van de Ven has been named in Ronald Koeman's squad for the 2026 World Cup and is expected to start at center-back, though his ability to operate at left-back also gives the Netherlands valuable tactical flexibility in the defensive unit.
Analysis:
van de Ven delivered another impressive campaign with Tottenham despite the club's difficult season, which ended in survival on the final day of the Premier League campaign. The Dutch defender contributed six goals and one assist while posting 53 tackles, 30 interceptions and 159 clearances across 44 appearances in all competitions, underlining his consistency and reliability at the back despite the turbulence around him. His exceptional pace is arguably his most distinctive attribute, allowing him to recover situations that would be beyond most defenders and to press aggressively from the back without leaving dangerous space behind him. At international level, van de Ven forms a near-perfect partnership with Virgil van Dijk, with the duo complementing each other in a way that gives the Netherlands one of the most formidable centre-back pairings at the entire tournament, combining the latter's experience, aerial dominance and leadership with the former's explosive athleticism, energy and ball-carrying ability to turn the backline into a genuine attacking springboard. His speed in particular makes him one of the most difficult defenders to bypass in a one-on-one situation, and his composure in possession fits perfectly into manager Ronald Koeman's style of playing out from the back.
