Dries Mertens

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Dries Mertens
Mertens with Belgium at the 2018 FIFA World Cup
Personal information
Full name Dries Mertens[1]
Date of birth (1987-05-06) 6 May 1987 (age 36)[2]
Place of birth Leuven, Belgium
Height 1.69 m (5 ft 7 in)[3]
Position(s) Forward, winger
Team information
Current team
Galatasaray
Number 10
Youth career
1996–1998 Stade Leuven
1998–2003 Anderlecht
2003–2005 Gent
Senior career*
Years Team Apps (Gls)
2005–2007 Gent 0 (0)
2005–2006Eendracht Aalst (loan) 14 (4)
2006–2007
AGOVV
(loan)
35 (2)
2007–2009
AGOVV
73 (28)
2009–2011 Utrecht 69 (17)
2011–2013 PSV Eindhoven 62 (37)
2013–2022
Napoli
295 (113)
2022– Galatasaray 58 (11)
International career
2004 Belgium U17 4 (0)
2011– Belgium 109 (21)
Medal record
Men’s football
Representing  Belgium
FIFA World Cup
Third place 2018
*Club domestic league appearances and goals, correct as of 15:11, 17 March 2024 (UTC)
‡ National team caps and goals, correct as of 22:09, 1 December 2022 (UTC)

Dries Mertens (Dutch pronunciation: [ˈdris ˈmɛrtəns]; born 6 May 1987), nicknamed "Ciro",[4][5] is a Belgian professional footballer who plays as a forward or a winger for Süper Lig club Galatasaray and the Belgium national team.[6][7]

As a youth, Mertens played for

all-time top goalscorer.[8]

Mertens made his Belgium debut in 2011 and has since made over 100 appearances for the national team. He was part of the nation's squads at the FIFA World Cup in 2014, 2018 and 2022 and the UEFA European Championship in 2016 and 2020, helping them to a third-place finish at the 2018 tournament. In 2016, he was named Belgian Footballer of the Year.

Club career

Early career

Born in

AGOVV Apeldoorn in the Netherlands.[10]

AGOVV

On 1 July 2006, Mertens officially signed for AGOVV Apeldoorn, who later dissolved in 2013, on a season-long loan with the option of purchase.[10][11] He managed a return of 2 goals in 35 appearances during a season which saw him become a fan favourite amongst De Blauwen supporters. Mertens' form prompted AGOVV, led by new manager John van den Brom, to exercise the option to sign the Belgian permanently the following season. It was a move that paid off for the Dutch club as Mertens ended the season having 15 goals in 38 appearances for the club.[10]

Such was his influence that Mertens was named new club captain for the 2008–09 Eerste Divisie season.[12] Mertens excelled in his new role and contributed a further 13 goals for the season which contributed to him being awarded the Golden Bull award for the most talented player in the Eerste Divisie.[13] It would be his last season with the club, however, as at the end of the season he agreed to join Eredivisie side Utrecht. Mertens made 110 appearances across all competitions for AGOVV during his three seasons at the club and netted 31 goals.

Mertens training with Utrecht in 2009

Utrecht

Having agreed a deal with AGOVV in March 2009, Utrecht officially completed the signing of Mertens at the start of the

Di Tommaso Trophy for Utrecht's Player of the Season.[10] He improved on his tally the following season, netting 10 goals in 31 league appearances for Utrecht, including a final day hat-trick against AZ, and a further three goals in his first experience in the UEFA Europa League.[15] In total, Mertens scored 14 goals across all competitions and contributed 24 assists.[16] It proved to be his last season at the club, though, as his form at the Stadion Galgenwaard caught the attention of some of the league's biggest clubs.[10]
Mertens' two-season spell in Utrecht yielded 21 goals in 86 appearances across all competitions.

PSV Eindhoven

In June 2011, it was announced that Mertens had signed for fellow Eredivisie club

Excelsior.[19] Mertens' strong start to season culminated with him netting four goals in a 7–1 rout of Roda JC on 24 September 2011, meaning he had scored 11 goals in his first 7 appearances for PSV.[20] Towards the back end of the campaign, Mertens lost a number of teeth during a collision with Heracles goalkeeper Remko Pasveer, although he managed to score during the incident. It was revealed on social media platform Twitter that Pasveer had found one of Mertens' teeth lodged in his head three weeks after the players had collided.[21] Mertens ultimately ended the season having scored 21 goals in 33 matches, the fourth highest in the Eredivisie. He also scored three goals in four KNVB Cup matches, including a header in the final at De Kuip, Rotterdam, leading PSV to a 3–0 win over Heracles.[22]

Mertens played for Dutch side PSV Eindhoven between 2011 and 2013.

