Tottenham Hotspur defender Jan Paul Van Hecke delivered a masterful display as his Netherlands team beat Tunisia at the 2026 World Cup yesterday.
The new Spurs signing was absolutely unplayable, recording 145 touches, the most of any player in a single game this summer.
Signed by Tottenham for his ball-playing ability, he completed 130 of his 134 passes – the most of any player in a single game at the tournament.
He won five out of 11 duels and won two fouls, recording 10 defensive contributions.
Van Hecke also made 39 passes into the final third, another record in a single game at the summer showpiece in the United States, Mexico, and Canada.
The 26-year-old was outstanding in the centre of defence, as opposed to fellow Spurs summer signing Andy Robertson, who was absolutely dreadful against Brazil.
Van Hecke capped off the wonderful performance with his first international goal as the Netherlands claimed a resounding 3-1 win.
Tottenham will be hoping this is just a glimpse of what is to come from Van Hecke.
Defensive instability has plagued Tottenham for several seasons, with individual errors, poor build-up play and a lack of authority at the back undermining the team’s progress.
Manager Roberto De Zerbi needs a centre-half capable of bringing composure, leadership and quality in possession, and Van Hecke showed all of those attributes against Tunisia.
His record-breaking passing numbers underlined why Tottenham invested heavily in him, while his defensive display proved he can dominate at both ends of the pitch.
If he can reproduce performances close to this level in the Premier League, Van Hecke could become the cornerstone of Tottenham’s back line.
