Jan Paul van Hecke is a Dutch professional footballer born on 8 June 2000 in Arnemuiden, a small village in the province of Zeeland in the Netherlands.
Known for his physical strength, aerial ability, tackling, and progressive passing, he has established himself as a reliable defender in the English Premier League.
He is the nephew of former Netherlands international Jan Poortvliet, who appeared in the 1978 World Cup final.
Van Hecke currently plays for Tottenham Hotspur, having joined from Brighton & Hove Albion, and represents the Netherlands national team.
He is often referred to as JP and comes from a deeply football-oriented family rooted in Zeeland.
Siblings
Jan has three siblings, namely Guus, Klaas, and Huib.
All four grew up playing the game under the influence of their father, also named Guus, who coached youth teams at the local club in Arnemuiden and fostered a strong football culture in the household until his death in 2022.
Guus, the oldest brother, has described himself as the least talented of the four and continues to play for the hometown club VV Arnemuiden while organising large groups of family, friends, and villagers to travel and support Jan Paul at matches.
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Klaas, who has played at youth levels including with NAC Breda and alongside Jan Paul at amateur side VV Goes, has competed as a right-back and more recently featured for VV Kloetinge in the Dutch lower divisions, where he has contributed assists.
Huib also remains active at amateur level with Arnemuiden or related local sides.
The three younger brothers played youth football against top Dutch academies such as those of Feyenoord, PSV, and Ajax.
Career
Van Hecke began his youth career with local side VV Arnemuiden before progressing through Jeugd Voetbal Opleiding Zeeland (JVOZ) and then VV Goes.
In 2018 he joined NAC Breda, making his professional debut in the Eerste Divisie in August 2019.
He scored several goals as a young centre-back during his time there. In September 2020, Brighton & Hove Albion signed him.
He spent the 2020-21 season on loan at SC Heerenveen in the Eredivisie and the following campaign on loan at Blackburn Rovers in the Championship, where he became a regular starter.
Returning to Brighton, he gradually broke into the first team under managers including Roberto De Zerbi, establishing himself as a key defensive figure and contributing to Premier League campaigns as well as European competition.
In June 2026 he transferred to Tottenham Hotspur on a long-term deal.
At international level, he featured for the Netherlands under-21s before earning his senior debut in 2024.
He has gone on to earn multiple caps and was selected for the Netherlands squad at the 2026 FIFA World Cup, where he scored his first international goal.
Accolades
Van Hecke was named Blackburn Rovers Player of the Season for 2021-22, becoming the first loan player to receive the honour.
At Brighton & Hove Albion he was voted the club’s Player of the Year for the 2024-25 season after a strong campaign as a regular starter.
He has earned senior caps for the Netherlands, including participation in the 2026 FIFA World Cup, during which he scored his first goal for the national team.
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