Belgium are among the frontrunners for the World Cup, despite never having won a major international trophy.
Belgium defender Jan Vertonghen (R) (Photo: AFP)
Jan Vertonghen won his 100th international cap on Saturday when Belgium took on Portugal in a pre-World Cup friendly, but his momentous day was made even more special as the Belgian FA got his mother to walk on to the pitch and felicitate him.
While the result wasn’t ideal, as the Red Devils could only manage a 0-0 draw with a Cristiano Ronaldo-less Portugal side, Vertonghen had a decent outing and he can say he did his job as they secured a clean sheet.
A product of Ajax’s famed youth system, the 31-year-old burst onto the scene in the 2007-08 season with the Dutch giants and hasn’t looked back ever since.
A classy defender, capable of playing at left-back or in the centre, Vertonghen spent six seasons in the Eredivisie before joining Premier League side Tottenham Hotspur in 2013.
His time with the Lilywhites has seen him recognised as one of the finest defenders on the planet and Vertonghen is seen as one of the key players in Belgium’s ‘Golden Generation’.
Having made his senior debut for the national side in 2007, Vertonghen quickly established himself as a mainstay in a setup widely regarded as the country’s best ever.
After falling at the quarter-final stage in Brazil four years ago, Roberto Martinez’s men will look to go one better, at the very least, at the 2018 FIFA World Cup in Russia.
So far, their preparations have not looked ideal as they put in a sluggish outing in their warm-up against Portugal on Saturday.
They will now take on Egypt on Wednesday, before wrapping up their warm-up matches with a tie against Costa Rica on June 11.
Drawn in Group G, Belgium are pitted against the likes of Panama, Tunisia and England.
They open their World Cup campaign on June 18 when they take on Panama.
Advertisement