Mertens added to his silverware at the start of the following season as PSV beat Ajax 4–2 to lift the

Napoli for his signature.[26]
Mertens departed Eindhoven having made 88 appearances and scored 45 goals over the course of two seasons.

Napoli

Mertens' agent

final of the Coppa Italia on 3 May 2014, Mertens replaced Marek Hamšík in the 64th minute and went on to score in stoppage time, securing a 3–1 win over Fiorentina.[31]

Mertens claimed another winners' medal on 22 December 2014 after Napoli's penalty shoot-out victory over Juventus in the Supercoppa.[32] Despite being predominantly used as a substitute, he continued his fine form for Napoli over the course of the next season and a half, netting 10 goals and contributing 11 assists across all competitions in 2014–15, and 11 more goals in 2015–16.[33][34] His tally in the latter campaign included a brace in Napoli's joint-largest ever winning margin in the Europa League, a 5–0 win over Belgian side Club Brugge.[35] Mertens also scored a second-half hat-trick in a convincing 6–0 victory over Bologna on 19 April 2016.[36]

Mertens during Napoli's UEFA Champions League clash against Red Bull Salzburg in 2019

Following the sale of

Roma to the award.[41][42]

On 4 February 2017, Mertens and Hamšík both scored hat-tricks in a 7–1 win over

Bologna, a result which saw Napoli score seven away goals in a match for the first time in the club's history.[43] On the final day of the season he scored his 50th league goal for Napoli, and 28th for the campaign, ultimately ending one goal behind Golden Boot winner Edin Džeko.[44] He maintained his goal scoring form the following season during which he scored 22 goals for the campaign.[45]

On 28 November 2018, Mertens scored his 100th goal for Napoli when he netted twice in a 3–1

Coppa Italia Final.[51][52] On 17 June, he signed a two–year contract extension with the club. Later that day, he started in the Coppa Italia final against Juventus, and was later substituted for Milik in the second half; Napoli won 4–2 on penalties following a 0–0 draw after regulation time.[53]

On 21 March 2021, Mertens scored his 99th and 100th Serie A goals for Napoli in a 2–0 win against Roma.[54]

On 21 November 2021 Mertens scored his 103rd Serie A goal for Napoli in a 3–2 defeat to Inter, becoming the club's top scorer of all time in Serie A.[55]

Galatasaray

On 8 August 2022, Mertens joined Turkish club Galatasaray on a free transfer.[56] As of early March 2023, he scored 6 goals and made 3 assists in 22 official games he played for his new club.[57]

Mertens became the champion in the Süper Lig in the 2022–23 season with the Galatasaray team. Defeating Ankaragücü 4–1 away in the match played in the 36th week on 30 May 2023, Galatasaray secured the 23rd league title in its history.[58]

International career

Youth career and early senior career

Mertens celebrating winning the 2018 FIFA World Cup bronze medal following Belgium's 2–0 win over England in the third place play-off

Having previously represented Belgium at youth level, Mertens received his first senior call-up by national team coach Georges Leekens on 1 October 2010 for the nation's UEFA Euro 2012 qualifying matches against Kazakhstan and Austria.[59] Though he never featured in either match, Mertens would make his debut on 9 February the following year in a friendly match against Finland in Ghent.[12] He scored his first goal for Belgium on 15 August 2012 in the 125th Derby der Lage Landen. Mertens, having come on as substitute for Nacer Chadli, scored once and assisted twice, to help Belgium overcome a 2–1 deficit versus the Netherlands and win 4–2.[60]

