J. van Hecke
Brighton · UEFA Nations League · Defender · #12 · Netherlands · 25 yrs
J. van Hecke news
Spurs summer spending spree 'not finished yet' - De Zerbi
Roberto De Zerbi says he wants to build a team with "soul" at Tottenham and insists the summer spending is "not finished yet". Spurs have already spent £237m on Sandro Tonali, Mateus Fernandes and Jan Paul van Hecke, while Martin Dubravka, Andy Robertson and Marcos Senesi have also signed as free agents. De Zerbi believes everyone is fully bought in to the "project", after he guided Spurs to safety at the end of last season with a final day win over Everton.
Brighton seal signing of Luka Vuskovic from Tottenham for club record £46m
Croatia defender has signed five-year dealTeenager impressed on loan at Hamburg last seasonBrighton have signed 19-year-old Croatia defender Luka Vuskovic from Tottenham for what is believed to be a club record fee of £46m.Vuskovic has signed a five-year deal with Brighton and is essentially a replacement for Jan Paul van Hecke after his £52m move to Spurs last month. Continue reading...
De Zerbi having more say in new Spurs model
Tottenham were keen to continue with a co-sporting director model and Sebastien Kehl was close to replacing Fabio Paratici after leaving Borussia Dortmund but a deal fell through, leaving head coach Roberto de Zerbi with greater power in terms of recruitment. Matteus Fernandes is his fifth signing of the summer so far, after goalkeeper Martin Dubravka, plus defenders Marcos Senesi, Andy Robertson and Jan Paul van Hecke. The latter is a player De Zerbi knows well as he played under him at Brighton, while the Italian coach is a long-time admirer of compatriot Sandro Tonali, who is also set to join from Newcastle in a deal worth up to £100m.
'A strange signing' - fans on Vuskovic deal
Penrith: Absolutely ridiculous price for untried 19-year-old who Roberto de Zerbi clearly does not rate. Dawid: We sell arguably our best player to Tottenham for £52m and then pay them up to £50m for an untried and untested player who was not good enough to get into one of the leakiest defences in the Premier League last year. Gez: I can't help feeling that we are paying over the odds when you see what Spurs paid for Jan Paul van Hecke.
What happened to Jan Paul van Hecke during the Netherlands vs Morocco 2026 World Cup match?
Netherlands defender Jan Paul van Hecke suffered a scary blow during the match against Morocco at the 2026 World Cup. Netherlands defender Jan Paul van Hecke left fans concerned during the first half of the 2026 World Cup Round of 32 clash against Morocco, after suffering a bloody head injury that briefly halted play at Monterrey Stadium. The incident occurred during a corner kick, when van Hecke went down on his own near the box, putting him in the wrong place at the wrong time as a Moroccan player accidentally kicked him in the head. The defender was left with a visible cut on his forehead, with blood quickly running down his face, in a clash that has been notably physical from the opening whistle. Medical staff rushed onto the field to treat the wound, and van Hecke was eventually able to jog to the sideline under his own power before being cleared to continue the match. Jan Paul van Hecke is bleeding from the head pic.twitter.com/TzWXTdKrjP— FOX Sports (@FOXSports) June 30, 2026 Canada awaits the winner Whoever comes through this physical encounter in Monterrey will not get much time to recover. The winner of the game between the Netherlands and Morocco is set to face Canada in the Round of 16 on July 4, at Houston Stadium, after the co-hosts edged past South Africa 1-0 thanks to a late goal from Stephen Eustaquio. It would mark Canada’s first-ever appearance in that stage of a World Cup, where Jesse Marsch’s men will have a hard test from whichever side advances out of this Round of 32 battle.
