Dries Mertens age & birthday

Dries Mertens is 39 years old, born on May 6, 1987 in Leuven, Belgium. Dries Mertens is a professional Belgian football player who became the all-time leading goalscorer for the Italian club Napoli.

Date of birth: May 6, 1987
Age: 39 years
Birthplace: Leuven, Belgium
Zodiac sign: Taurus

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Biography

Who is Dries Mertens?

Early football career in Belgium and the Netherlands

Born in Leuven, Dries Mertens began his football path as a youth player for his local team, Stade Leuven. He later joined the youth academies of Anderlecht and KAA Gent but struggled to secure a spot in their senior squads due to concerns about his physical size. In 2005, he went on loan to SC Eendracht Aalst in the Belgian Third Division, where he earned the Player of the Year award. This success led to a move to the Dutch side AGOVV Apeldoorn in 2006, initially on a loan deal that later became a permanent transfer.

Success with PSV Eindhoven and Napoli

In 2011, Dries Mertens joined PSV Eindhoven as part of a joint transfer with Kevin Strootman. He made an immediate impact by scoring 11 goals in his first seven games for the club. During his time in Eindhoven, he won the KNVB Cup and the Johan Cruyff Shield in 2012. He finished his final season at PSV with 16 goals across all competitions before moving to Italy to join SSC Napoli under manager Rafael Benítez in 2013. The transfer fee was reported at 9.5 million euros.

International appearances for Belgium

Dries Mertens earned his first cap for the Belgian national team in 2011 and went on to make over 100 appearances for his country. He was a key part of the golden generation of Belgian football, representing the nation at the FIFA World Cup in 2014, 2018, and 2022. He also played in the UEFA European Championship in 2016 and 2020. One of his greatest international achievements was helping Belgium secure a third-place finish at the 2018 World Cup in Russia.

Dries Mertens height and physical profile

Throughout his professional career, Dries has been noted for his agility and technical skill despite his smaller stature. He stands at 169 cm tall, which equates to approximately five feet and seven inches. Early in his career, coaches at major Belgian academies like Anderlecht and Gent were skeptical of his potential because they felt he was too short to compete at the highest professional level. He proved these early assessments wrong by becoming one of the most effective forwards in European football.

Birthday and age

Dries Mertens was born on May 6, 1987, which makes Dries 39 years old today. That birthday falls under the Taurus sign. Dries shares the date with 52 other famous people.

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Dries, quick answers

Dries Mertens is currently 39 years old and was born on May 6, 1987. He was born in Leuven, Belgium, and has spent over two decades playing professional football at the highest level in Europe. He continues to compete in the Turkish Süper Lig for Galatasaray.

His birthday is celebrated on May 6, 1987, which makes his zodiac sign Taurus. He was born in the city of Leuven in Belgium and eventually became one of the most famous athletes from that region. His long career has seen him celebrate birthdays while playing for major clubs in four different countries.

Dries Mertens is from Leuven, Belgium, which is his place of birth and where he started his early football training with Stade Leuven. He is a Belgian national and has represented the Belgian national team in more than 100 international matches. He moved to the Netherlands as a young adult to advance his professional career.

He is famous for being a productive Belgian football player and the all-time leading goalscorer for the Italian club Napoli. He is also well known for his 100-plus appearances for the Belgium national team and his participation in three FIFA World Cups. Fans also recognize him for winning league titles in Turkey with Galatasaray.

Dries Mertens has a height of 169 cm, which is around five feet and seven inches. While his height was initially seen as a disadvantage by youth coaches in Belgium, he used his small frame and agility to become a world-class attacker. His stature contributed to his nickname Ciro and his reputation as a quick, technical player.

During his extensive career, Dries Mertens has played for several prominent European clubs including KAA Gent, AGOVV Apeldoorn, and FC Utrecht. He also spent significant time with PSV Eindhoven before his long tenure at SSC Napoli in Italy. Most recently, he has been a member of the Turkish side Galatasaray and previously spent time with SC Eendracht Aalst.

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