Jan Paul van Hecke

Jan Paul van Hecke (born 8 June 2000) is a Dutch professional footballer who plays as a defender for Brighton & Hove Albion of the Premier League and the Netherlands under-21 national team.

In this Dutch name, the surname is van Hecke, not Hecke.

Jan Paul van Hecke
Van Hecke with Brighton & Hove Albion in 2022
Personal information
Full name Jan Paul van Hecke[1]
Date of birth (2000-06-08) 8 June 2000
Place of birth Arnemuiden, Netherlands
Height 1.89 m (6 ft 2 in)[2]
Position(s) Defender
Team information
Current team
 Brighton & Hove Albion
Number 29
Youth career
0000–2018 VV Goes
2018–2019 NAC Breda
Senior career*
Years Team Apps (Gls)
2019–2020 NAC Breda 11 (3)
2020– Brighton & Hove Albion 12 (0)
2020–2021 → Heerenveen (loan) 28 (1)
2021–2022 → Blackburn Rovers (loan) 31 (1)
International career‡
2022–2023 Netherlands U21 8 (0)
*Club domestic league appearances and goals, correct as of 20:09, 9 October 2023 (UTC)
‡ National team caps and goals, correct as of 23:54, 27 June 2023 (UTC)

Club career

Early career

Born in Arnemuiden,[2] Van Hecke is a youth product of VV Goes, but signed for NAC Breda in 2018.[3] He made his professional debut with NAC Breda in a 5–1 Eerste Divisie win over Helmond Sport on 16 August 2019.[4]

Brighton & Hove Albion

On 10 September 2020, van Hecke joined Premier League side Brighton & Hove Albion on a three-year contract.[3][5]

Loans

On 18 September 2020, he returned to the Netherlands on a season-long loan with Eredivisie side Heerenveen.[6][7] He made his debut for Heerenveen in a 3–1 Eredivisie win away to Fortuna Sittard on 19 September 2020.[8]

On 29 August 2021, he joined Blackburn Rovers of the Championship on loan for the 2021–22 season.[9] He made his debut on 16 October, playing the whole match of the 2–2 home draw against Coventry City.[10] He was sent off for a reckless challenge on Harry Wilson on his fifth appearance with Rovers already 2–0 down in an eventual 7–0 thumping at home to Fulham on 3 November.[11] Van Hecke scored his first goal for Blackburn and in English football, doubling Rovers lead with a powerful header in the 2–0 away win at second placed Bournemouth on 11 December, closing the gap to four points to their promotion rivals.[12] He was named as the club's Player of the Season for 2021–22, becoming the first loanee to achieve the accolade.[13]

Breakthrough with the Seagulls

Van Hecke made his debut for the Seagulls on 24 August 2022, helping keep a clean sheet in the 3–0 away victory over League One side Forest Green Rovers in the EFL Cup second round.[14] Three days later, he made his Premier League debut, coming on as a 88th minute substitute for Danny Welbeck and helped secure Brighton's 1–0 lead over Leeds to take all three points at Falmer Stadium.[15] With the absence of Levi Colwill, Van Hecke was selected ahead of Adam Webster where he made his first Premier League start on 21 January 2023, in the 2–2 away draw at Leicester City.[16] He played in the 1–1 home draw against champions Manchester City on 24 May, keeping Erling Haaland goalless with Brighton sealing a place in the 2023–24 UEFA Europa League.[17]

On 13 July 2023, He signed a new contract with the Seagulls but the length of the contract was undisclosed.[18]

International career

Van Hecke was called up to the Netherlands under-21 squad for the first time in March 2022,[19] but was an unused substitute in a 0–0 UEFA European Under-21 Championship qualifying draw against Bulgaria.[20] He made his debut for the under-21 side on 3 June, coming on as a substitute in the 3–0 away win over Moldova under-21's in a 2023 European under-21 Championship qualifier.[21]

Personal life

Van Hecke is the nephew of the Dutch retired footballer Jan Poortvliet.[22]