2014 FIFA World Cup

Mertens was named in Marc Wilmots' 23-man squad for Belgium's 2014 FIFA World Cup campaign in Brazil on 13 May 2014.[61] In the nation's final warm-up match for the tournament on 7 June, Mertens scored a late winner to secure a 1–0 victory over Tunisia.[62] He made his first appearance in Belgium's opening match of the World Cup, replacing Chadli at half time and scoring a late winner in a 2–1 victory over Algeria in Belo Horizonte.[63] Prior to the World Cup, Mertens had made a bet with his father that he would score at the tournament. After the match, he posted a photo on Instagram of him shaving his father's mustache off as reward for winning the bet.[64] He made five appearances in total at the World Cup as Belgium were eliminated in the quarter-finals at the hands of eventual runners-up, Argentina.[65]

UEFA Euro 2016

Following the World Cup, Belgium embarked on their qualification campaign for Euro 2016. Mertens netted his first brace for Belgium in their opening qualifying match, netting twice in three minutes in a 6–0 win over Andorra.[66] The following year, he scored one and assisted another in a 3–1 win over Israel which ensured that Belgium secured top spot in their qualifying group.[67] He was later named in Belgium's squad for the tournament proper and featured in all five of the nation's matches as Belgium fell at the quarter-final stage once again, this time losing out to Wales.[68][69]

Mertens after a Belgium goal in 2021

2018 FIFA World Cup

Under new manager Roberto Martínez, Mertens scored five goals in Belgium's qualification for the 2018 FIFA World Cup, including two in an 8–1 home win over Estonia on 13 November 2016.[70] He was then selected in Belgium's tournament squad and scored in the nation's opening match in a 3–0 win over Panama.[71][72] He featured interchangeably as a starter and substitute for the remainder of the tournament as Belgium ended third, defeating England in the third place play-off.[73]

UEFA Euro 2020

On 17 June 2021, Mertens played his 100th match for Belgium in a 2–1 win over Denmark during the UEFA Euro 2020.[74]

2022 FIFA World Cup

Mertens was part of the Belgian squad for the 2022 World Cup in Qatar, where the team performed badly, failing to make it out of the group stages. On 17 March 2023 new Belgian coach Domenico Tedesco dropped Mertens from the squad for European Championship qualifying games, citing the player's lack of match fitness.[75]

Style of play

A versatile and hard-working forward,

free kick taker.[76] During the 2016–17 season, following the departure of Gonzalo Higuaín to rivals Juventus and an injury to the club's main striker Arkadiusz Milik, Napoli coach Maurizio Sarri frequently deployed Dries Mertens either as a main striker, or in a false nine role, seemingly positioned as a lone centre-forward, rather than as a left winger, where he had previously faced competition from Lorenzo Insigne for a starting position; Sarri's tactical change was met with great results, and Mertens's goalscoring output increased dramatically as a result of this switch.[37][34][82][83][84][85][86][87]

Career statistics

Club

As of match played 17 March 2024[88]
Appearances and goals by club, season and competition
Club Season League National cup[a] Europe Other Total
Division Apps Goals Apps Goals Apps Goals Apps Goals Apps Goals
Eendracht Aalst
(loan)
2005–06 Belgian Third Division 14 4 0 0 14 4
AGOVV Apeldoorn
(loan)
2006–07 Eerste Divisie 35 2 0 0 35 2
AGOVV Apeldoorn 2007–08 Eerste Divisie 38 15 0 0 38 15
2008–09 Eerste Divisie 35 13 2 1 37 14
Total 108 30 2 1 110 31
Utrecht 2009–10 Eredivisie 38 7 1 0 39 7
2010–11 Eredivisie 31 10 4 1 12[b] 3 47 14
Total 69 17 5 1 12 3 86 21
PSV Eindhoven 2011–12 Eredivisie 33 21 5 3 11[b] 3 49 27
2012–13 Eredivisie 29 16 3 1 6[b] 1 1[c] 0 39 18
Total 62 37 8 4 17 4 1 0 88 45
Napoli 2013–14 Serie A 33 11 4 2 10[d] 0 47 13
2014–15 Serie A 31 6 4 0 15[e] 4 1[f] 0 51 10
2015–16 Serie A 33 5 2 1 5[b] 5 40 11
2016–17 Serie A 35 28 3 1 8[g] 5 46 34
2017–18 Serie A 38 18 2 1 9[h] 3 49 22
2018–19 Serie A 35 16 1 0 11[i] 3 47 19
2019–20 Serie A 31 9 3 1 8[g] 6 42 16
2020–21 Serie A 29 9 1 0 7[b] 1 1[f] 0 38 10
2021–22 Serie A 30 11 1 1 6[b] 1 37 13
Total 295 113 21 7 79 28 2 0 397 148
Galatasaray 2022–23 Süper Lig 30 6 3 1 33 7
2023–24 Süper Lig 28 5 1 0 13[j] 3 0 0 42 8
Total 58 11 4 1 13 3 0 0 75 15
Career total 606 212 40 14 121 38 3 0 770 264
  1. ^ Includes KNVB Cup, Coppa Italia, Turkish Cup
  2. ^ a b c d e f Appearance(s) in UEFA Europa League
  3. ^ Appearance in Johan Cruyff Shield
  4. ^ Six appearances in UEFA Champions League, four appearances in UEFA Europa League
  5. ^ Two appearances in UEFA Champions League, thirteen appearances and four goals in UEFA Europa League
  6. ^ a b Appearance in Supercoppa Italiana
  7. ^ a b Appearance(s) in UEFA Champions League
  8. ^ Eight appearances and three goals in UEFA Champions League, one appearance in UEFA Europa League
  9. ^ Six appearances and three goals in UEFA Champions League, five appearances in UEFA Europa League
  10. ^ Eleven appearances and two goals in UEFA Champions League, two appearances and one goal in UEFA Europa League

