Micky van de Ven has opened up on the touching story behind his shirt number at Tottenham, revealing the emotional reason that links him to a lost childhood friend.
Two years ago, Tottenham Hotspur completed the signing of Dutch centre-back Micky van de Ven from German side Wolfsburg.
The defender has gone on to make 49 appearances for Tottenham, scoring three goals and providing two assists in that time.
Indeed, his spell in north London has not been without its setbacks, as van de Ven has had to contend with several injuries that have sidelined him on multiple occasions.
Regardless, the Dutchman remains a crucial component in Ange Postecoglou’s system, with van de Ven’s sheer pace and recovery speed proving to be an asset that Tottenham have not been able to replicate elsewhere in the squad.
Micky van de Ven reveals the reason behind his number 37 shirt at Tottenham
The defender has been reflecting on his time at Spurs and has now revealed the emotional story behind his choice of the number 37 shirt.
According to van de Ven, the number was selected as a tribute to a childhood friend who tragically passed away.
Speaking to GQ magazine, he said: “When I was 15 years old, my best friend Dimitri passed away. He was really sick and I always promised to make him proud.
“He was the person I always played football with so the day before he passed away, I promised him I was going to make sure I became a professional football player.
“When I made this beautiful transfer to Tottenham Hotspur, they said, ‘These are the numbers you can pick for your shirt.’ Number 37 was there. It was [Dimitri’s] favourite number when he was younger, so straight away I knew 37 had to be my number here.”
Micky van de Ven remains a vital part of Spurs’ defence
Van de Ven has surely made his childhood friend proud, with the Dutch defender not only playing at the highest level of English football but also representing the Dutch national team.
Despite the injury setbacks he has endured, the 24-year-old centre-back has continued to earn regular minutes, featuring 20 times across all competitions this season.
He remains one of Tottenham’s standout defenders and, should Cristian Romero leave Tottenham in the summer, van de Ven would become the club’s leading centre-back. It is, without doubt, a career the Dutchman can be proud of.
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