Jan Paul van Hecke

Analysis: van Hecke started alongside Virgil van Dijk in the Netherlands' central defensive pairing in Sunday's 2-2 draw with Japan, registering one shot on target from a second-half corner as his side pushed to extend the lead, while contributing one interception and multiple aerial duel wins across 90 minutes against a Japan side that relied heavily on counter-attacks and set-pieces. The Brighton centre-back was composed in his positioning and provided a reliable defensive partnership alongside Van Dijk for the majority of the match, but was unable to prevent the chaos on Daichi Kamada's 89th-minute header that left the entire Dutch backline frozen. His composure on the ball and ability to read dangerous transitions make him a reliable starter for the Netherlands, and improving collective set-piece defending will be the key area to address before the next Group F fixture.

Apr 19, 2026

Assists late equalizer Saturday

van Hecke assisted once to go with one shot (zero on goal) and one chance created in Saturday's 2-2 draw against Tottenham Hotspur.

Analysis: van Hecke assisted Georginio Rutter's equalizer in the 95th minute Sunday, a massive moment which turned a Brighton loss into a draw. It marked his sixth goal contribution of the season and his first since Jan. 19. He was very active on the defensive end too, recording eight clearances, three interceptions, two blocked shot and one tackle in his full 90 minutes of action.

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