Hans Vanaken was born on 24 August 1992 in Bruges, Belgium. He came through the youth system at Club Brugge — the city's most prominent club — and after a loan spell away returned to Brugge to become the defining player of the club's modern era. Standing over six feet and playing as an attacking midfielder or box-to-box midfielder, he has been the heartbeat of Club Brugge for more than a decade.
His trophy record at Brugge is extraordinary by Belgian standards. He has won numerous Belgian Pro League titles and is one of the most decorated club players in Belgian football history. He was named Belgian Pro League Player of the Year on multiple occasions — a record that underlines his sustained dominance in domestic football at the highest level available to him. He has also featured in the UEFA Champions League group stages with Brugge on multiple occasions, holding his own against elite European opposition.
For Belgium he has been in and around the squad for several years, but the depth of competition at the central midfield position — particularly with De Bruyne, Tielemans and Onana — has limited his opportunities at international level. He has contributed when called upon and remains part of Domenico Tedesco's extended squad picture.
Standing approximately 1.84 m, Vanaken is a cerebral, technically excellent midfielder whose first touch, passing vision and set-piece delivery are among the best in Belgian football. In another footballing geography he might have accumulated far more senior international caps; as it is, his reputation rests on a genuinely outstanding domestic career.