Clubs in Belgium have always been pioneers in developing young talent. It is no surprise that the current crop of Red Devils is termed the ‘Golden Generation.’ The likes of Kevin De Bruyne, Thibaut Courtois, Axel Witsel, and others all had their beginnings in the Belgian first division.
Therefore, it is no surprise that there is a new generation of players ready to take Europe by storm. One of the leaders in that regard is Club Brugge forward Charles De Ketelaere.
Belgium’s next Golden Generation is here and they are ready for the big things
He has formed a terrific partnership with another bright light, Noa Lang. De Ketelaere’s performances in 2021-22 are attracting plenty of attention, and he will be on the move soon. Whichever club ends up getting De Ketelaere will be signing a gem for many years to come.
Versatile king
One of the most impressive things about Charles De Ketelaere is his versatility. Apart from his main striker position, the 19-year-old has played on both flanks and in behind the main forwards. That kind of positional adaptability is a big boon for his prospects. His 6’3″ frame is another bonus.
De Ketelaere uses his tall frame to burst past defenders, making him hard to stop fairly. Moreover, Club Brugge have not been been shy to use De Ketelaere as the linkup player, with Lang playing off the shoulder. Thus, they have both the bases covered in terms of attacking opponents.
De Ketelaere has is also no slouch on the defensive end of things. According to FBref, he applied 22.14 pressures and made 1.27 tackles per 90 in 2021-22. That put him in the 95th and 91st percentile amongst players in Europe.
15 – Charles De Ketelaere (born in 2001) is the only player born after 1/1/2000 able to score already at least 15 goals and to provide at least 15 assists in the Belgian Jupiler Pro League (19 goals and 16 assists in total for him). Diamond. pic.twitter.com/UMC7z5ZSPy
— OptaPaolo 🏆 (@OptaPaolo) June 13, 2022
Therefore, his team can sustain a high level of pressing right from the attackers themselves. De Ketelaere has also been a fruitful presence for Club Brugge on the field.
He recorded a +/- per 90 of (+0.99), meaning the team performed better when he was playing. The same will be even clearer once his stats are looked at in-depth.
Charles De Ketelaere stats
14 goals and nine assists in the Belgian top-flight, alongside a further four strikes in the…
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