Bart Verbruggen was born on 18 August 2002 in Breda, Netherlands. He came through NAC Breda's youth ranks before being signed by Anderlecht in September 2020. After two seasons in Belgium developing into the Pro League's most exciting young goalkeeper, he moved to Brighton & Hove Albion in summer 2023 for around €20 million.
His Premier League career has been remarkable for someone so young. The 2023–24 season brought 38 Premier League appearances as Brighton's first-choice goalkeeper. The 2024–25 campaign produced another 36 league matches with an assist, and the 2025–26 season has continued in similar fashion: 35 Premier League appearances by mid-season — three full seasons as a Premier League No. 1 by his early 20s.
For the Netherlands, Verbruggen has emerged as the senior team's first-choice goalkeeper, succeeding the long-running rotation between veterans. He started every Netherlands match at the 2024 European Championship (6 apps), the entire 2024–25 UEFA Nations League (7 apps), and the 2026 FIFA World Cup qualifying campaign (6 apps).
A 193cm modern goalkeeper with elite reflexes, the height to dominate his box, and the ball-playing security required by international football, Verbruggen is one of the youngest first-choice goalkeepers in Europe's top tier. He is a leading candidate for the 2026 FIFA World Cup as the Netherlands' starter goalkeeper despite still being in his early 20s.