Arsenal forward Leandro Trossard has called former Tottenham Hotspur defender Toby Alderweireld a ‘legend’ on Instagram after he retired from Belgium duty.
The 34-year-old, who left Tottenham and the Premier League in 2021, has decided to hang up his boots months after his nation was booted out of the group stages of the 2022 World Cup.
It was a disappointing end for the ice-cool centre-back on football’s biggest stage, but he can still leave with his head held high.
One cap for your country is memorable enough, but Alderweireld managed a remarkable 127 during a period when some of the best players were coming out of his nation.
From one of the Premier League’s best-ever in Eden Hazard to another title-winning centre-back in Vincent Kompany.
The next generation of talent, led by the likes of Arsenal’s January signing Leandro Trossard, are now starting to come through.
But Alderweireld won’t be a part of it, as he posted a video thanking fans for their support, with his teammates lauding him in the comments section and Trossard calling him a ‘legend’.
ALDERWEIRELD UNDERRATED
The one-time Spanish champion is now at Royal Antwerp as he winds down in his career.
During his time in England’s top-flight, whether that was his brief spell at Southampton or under Mauricio Pochettino at Tottenham, he was an underrated figure.
A player of pure calmness and someone who read the game brilliantly, it’s a huge shame that Alderweireld didn’t win a trophy during his time in England because his talents and performances deserved it.
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