Toby Alderweireld ended Belgium career due to panic attacks

Updated: 19 Nov, 2024 • 0 • min read

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Toby Alderweireld ended Belgium career due to panic attacks

Former Belgium and Tottenham Hotspur defender Toby Alderweireld has disclosed the shocking reason behind his decision to end his international career.

Alderweireld made his debut for the Belgian national team on May 2009 and played his final game at the 2022 World Cup.

The 35-year-old called time on his international career in March 2023 with 127 caps to his name.

He was part of the so-called Belgium's "Golden Generation" that were among the best teams in the world from 2014 to 2022, although they failed to win any major trophies.

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In an emotional revelation, Alderweireld told Belgian media outlet VRT:

After the lost cup match against Union [Saint-Gilloise], I was angry and frustrated. I couldn't sleep that night and went to the club early the next morning to do a strength session. Before I left, I took a caffeine pill because I don't like coffee.

When I was in the car, my heart suddenly started beating at a rate of a thousand an hour. I thought, "I'm going to have a heart attack. I'm done for, I'm never going to see my children again." I pulled over, walked into a furniture store and asked if they could call 911.

It turned out that all the stress made my heart pound. That gave me a panic attack, which made my heart beat even faster. You actually drive yourself crazy. And at a certain point you think you're going to have a heart attack and die.

We did a lot of tests, but everything was okay. Then I started talking to people and they said it was due to too much stress. Purely a panic attack. Now I still suffer from that sometimes, but I can accept that because I know it's nothing.

That's why I quit the national team. I had a great time there with five major tournaments and was able to close that chapter.

Alderweireld appeared in three World Cups (2014, 2018, 2022) and two European Championships (2016, 2020) and is Red Devils' third-highest appearance maker for all-time.

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