Tottenham Hotspur

Jan Paul van Hecke

A tall central defender who wins almost everything in the air and looks comfortable stepping into midfield to help an attack get moving. He defends with real physical courage and never hides from a difficult ball, even when it invites a heavy collision.
Netherlands Tottenham Hotspur DEF
Appearances
5
Tackles won
5

Season Snapshot

Minutes played
450
90.00 per match
Tackles won
5
Interceptions
3
Clean sheets contributed
24
as defensive proxy

Season Stats

Appearances
5
Minutes played
450
Tackles won
5
Interceptions
3
Clearances
24
Blocks
6

League Rankings

Among Premier League 2026/27 defenders

Tackles won
25th of 121
Interceptions
62nd of 120
Clearances
23rd of 136
Blocks
8th of 93
🎯 Pass Masters #6 of 417
😈 The Bad Boys #42 of 326
🍀 Lucky Table #59 of 90
💪 Workhorses #63 of 273
👑 Assist Kings #87 of 273
🟨 Most Cards #119 of 152
👻 Ghost Players #263 of 273

Upcoming Brighton Fixtures

Play along with van Hecke on the Match Bingo app
img Premier League
MUN
MUN
17:30
Sat 10 Oct
TOT
TOT
img Premier League
TOT
TOT
20:00
Mon 19 Oct
COV
COV
img Premier League
CHE
CHE
17:30
Sat 24 Oct
TOT
TOT
img Premier League
TOT
TOT
17:30
Sat 31 Oct
CRY
CRY
img Premier League
LEE
LEE
12:30
Sat 7 Nov
TOT
TOT

Jan Paul van Hecke, Brave In The Air And On It

Van Hecke wins the ball with his head as often as his feet, never shy of the physical contact.

Van Hecke wins duels that shorter defenders simply cannot compete for, attacking crosses at their highest point rather than waiting to react once they drop. He plays with a fearless streak that shows up in how he throws his body into challenges other defenders might sidestep, treating every loose ball as his to win. That same bravery shows up in possession too, since he steps forward into midfield to receive the ball under pressure instead of hiding from it.

The tension is that his willingness to commit so fully occasionally tips into a rushed decision. A defender who never backs down will eventually back down at the wrong moment. Watching whether that fearlessness gets sharpened into better judgement, rather than coached out of him, is the interesting part of following his progress.

The Rest Of The Squad

28 players

Goalkeepers

31
Antonín Kinsky
Age 23
5 apps
40
Brandon Austin
Age 27
0 apps
39
Martin Dúbravka
Burnley · Age 37
0 apps

Defenders

3
Andy Robertson
Liverpool · Age 32
5 apps 1a
37
Micky van de Ven
Netherlands · Age 25
4 apps
13
Destiny Udogie
Age 23
3 apps
23
Pedro Porro
Spain · Age 27
3 apps
5
Marcos Senesi
Bournemouth · Age 29
1 app
4
Tosin Adarabioyo
Chelsea · Age 29
1 app
33
Ben Davies
Age 33
0 apps

Midfielders

18
Mateus Fernandes
West Ham United · Age 22
5 apps
30
Rodrigo Bentancur
Uruguay · Age 29
5 apps
16
Sandro Tonali
Newcastle United · Age 26
5 apps
14
Archie Gray
Age 20
4 apps
20
Mohammed Kudus
Age 26
4 apps 1a
8
Conor Gallagher
Age 26
3 apps 1g
10
James Maddison
Age 29
3 apps
15
Lucas Bergvall
Sweden · Age 20
3 apps
27
Mykhailo Mudryk
Chelsea · Age 25
1 app
21
Dejan Kulusevski
Age 26
0 apps
68
Luca Williams-Barnett
Age 18
0 apps
7
Xavi Simons
Age 23
0 apps

Forwards

19
Dominic Solanke
Age 29
5 apps
11
Mathys Tel
Age 21
4 apps
22
Omar Marmoush
Manchester City · Age 27
4 apps
17
Sávio
Manchester City · Age 22
3 apps
9
Richarlison
Age 29
1 app
28
Wilson Odobert
Age 21
0 apps
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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.

All things Brighton

See more stats for Brighton players

Brighton

Mats Wieffer

Diego Coppola

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