Tottenham hero Jan Vertonghen suffered headaches for nine-months after the 2019 UCL semifinal accident
Former Tottenham star Jan Vertonghen revealed his struggles with mental health at Spurs while speaking to the Mid Mid podcast, according to The Telegraph. The Belgian admits spending the entire Champions League final counting down to the final whistle.
Vertonghen collided with teammate Toby Alderweireld and Ajax goalkeeper Andre Onana during his side’s semifinal outing. He was left with dizziness for nine months after the accident according to him. Spurs bowed out to Liverpool in the final but it seems that wasn’t the only blow Jan Vertonghen had to deal with.
The 36-year-old emphasised his mental state back then by saying,
“I felt there was more to it and kept talking about it. Now I am convinced that it was a mental-psychological problem. Now when I see photos from that time, I immediately see that something was wrong. That my eyes were different. I was also often ‘down’.”
Vertonghen’s form was eventually affected by the incident but he admits being scared to reveal his mental health issues by the end of his tenure at Tottenham.
Jan Vertonghen’s journey after
The Belgium international cites the COVID-19 period was instrumental in his recovery. He left the club after his contract expired on 30 June 2020. The defender joined Benfica two weeks later and remained there for two seasons.
Jan Vertonghen returned to his country after signing a deal with Anderlecht. He now wears the captain’s armband for the Belgian outfit. The centre-back has found a prominent role once in the Jupiler Pro League.
He has made 313 appearances for the Lilywhites across all competitions. The end of Vertinghen’s career at his long-term club didn’t go by the books. The head collation had a lot to do with the defender’s abrupt end to the career in London.
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Vertonghen was always favoured by his managers and the supporters. He further revealed how cautious he is now with his mental health. The star also admits to feeling good for two years now.
