Jan Paul van Hecke during the Netherlands press conference.

Asked what it feels like to be a €60 million player, Jan Paul van Hecke smiled. “It’s always tough to talk about that. I’m mostly happy for what it brings to my former club and the club that developed me. For me, it doesn’t mean anything—it won’t change me—though I’m proud to join one of the biggest English clubs.”

The defender, who moved from Brighton to Tottenham this week, showed up with a black eye at the press conference on Friday evening in Houston, but it wasn’t from his national team coach Ronald Koeman, who sat next to him on stage ahead of the Netherlands-Sweden match. “First of all, I’m fully focused on this match and nothing else. This transfer doesn’t distract me; I’m not affected; I’m connected with the Netherlands team. Practically, I wasn’t involved all day in finalizing the transfer. The coach gave me the time to handle it, of course, but that’s it.”

“Being here is a really great experience, I’m so proud to be here!”

Jan Paul van Hecke

He can imagine how a weak performance against Sweden and its attack of Isak and Gyökeres—two players he faced in the Premier League—would be perceived after the 2-2 draw against Japan in the opening match. But he performed well in the opener and says he compartmentalized his double news of the week: “This transfer is a huge step in my career; I’ll play for one of the biggest English clubs. It boosts my confidence, and now I’m completely focused on the Netherlands. Being here is a really great experience, I’m so proud to be here! I hope we play many matches in this World Cup.”

At 26, he’s playing in his first World Cup finals and intends to make the most of it. After that, he’ll find a bit of Brighton at Tottenham with coach Roberto De Zerbi, whom he worked with for two seasons in the south of England (2022–2024). And a bit of the Netherlands with Xavi Simons (out of this World Cup) and defender Micky van de Ven—unless van de Ven is snapped up by Liverpool or Barcelona, among others.

Clearly, the Oranje house has been doing a lot of business from the USA. For now, it’s mostly benefiting NAC Breda, which negotiated a 7.5% sell-on clause when van Hecke signed for Brighton in 2020. The transaction will bring in about €4.5 million, including training compensation. “They deserve it,” said the player who grew up in the far south of the Netherlands, in Arnemuiden, so close to the sea that on a clear day he could see England.