Career statistics
As of match played 8 October 2023
Appearances and goals by club, season and competition
Club Season League National cup League cup Other Total
DivisionAppsGoalsAppsGoalsAppsGoalsAppsGoalsAppsGoals
NAC Breda 2019–20 Eerste Divisie 11351——164
Brighton & Hove Albion 2022–23 Premier League 804010—130
2023–24 Premier League 4000102[lower-alpha 1]070
Total 120402020200
SC Heerenveen (loan) 2020–21 Eredivisie 28110——291
Blackburn Rovers (loan) 2021–22 Championship 31110——321
Career total 8251112020976
  1. Appearances in UEFA Europa League

Honours

Individual

References
  1. "2020/21 Premier League squads confirmed". premierleague.com. Premier League. 20 October 2020. Retrieved 4 March 2021.
  2. "Jan Paul van Hecke". worldfootball.net. Retrieved 4 March 2021.
  3. "Volgende Heerenveen-deal krijgt vorm: Van Hecke verlaat NAC Breda". voetbalprimeur.nl (in Dutch). 10 September 2020. Retrieved 4 March 2021.
  4. "NAC Breda vs. Helmond Sport - 16 August 2019 - Soccerway". uk.soccerway.com.
  5. Owen, Brian (10 September 2020). "Albion confirm deal - and line up a loan - for rising Dutch defender van Hecke". The Argus. Retrieved 4 March 2021.
  6. Camillin, Paul (18 September 2020). "Van Hecke loaned to Heerenveen". www.brightonandhovealbion.com. Brighton & Hove Albion F.C. Retrieved 4 March 2021.
  7. "Heerenveen huurt Van Hecke van Brighton, nieuwe spelverdeler voor ADO". Nederlandse Omroep Stichting (in Dutch). 18 September 2020. Retrieved 4 March 2021.
  8. Owen, Brian (20 September 2020). "'Powerful' young Albion defender is off to great start on loan". The Argus. Retrieved 4 March 2021.
  9. "Rovers swoop for Seagulls star". Blackburn Rovers Official Site. Retrieved 29 August 2021.
  10. "Blackburn Rovers 2-2 Coventry City: Sky Blues fight back from two goals down - BBC Sport". BBC Sport. 16 October 2021. Retrieved 16 October 2021.
  11. "Blackburn Rovers 0-7 Fulham: Free-scoring Cottagers hit seven at Ewood Park - BBC Sport". BBC Sport. 3 November 2021. Retrieved 3 November 2021.
  12. "Bournemouth 0-2 Blackburn". BBC Sport. 11 December 2021. Retrieved 11 December 2021.
  13. Sharpe, Rich. "Jan Paul van Hecke thanks fans as he is named player of the year". Lancashire Telegraph. Retrieved 2 May 2022.
  14. "Forest Green 0-3 Brighton: Albion to face Arsenal in third round - BBC Sport". BBC Sport Sport. 24 August 2022. Retrieved 2 September 2022.
  15. Howarth, Matthew (27 August 2022). "Brighton & Hove Albion 1-0 Leeds United: Pascel Gross strikes as Seagulls set club record - BBC Sport". BBC Sport. Retrieved 2 September 2022.
  16. Talbot, Bruce (21 January 2023). "It's Fergie time as Evan's late leveller lifts Albion". Brighton & Hove Albion. Retrieved 21 January 2023.
  17. "Brighton 1-1 Manchester City: Julio Enciso scores stunning equaliser to seal Europa League place". BBC Sport. 24 May 2023. Retrieved 24 May 2023.
  18. "Van Hecke signs new Brighton deal". 13 July 2023.
  19. "Who's on international duty this break?". Brighton & Hove Albion. 21 March 2022. Retrieved 21 March 2022.
  20. "Bulgaria U21 vs. Netherlands U21 - Football Match Line-Ups - March 25, 2022 - ESPN". ESPN.com. Retrieved 2 May 2022.
  21. "Live Commentary - Moldova U21 vs Netherlands U21 - 03.06.2022". Sky Sports. 3 June 2022. Retrieved 6 June 2022.
  22. Boogert, Rudy (2 November 2020). "Jan Paul van Hecke kan niet tippen aan ome Jan". Provinciale Zeeuwse Courant (in Dutch). Retrieved 4 March 2021.
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