Alderweireld believes Tottenham exile was ‘unjustified’

Matt Stead

Toby Alderweireld hopes his impressive World Cup performances proves his time out of the Tottenham first team was “unjustified”.

Alderweireld all but one game of Belgium’s third-place finish in Russia this summer, coming off the back of a mixed season for Tottenham.

He started just 20 games in all competitions – 13 times in the Premier League – due to a combination of injuries and Mauricio Pochettino’s favouring of Davinson Sanchez alongside Jan Vertonghen.

It is thought that the continued uncertainty over Alderweireld’s future, with his contract expiring in summer 2019, contributed to his exile.

But he hopes he proved that his absence from the first team was “unjustified”.

“I really do not know anything yet. In my head I just go to Tottenham. We will see,” he told Nieuwsblad.

“I was very focused on [the World Cup]. I wanted to prove something again. Show that the period before the tournament in which I did not play – for whatever reason – was unjustified.

“I wanted to show that I am still the same Toby as in November.”