Netherlands defender Jan Paul van Hecke is determined to carry on a family tradition by reaching the World Cup final, just as his uncle Jan Poortvliet did in 1978. Van Hecke is expected to start in central defense alongside captain Virgil van Dijk when the Dutch begin their Group F campaign against Japan in Dallas on Sunday.
Family Legacy
Van Hecke's uncle, Jan Poortvliet, played for the Netherlands in the 1978 final, where they lost to hosts Argentina after extra time. Speaking to reporters, Van Hecke expressed his pride at representing his country on the world stage. He earned his spot after Jurrien Timber was ruled out of the tournament due to injury.
"It's my dream, but it was also his dream," Van Hecke said of Timber. "It's a real shame that his dream has fallen apart."
Ironically, Poortvliet also broke into the Dutch team in 1978 under similar circumstances, debuting just two weeks before the World Cup and being selected as an outsider. When first-choice left-back Hugo Hovenkamp was injured, Poortvliet stepped in and went on to play six matches in Argentina, showcasing his versatility at left-back, right-back, and defensive midfield.
England's Equipment Stolen
Meanwhile, England suffered a theft of training equipment ahead of their arrival in Kansas City. Local police reported that a vehicle transporting gear to their World Cup base at Swope Soccer Village was broken into. The incident occurred during the transfer of equipment from England's pre-tournament base in Florida.
"We are investigating a possible theft of equipment from a team vehicle that arrived in Kansas City with items missing this evening," police said. "The investigation is ongoing. Two subjects of interest were taken into custody pending further investigation." British media reports indicated that balls and boots were among the stolen items.
Spain Faces Cape Verde
Spain's team arrived in Atlanta with confidence, expecting a long World Cup campaign. However, on Monday they face Cape Verde, a nation experiencing the disbelief of seeing its name on the tournament board for the first time. The European champions open their Group H campaign against the Blue Sharks, with Uruguay and Saudi Arabia also in the section.
Luis de la Fuente's side have been nearly unbeatable over the last four years, going 30 matches without a loss since a 1-0 friendly defeat to Colombia at Wembley in March 2024. Since then, Spain have recorded 23 wins and seven draws, playing some of the most entertaining attacking football in recent times. The only blemish was a penalty shootout loss to Portugal in the 2025 Nations League final after a 2-2 draw.
Cape Verde, with fewer than 600,000 inhabitants, are not merely in North America for the romance. They were one of the surprise qualifiers for the 2026 World Cup and will look to cause an upset against the Spanish giants.