How the Netherlands’ win, draw, or loss vs Morocco could impact the 2026 World Cup bracket
Netherlands have secured their place in the knockout stage, imposing as top contenders. With this in mind, they face Morocco, looking to make secure their Round of 16 spot. Therefore, a win, a draw, or a loss could significantly affect the knockout bracket. Netherlands have established as one of the most consistent national teams at the 2026 World Cup. Coming off two consecutive victories, they face Morocco looking to secure a place in the Round of 16. Despite being one of the top contenders, they do not face an easy match, as Mohamed Ouahbi’s team is one of the strongest sides. Since this is the knockout stage, a win, a draw, or a defeat could significantly affect the bracket. Despite numerous injuries, Morocco have remained one of the best teams at the 2026 World Cup. Playing an attacking style, they come into the match against the Netherlands as the underdogs. Led by Ismael Saibari and Brahim Díaz, they will look to break through the opposition’s high press and find the back of the net. However, Achraf Hakimi could be the difference-maker, making runs into space and exploiting the gaps behind the opposition’s defense. Under Ronald Koeman, the Netherlands have emerged as one of the most attacking teams in the tournament. With a possession-based style of play, they create space in the opposition’s defense. To achieve this, Cody Gakpo and Brian Brobbey need to be highly clinical, as Morocco could capitalize on any counterattack to score. Because of this, Virgil van Dijk and Jan Paul van Hecke will need to deliver strong defensive performances. What happens if Netherlands win over Morocco? In case the Netherlands secure a victory over Morocco, they will immediately secure a spot in the 2026 World Cup Round of 16. With this, Ronald Koeman’s team would reaffirm their status as one of the top contenders. They would face Canada on July 4 at 1:00 PM EST at Houston Stadium. Nonetheless, Mohamed Ouahbi’s team would disappoint after finishing fourth in the previous edition. Virgil van Dijk #4 of Netherlands celebrates scoring a goal. What happens if Netherlands draw to Morocco? If the Netherlands and Morocco draw after 90 minutes, they would have to determine the winner of the tie in extra time. Therefore, they would play two 15-minute periods. In case there is still no winner, the match would go to a penalty shootout, where the winner would be decided and would face Canada on July 4. What happens if Netherlands lose to Morocco? A defeat for the Netherlands against Japan would eliminate them immediately from the 2026 World Cup. With this, Ronald Koeman’s team would really disappoint fans. Meanwhile, Mohamed Ouahbi’s team would regain their status as one of the top contenders after the sudden changes that affected their consistency before the World Cup. Nonetheless, they would still have a long way to go to equal their Qatar 2022 performance.
Netherlands power to win over Tunisia and set up last-32 meeting with Morocco
The Oranje bus had better get a move on. A comfortable victory over Tunisia after being sent on their way by a record-equalling 12th own goal of the tournament and further strikes from Brian Brobbey and Jan Paul van Hecke sealed top spot in Group F for the Netherlands ahead of Japan.Their prize is avoiding a meeting with Brazil in the last 32, with Ronald Koeman’s side now set for a mouthwatering showdown with Morocco in Monterrey instead. Having arrived in southern Texas almost a month ago and already taken in games in Dallas, Houston and Kansas City, the specially converted double decker that has become a fixture at recent major tournaments now faces a journey of more than 1,000 miles before Monday’s game in northern Mexico. It is a challenge that Koeman is clearly wary of. Continue reading...
World Cup 2026: Netherlands secure Group F top spot as Tunisia's nightmare ends
The Netherlands claimed an emphatic 3-1 victory over Tunisia to secure their Group F top spot. The Dutch struck early through an own goal from Ellyes Skhiri and Brian Brobbey's clinical finish, before JP van Hecke added a third to seal the victory. Tunisia's Hamza Mastouri pulled one back, but it proved merely a consolation as the Oranje cruised to victory. The Netherlands will take on Morocco in their Round of 32 encounter.
Tottenham complete £52m Van Hecke signing as De Zerbi focuses on defence
Spurs bolster backline with third summer signing Defender reunited with former Brighton head coachTottenham have completed their third signing of the summer after Jan Paul van Hecke joined from Brighton. Spurs made a move for Dutch international centre-back Van Hecke after a terrible 2025-26 campaign where Roberto De Zerbi’s team secured Premier League survival with a final-day home victory over Everton.De Zerbi worked with Van Hecke during two seasons at Brighton and earmarked the defender as a key component of rebuilding Tottenham. After two bids this month were rejected, a £52m offer was accepted and the 26-year-old has signed a long-term contract. Continue reading...