International

As of match played 1 December 2022[89][90]
Appearances and goals by national team and year
National team Year Apps Goals
Belgium 2011 8 0
2012 8 1
2013 6 1
2014 13 5
2015 7 1
2016 13 3
2017 10 2
2018 16 3
2019 9 2
2020 4 3
2021 9 0
2022 6 0
Total 109 21
International goals by date, venue, cap, opponent, score, result and competition
No. Date Venue Cap Opponent Score Result Competition
1 15 August 2012 King Baudouin Stadium, Brussels, Belgium 11  Netherlands 2–2 4–2 Friendly
2 6 February 2013 Jan Breydel Stadium, Bruges, Belgium 16  Slovakia 2–1 2–1
3 7 June 2014 King Baudouin Stadium, Brussels, Belgium 24  Tunisia 1–0 1–0
4 17 June 2014 Mineirão, Belo Horizonte, Brazil 25  Algeria 2–1 2–1 2014 FIFA World Cup
5 4 September 2014 Stade Maurice Dufrasne, Liège, Belgium 30  Australia 1–0 2–0 Friendly
6 10 October 2014 King Baudouin Stadium, Brussels, Belgium 31  Andorra 5–0 6–0 UEFA Euro 2016 qualification
7 6–0
8 13 October 2015 41  Israel 1–0 3–1
9 10 October 2016 Estádio Algarve, Faro/Loulé, Portugal 52  Gibraltar 2–0 6–0 2018 FIFA World Cup qualification
10 14 November 2016 King Baudouin Stadium, Brussels, Belgium 55  Estonia 2–0 8–1
11 6–1
12 9 June 2017
A. Le Coq Arena, Tallinn
, Estonia
59 1–0 2–0
13 31 August 2017 Stade Maurice Dufrasne, Liège, Belgium 60  Gibraltar 1–0 9–0
14 11 June 2018 King Baudouin Stadium, Brussels, Belgium 69  Costa Rica 1–1 4–1 Friendly
15 18 June 2018 Fisht Olympic Stadium, Sochi, Russia 70  Panama 1–0 3–0 2018 FIFA World Cup
16 16 October 2018 King Baudouin Stadium, Brussels, Belgium 78  Netherlands 1–0 1–1 Friendly
17 8 June 2019 84  Kazakhstan 1–0 3–0 UEFA Euro 2020 qualification
18 6 September 2019
Serravalle
, San Marino
86  San Marino 2–0 4–0
19 5 September 2020 Parken Stadium, Copenhagen, Denmark 91  Denmark 2–0 2–0 2020–21 UEFA Nations League A
20 8 September 2020 King Baudouin Stadium, Brussels, Belgium 92  Iceland 3–1 5–1
21 15 November 2020 Den Dreef, Leuven, Belgium 93  England 2–0 2–0

Honours

PSV

Napoli

Galatasaray

Individual

See also

References

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External links