In the home stadium of the Belgian FC Anderlecht, the applause of tens of thousands of fans broke out like a flood. The 37-year-old Vertonghen hugged his teammates and said goodbye to them one by one. His young daughter held out a substitution card to him, her youthful face filled with pride. At this moment, the career of the iron defender ended gently.
The fame and the remorse of Tottenham's career
In 2012 the 25-year-old Vertonghen moved to Tottenham, thereby founding a legend. In his eight years at Tottenham he played a total of 315 games, scored 14 goals and provided seven assists, and developed into one of the most solid centre-backs in the Premier League.
In 2017 he helped the team to the best runner-up title in Premier League history; in the 2019 Champions League final against Liverpool he cleared decisively three times in one match and was celebrated by the fans as the 'Watcher of White Hart Lane'.
Yet the two failures to win the Champions League final, and the experience of not winning the league, became the sorrow of his career. 'We were so close to the top, but football has taught me that remorse is also part of fame,' he wrote in his retirement statement.
157 caps for the national team
If Tottenham's Vertonghen career defined his club peak, then the Belgian national team has etched his most glorious collective memory. Since his debut in 2007 he has played 157 games for the 'European Red Devils', contributing 10 goals and 6 assists, and remains the all-time record holder for appearances for the national side.
At the 2018 World Cup in Russia he ultimately led the team to third place and thus set the best record in Belgian football history. The journey through three World Cups and three European Championships made him and Alderweireld's 'tandem strike' a symbol of the golden generation.
Confrontation with pain
Behind the fame lies a torment that ordinary people can hardly imagine. After his return to Anderlecht in 2022, Vertonghen's old ankle injury and his Achilles tendon problems worsened. This season he made only five appearances and suffers daily from severe pain when walking and even climbing stairs.
To continue his career, he relied for a long time on painkillers and injections, but ultimately decided against this method, 'drinking poison to quench thirst'. The iron defender even has to warm up half an hour before the game, before he can hardly play. Retirement is his final honour for football.
Triple roles in the future
After his farewell from the green pitch, Vertonghen plans a new chapter. He revealed that he may devote himself to youth coaching or to coaching. In addition, he wishes to pursue his passion for football as a commentator, to completely overcome his drug addiction and to lead a healthy life.
Tottenham officials explicitly mentioned in the homage video that he was not only a leader on the pitch but also a role model for society. During the pandemic, he repeatedly contributed to the charity organisation of the food bank to bring warmth to the people in North London. This sense of responsibility could shape his next life.
The moment when father and daughter hold up signs
When his daughter held up the substitute card, Vertonghen's career came to a poetic close. In 19 years he traversed the Eredivisie, the Premier League and the Portuguese Super League, and explored the world of football with his feet. 157 times he wore the Belgian football kit at a bargain price and defended the honour of the Red Devils with his head. The evening breeze of North London will always remember Tottenham Hotspur kit children No. 5.
Although he had to leave the field early due to injuries, this resolve to "not want to compromise" is exactly the deep love for football. In his retirement statement he said: "The appreciation of all clubs I play for, and experiencing multiculturalism are my greatest wealth."
Summary
From the young Ajax player to the soul of the Tottenham defence, from the emblem of the Belgian Golden Generation to the solitary hero who battles injuries, Vertonghen's 19-year journey in the green league is coming to an end.
Yet Vertonghen's story will live on forever in the evening breeze of North London, the summer nights of Russia, and Anderlecht's sunset.
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