Jan Paul van Hecke
A front-foot defender who plays with courage and control, comfortable defending high and stepping out to win the ball. Strong in duels, sharp in anticipation and increasingly influential in Brighton’s build-up.
Your Player Snapshot.
Van Hecke is a proactive centre-back who defends aggressively, wins aerial battles and helps Brighton keep possession with calm passing.
He’s comfortable in open space, reads danger early and suits a high line because he trusts his timing and recovery pace.
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Real Stats, Real Players, Unreal Categories.
Jan Paul van Hecke: The Front-Foot Defender
Brighton’s brave centre-back, built to step in early and keep the line high.
Van Hecke plays like a defender who wants to impose himself. He steps out to engage, wins duels cleanly and doesn’t allow forwards to settle into the game. In Brighton’s approach, where the back line often holds high and asks defenders to defend space behind them, that bravery matters, because it means the team can stay aggressive without fear.
With the ball, he’s grown into a calm distributor. He plays into midfield, shifts the angle and doesn’t rush, allowing Brighton to build attacks patiently before accelerating. He isn’t a showy passer, but he is reliable, and reliability in possession is what allows Brighton’s style to function against strong presses.
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