Brighton and Hove Albion goalkeeper Bart Verbruggen has revealed he’s worked with a mental coach since he was 15-years-old, to ensure his mental state is always in the right place.
The Brighton goalkeeper has been speaking to the press today as part of a press conference for the Netherlands at Euro 2024.
The 21-year-old recently became the youngster goalkeeper at the European Championship in 20 years when he started the Netherland’s win over Poland.
It is the latest big step in a rapidly developing career for the youngster, who has quickly risen up the rankings in club and international football over the last 18 months.
He only made his first-team debut for Anderlecht on December 26th, 2022, establishing himself as first choice at the Belgian club before moving to Brighton last summer, establishing himself there and then forcing his way into Ronald Koeman’s Netherlands set up, where he is now number one also.
It’s been nothing but progress so far, but the goalkeeper insists that isn’t affecting him mentally, as he’s worked with a coach since he was young to ensure it doesn’t.
“Goalkeeping can be an experience-based profession,” he said.
“But when you’re ready, you’re ready. I had that feeling for a while myself. Fortunately, the national coach also has that confidence in me. Then age doesn’t matter.
“I have been working with a mental coach since I was fifteen. As a goalkeeper you are constantly balancing on the edge of hero and villain. Then you look for a way that helps you, so that I am always ready for the next action.
“At my club Brighton, we do yoga. Meditation may be a big word, but when I need it, I do certain exercises to calm down.”
Praise has not been shortcoming for Verbruggen, who quickly earned a growing legion of admirers after breaking through at Anderlecht.
He’s continued to impress and earn admirers at Brighton, despite the Seagulls enduring something of a difficult campaign this season.
On the international stage he’s seen as a star of the future and earned praise for his performance in the win over Poland, with six saves in total, and a crucial one to deny Jakub Kiwior making it 2-2.
Goalkeeper specialist Frans Hoek is a big fan and previously likened him to Manuel Neuer and Thibaut Courtois, something the Brighton man insists he’s unaware of and won’t be paying attention to anyway.
“Oh, I didn’t even know that. I try to read as little as possible,” he added.
“Vincent Kompany was my trainer at Anderlecht and once said: don’t believe the hype, don’t believe the drama.
“He meant stay calm when you are praised to the skies, because you are not that good, and if you are criticised a lot, you should also stay calm because you are not that bad. It is a statement that I support.”
