 2011–12, he was named AFC Ajax Player of the Year. He was named Dutch Footballer of the Year in 2012.
After that, Vertonghen scored a hat trick against Liverpool. In March 2013, he was named Premier League Player of the Month. In addition, he was named to the 2012–13 PFA Team of the Year in defence, with Rio Ferdinand, Leighton Baines, and Pablo Zabaleta.
Club Career
Vertonghen played with Ajax for six years, scoring 23 goals in the process. The RKC Waalwijk took him on loan for the 2006–2007 season. He is now Tottenham Hotspur’s centre defender.