DALLAS: If Netherlands defender Jan Paul van Hecke is to keep up family tradition, he will need to go all the way to the World Cup final.
His uncle Jan Poortvliet played in defense for the Dutch in the 1978 final, where they lost the deciding game to hosts Argentina in extra time. Van Hecke is expected to be in the lineup on Sunday in Dallas when they get their Group F campaign underway against Japan, partnering captain Virgil van Dijk in central defense.
“An enormous feeling of pride,” he told reporters. “It’s fantastic to be here.” Van Hecke gets his chance after Jurrien Timber was ruled out of the tournament by injury.
“It’s my dream, but it was also his dream,” Van Hecke said. “It’s a real shame that his dream has fallen apart.”
Ironically, Van Hecke’s uncle also broke into the Dutch team in 1978 in similar circumstances, having debuted for the Netherlands a fortnight before the World Cup kicked off and being picked for the squad as something of an outsider.
