Tottenham have confirmed that Micky van de Ven and Jan Paul van Hecke are heading back from the World Cup after the Netherlands were beaten by Morocco on penalties in the last 32.
It was a brutal exit, but it changes the practical calendar for Roberto De Zerbi. Morocco advanced 3-2 in the shootout after a 1-1 draw, with Cody Gakpo’s 72nd-minute opener cancelled out by Issa Diop in stoppage time.
Dutch Exit Changes Tottenham’s Pre-Season Clock
Van Hecke completed the full match in Monterrey, while Van de Ven was withdrawn after 86 minutes. That workload still demands a proper recovery block, but the bigger point is clear: Tottenham no longer have to plan around either centre-back reaching the quarter-finals or beyond.
- Van Hecke: full 120 minutes plus penalties.
- Van de Ven: 86 minutes before the late collapse.
- Tottenham context: earlier defensive integration before the August build-up.
That matters because De Zerbi is reshaping a back line already carrying new signings, role changes and a clear need for repeat training-ground work. ReadTottenham has already noted how the World Cup schedule was complicating his defensive timing.
The defeat does not erase the pain for the Dutch pair, but it gives Tottenham something useful: time. For a coach whose build-up structure relies on centre-backs understanding spacing, angles and risk, that may be more valuable than another tournament appearance.
