Former Tottenham star Vertonghen reveals he suffered from mental health problems

Jan Vertonghen has revealed he suffered from mental health issues in the aftermath of a head injury sustained while playing for Tottenham in a Champions League match back in 2010.

The 36-year-old suffered the concussion following a head collision with his then team-mate Toby Alderweireld, as the duo competed for the ball with Ajax goalkeeper Andre Onana in the first leg of a Champions League semi-final.

Vertonghen initially played on following medical checks, with Tottenham's club doctors having been correct in their handling of the incident.

He was substituted within minutes after being seen throwing up and stumbling on the pitch.

The defender, who now plays for Anderlecht in Belgium, revealed in 2020 that he had played on with dizziness and headaches for nine months in order to secure a new contract.

Vertonghen has now expanded on the last impact of the concussion, which he believes caused him to suffer from mental health problems in the following months.

'I went to almost all specialists, but no explanation was found,' Vertonghen told the Belgium podcast Mid Mid, as per the Telegraph.

'I couldn't go to a restaurant. I tried it once and had to leave after 10 minutes. I couldn't tolerate crowds.

'I fell asleep anywhere. Normally I never sleep on the road, during that period it happened everywhere.

'I felt there was more to it and kept talking about it. Now I am convinced that it was a mental-psychological problem.

'Now when I see photos from that time, I immediately see that something was wrong. That my eyes were different. I was also often 'down'.'

Vertonghen revealed he felt 'shaky' in the second leg of the Champions League semi-final eight days after the head injury, where Spurs mounted a famous fightback to beat Ajax.

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