Toby Alderweireld, Jan Vertonghen and Thomas Vermaelen will play the quarterfinals of the European Championship against Italy with Belgium on Friday evening. Willem II director Martin van Geel can still remember the Belgian trio well from his time at Ajax.
Ajax took over Vermaelen, Vertonghen and Alderweireld from the Belgian Germinal Beerschot. The defenders ended up in the European top via Amsterdam. “I have signed their first professional contract with all three,” says Van Geel in The Telegraph.
“All three had an incredible drive to succeed. They were also a bit un-Belgian. Very self-conscious, with a lot of flair. It is of course a big step to go to Amsterdam at such a young age. But they were determined to make it,” continues Willem ll’s general manager.
FC Utrecht player Urby Emanuelson played with the Belgians. He is happy to see that Belgium is doing well at the European Championship and hopes that harvest can be started. “Perhaps they can end their international career nicely with the European title. I wholeheartedly wish them that, now that the Netherlands is out. The road is still long, but I certainly think it is possible. It is not easy with Italy first, then Spain or Switzerland and then England or a sneaky surprise as opponents, but as far as I’m concerned they are among the favorites for European Championship victory.”
Video player
Check out the best football videos here
More videos
–
– .
