Vertonghen: 'Past few months thought of quitting'

SATURDAY, 11 JANUARY 2025, 21:23 - lajoya
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INJURIES After the Flanders Giant's gala, Jan Vertonghen also spoke about his injury concerns to the journalists in attendance. “I have thought about quitting a few times, but I would like my children to see me play soccer again,” he told them. “And I'm also happy to have a performance-based contract.”


Vertonghen made it understood that the uncertainty had weighed on him tremendously in recent months. “After yet another setback, I had given myself until the winter break,” he said, among other things. Things continued to improve in December, however, and that gave Vertonghen a sense of belonging fully to the group again.


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Until on the first training session of 2025 fate struck again. “During a change of direction, my left foot just got stuck in the grass. I immediately knew it was serious. I felt something snap and even feared surgery.” In the end, the verdict turned out to be torn ligaments, but surgery was not necessary. “With surgery my season and career might have been over, now I can still come back.”

Vertonghen still wants to be of value for Anderlecht this season. “I feel I can be top by the playoffs. I participated in about 10 group training sessions and really felt I was well along. I felt really super then.”

The rehabilitation that awaits Vertonghen now is also very different from that of the past few months. “I know I'll be out for six to eight weeks. I can focus on that. With my Achilles tendon, I had as many as 10 relapses. That made it tremendously tough.”

Vertonghen said he stayed away from the group for a while. It was too tough mentally to keep being asked when he would return. “I'm also happy that Fredberg and Vandenhaute gave me a performance-based contract. That I have a nice salary and can't give the club much in return gnaws at me.” In return, Vertonghen does try to be with the group as much as possible. He even briefly took on the role of equipment man.

Worth noting: in the interview, Vertonghen did not completely rule out quitting at the end of this season. “I still want to play soccer so much, so can't say with a hundred percent certainty. But now I do tend to quit, although I know myself. Nothing assures me that I will be able to play three-quarters of the matches next year. I do want to quit with the feeling that I could still mean something for Anderlecht and my teammates.”

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