Thomas van den Belt Eager to Face Former Club Feyenoord with FC Twente

Thomas van den Belt, the 24-year-old Dutch midfielder currently playing for FC Twente, is looking forward to Sunday’s match against his former club, Feyenoord. Despite a childhood spent as a Feyenoord fan, Van den Belt feels settled at Twente and is motivated to perform well against his previous team.

A Modern Beginning at Twente

Van den Belt is enjoying a secure starting position at Twente, a contrast to his time at Feyenoord where he made eleven appearances. He expressed contentment with his current situation, stating, “A duel with an old club is what makes it a little more fun. You still recognize guests from that time. You also seek to show something extra. That’s me and I can do this. I think we showed that as a team in De Kuip. Now in the Grolsch Veste it’s the same story again. So in that respect it is something extra.”

Maintaining Connections

Despite leaving Feyenoord, Van den Belt remains in contact with some of his former teammates. He regularly speaks with Thomas Beelen and occasionally with Bart Nieuwkoop. While he acknowledges past connections with Mats Wieffer and Quilindschy Hartman, he notes that their departures have lessened the frequency of contact. He emphasized that the upcoming match is purely professional, stating, “It is not about this match. That will come. Everyone is in their own preparation. It is not that I miss it highly much, or have daily contact with the rest. It is just a match.”

Shared Sentiment with Zerrouki

Van den Belt also mentioned that Ramiz Zerrouki, another midfielder expected to feature in the match, shares similar feelings about facing their former club. “Ramiz feels that too. We both had a great time there, especially the first year. Then I left and Ramiz stayed. I had a great time there. I am grateful for that. Together with Ramiz, we both want to show what we can do. That we can beat Feyenoord and play well against them. I would love to win against Feyenoord in the Twente shirt.”

Reflecting on His Time at Feyenoord

Van den Belt acknowledged that his time at Feyenoord didn’t unfold as he had hoped. “Feyenoord is a beautiful club that I used to be a fan of. Things didn’t turn out the way I wanted. Then you move on. I won’t get stuck in that. I had a great year in Spain and did well. Twente has given me the option to play football here. I really wanted that, because it is a wonderful club. I know it a little from the past. I am happy that I play for it now.” He spent the 2023-2024 season on loan at CD Castellón in Spain’s second tier.

Looking Ahead to the Match

Van den Belt believes Feyenoord are the favorites for the match, citing their strong squad. However, he highlighted Twente’s strong home record and their determination to make it a difficult game for their opponents. “If Feyenoord is second, I think Feyenoord is the favorite,” he stated. “They have a lot of solid players. We have certainly been undefeated at home for a while. It will be a great match, in which we will be difficult to beat. Then it is up to Feyenoord to try. They want to reach the Champions League, we want to reach European football. But I think Feyenoord is the bigger club in everything. They can show it. We are keen to beat Feyenoord here.”