Tottenham Hotspur defender wrote his name into the club record books during Saturday’s 2-1 win over Crystal Palace. The summer signing completed 143 passes on his own while also scoring the second goal to seal a third straight league victory.

Crystal Palace completed 151 passes across the entire ninety minutes at the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium on Saturday evening. Remarkably, Spurs centre-back Jan Paul van Hecke nearly matched the visitors all by himself. The Dutchman found a teammate 143 times during the 2-0 home victory. That tally sets a new club record for a single Premier League game.

Before Saturday, Cristian Romero held the Spurs record after completing 141 passes against Palace in October 2023. By adding two more passes, Van Hecke moved past the Argentine to take the top spot on the all-time list. Even better, the defender headed home his second league goal of the season after the break. That strike makes him the club’s top scorer in the league this term.

Unsurprisingly, Spurs fans voted the former Brighton man as their Player of the Match after full time. Since following Roberto De Zerbi to North London in the summer, Van Hecke has played every minute in the league. His calm play on the ball helps the Lilywhites build from the back without panicking. Consequently, he has quickly become a fan favourite in N17.

Micky Van De Ven And Tottenham Also Smash Passing Records

Meanwhile, fellow Dutchman Micky van de Ven also enjoyed a big game alongside him. The defender completed 123 passes against the ten men of Palace for a new personal best. As per Premier League data, that haul puts Van de Ven fifth on the all-time Spurs list behind Davinson Sanchez on 134 and Harry Winks on 126. Only five Spurs players have ever passed the 120 mark.

With both CBs running the show, Tottenham also broke their team passing record in the Premier League. Across the game, De Zerbi’s side completed 759 passes to beat the 747 they managed at Cardiff City in January 2019. Three straight league wins have lifted spirits at Hotspur Way after a slow start. Next, Spurs will aim to continue that run against Ipswich Town.