Defender Jan Vertonghen, 37, who played 157 times for Belgium, announced his retirement from the national team on Friday after his team was eliminated in the round of 16 of the European Championship by France (1-0) with an own goal.
“From the first to the last. Thank you for all the memories. I lived a dream,” Vertonghen wrote on social media.
The player, currently at Anderlecht after having played for Ajax and Tottenham, holds the record for games played for the “Red Devils”.
From the training ground to the pitch, you’ve shown us what it means to be a true Red Devil. We’ll miss you, Jan! 🦸♂️ #MerciJan pic.twitter.com/VdcRkmeDCj
— Belgian Red Devils (@BelRedDevils) July 5, 2024
He made his debut against Portugal in July 2007 in a UEFA Euro 2008 qualifier. Euro 2024 in Germany was the sixth major tournament of Vertonghen’s career.
“From the training grounds to the pitch, you showed us what it means to be a true Red Devil. We will miss you, Jan,” the Belgian Football Association said on social media.
On Monday against France, Vertonghen deflected a shot from Randal Kolo Muani into his own goal, which gave Les Bleus a place in the quarter-finals and eliminated Belgium.
Source: Gazetaesportiva
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