Like Tottenham Hotspur's season, star centr back Micky van de Ven began the 2025/26 campaign so brightly, even scoring a Puskas quality solo goal. But as the season has gone on, Van de Ven has devolved into one of the club's biggest problems, and it is baffling that Real Madrid and Barcelona are both rumored to be driving hard after such a mistake prone player.
Tottenham have been the biggest underachievers in world football this season with a squad of players who have either recently played for top European clubs or are, like Van de Ven, linked to top clubs. And yet, here they are, barely treading water in the Premier League relegation fight and now coming off a 3-1 drubbing at the hands of another mid table London rival in Crystal Palace.
This was a must win game for Spurs, and though the Lilywhites were up 1-0 in the first half, they immediately collapsed after Van de Ven's insane red card, pulling down Ismaila Sarr in childish fashion. Tottenham were immediately doomed, surrending three goals at the cusp of half time and unable to get back into the game.
Micky van de Ven is no mentality monster
Van de Ven has almost doomed Spurs to relegation, though his moment of madness was far from his first error in relief of Cristian Romero as the leader of the back line and the club's captain. No player in recent memory has disgraced the captaincy honor for Spurs quite like Van de Ven, who was already a monumental flop at the weekend in the atrocious loss to Fulham.
In one moment, he became even worse against Crystal Palace with this red. All season long, Van de Ven has alienated himself to supporters, screaming at them after tough losses or blatantly ignoring them or even his manager when things do not go his way.
He is more petulant child than growing young leader, and clubs like Real Madrid and Barcelona built on mentality monsters at center back during their peak achievements like Carles Puyol, Sergio Ramos, Pepe, Fernando Hierro, and Rafa Marquez should want nothing to do with this guy,
And though Spurs, even when they were good, have never been on the same level as Real Madrid or Barcelona in the hierarchy of world football, they are at the point where they want nothing to do with Van de Ven. Because if he were not so fast or athletic, Van de Ven would be begging for people to watch his Sunday League highlights with how poor his understanding of the game still is.