Bought in 2016 by Tottenham to provide some kind of competition for Harry Kane, Vincent Janssen never managed to get going in London.
Spurs spent €22m on his transfer, with him then going on loan to Fenerbahce a year later, and then sold to Monterrey in Mexico for €9m in 2019.
During his time with Tottenham, he made 42 appearances, scored six goals and assisted another four, which was never enough to justify the fee paid for him, and it simply didn’t work out.
However, he never gave up, took that eclectic trip to Mexico, where he spent three years before returning to Europe this summer, signing for Royal Antwerp for €5.5m.
He has scored eight goals and assisted another four in 22 appearances for them so far, and the hard work has paid off, as he was included in Louis Van Gael’s squad for the World Cup in Qatar.
He said, relayed by Het Nieuwsblad: “I feel especially proud. This is a great moment in my career and I’m really looking forward to it.”
As for whether he could have predicted this six months ago: “Football can be crazy. Around that first call-up in June, I didn’t expect to be in the picture at all, but once you’re there, you flip the switch. I knew then that the World Cup was a possibility and I was able to show myself at Antwerp and with the national team.”
Mark van Bommel also chimed in, stating: “Vincent really deserves this. Every player wants to play for his country. That is the highest achievement outside club football. I have experienced it myself a number of times and such a tournament is always nice, although this winter edition will be a special experience.”
