Zinho Vanheusden (born 29 July 1999) is a Belgian professional footballer who plays as a centre-back for Belgian Pro League club KV Mechelen, on loan from Serie A club Inter Milan, and the Belgium national team.

Zinho Vanheusden
Personal information
Date of birth (1999-07-29) 29 July 1999 (age 25)
Place of birth Hasselt, Belgium
Height 1.87 m (6 ft 2 in)
Position(s) Centre-back
Team information
Current team
KV Mechelen
(on loan from Inter Milan)
Number 13
Youth career
2008–2015 Standard Liège
2015–2018 Inter Milan
Senior career*
Years Team Apps (Gls)
2018–2019 Inter Milan 0 (0)
2018–2019Standard Liège (loan) 27 (2)
2019–2021 Standard Liège 28 (1)
2021– Inter Milan 0 (0)
2021–2022Genoa (loan) 14 (0)
2022–2023AZ (loan) 7 (0)
2023–2024Standard Liège (loan) 21 (0)
2024–KV Mechelen (loan) 1 (0)
International career
2014–2015 Belgium U16 11 (1)
2015–2016 Belgium U17 14 (6)
2016–2017 Belgium U18 2 (0)
2017 Belgium U19 2 (0)
2017–2020 Belgium U21 11 (2)
2020– Belgium 1 (0)
*Club domestic league appearances and goals, correct as of 9 August 2024
‡ National team caps and goals, correct as of 07:39, 13 October 2023 (UTC)

Club career

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Inter Milan

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In mid-2015, Vanheusden joined Inter Milan's youth academy[1] after seven seasons in the Standard Liège youth system. He was promoted to the first team in the last few matches of 2016–17 Serie A;[2] he also appeared as an unused bench for a few matches at the start of 2017–18 Serie A.[3][4][5][6] He also played for the under-19 team as the starting defender, winning 2016–17 Campionato Nazionale Primavera.[7] On 27 September 2017, Vanheusden injured his cruciate ligament in a UEFA Youth League match against Dynamo Kyiv,[8] which kept him out of action for four months.[9] On 26 January 2018, Vanheusden extended his contract with Inter until June 2022.[10]

Loan to Standard Liège

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On 30 January 2018, Vanheusden joined Standard Liège until 30 June 2018, with an option to extend for one more year.[11] Vanheusden made his professional debut in a 1–0 Belgian First Division A playoff win over Gent on 14 April 2018.[12]

Standard Liège

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On 28 June 2019, Standard Liège signed Vanheusden in a permanent deal for a reported €12.5 million fee, which surpassed Nicolae Stanciu's record as the most expensive purchase by a Belgium club.[13][14]

Return to Inter Milan

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On 13 July 2021, he returned to Inter Milan.[15]

Loan to Genoa

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On 20 July, he was sent on loan to Genoa.[16] He made his Serie A debut on 21 August against Inter away, at the Giuseppe Meazza in a 4–0 loss to his team.[17]

Loan to AZ

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On 25 July 2022, Vanheusden was loaned by AZ in the Netherlands, with an option to buy.[18]

Loan to Standard Liège

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On 8 July 2023, he returned to Standard Liège for the upcoming season.[19]

Loan to KV Mechelen

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On 25 July 2024, he joined KV Mechelen for a season-long loan, with an option to buy.[20]

International career

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Vanheusden debuted with the Belgium national team in a 1–1 friendly draw with Ivory Coast on 8 October 2020.[21]

Personal life

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Vanheusden is named after the Brazilian footballer, Zinho after his performance at the 1994 FIFA World Cup.[22]

Career statistics

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Club

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As of match played 9 August 2024[23]
Appearances and goals by club, season and competition
Club Season League National cup Europe Other Total
Division Apps Goals Apps Goals Apps Goals Apps Goals Apps Goals
Standard Liège (loan) 2017–18 Belgian Pro League 1 0 0 0 0 0 1 0
2018–19 26 2 0 0 4[a] 0 30 2
Standard Liège 2019–20 20 1 3 0 5[a] 1 28 2
2020–21 8 0 0 0 5[a] 0 4[b] 0 17 0
Total 55 3 3 0 14 1 4 0 76 4
Genoa (loan) 2021–22 Serie A 14 0 2 0 16 0
AZ (loan) 2022–23 Eredivisie 7 0 0 0 1[c] 0 8 0
Standard Liège (loan) 2023–24 Belgian Pro League 21 0 2 0 1[b] 0 24 0
KV Mechelen (loan) 2024–25 Belgian Pro League 1 0 0 0 1 0
Career total 98 3 7 0 15 1 5 0 125 4
  1. ^ a b c Appearances in UEFA Europa League
  2. ^ a b Appearances in Belgian Pro League European play-offs
  3. ^ Appearance in UEFA Europa Conference League

References

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  1. ^ "YOUTH TEAM TRANSFER DEALINGS" (Press release). F.C. Internazionale Milano. 2 September 2015. Retrieved 21 May 2018.
  2. ^ "LAZIO 1-3 INTER" (Press release). F.C. Internazionale Milano. 21 May 2017. Retrieved 21 May 2018.
  3. ^ "INTER 2-0 SPAL, THE NERAZZURRI MAINTAIN PERFECT RECORD" (Press release). F.C. Internazionale Milano. 10 September 2017. Retrieved 21 May 2018.
  4. ^ "GOALS FROM SKRINIAR AND PERISIC SEE INTER BEAT CROTONE" (Press release). F.C. Internazionale Milano. 16 September 2017. Retrieved 21 May 2018.
  5. ^ "INTER STOPPED IN BOLOGNA, IT FINISHES 1-1 AT THE DALL'ARA" (Press release). F.C. Internazionale Milano. 19 September 2017. Retrieved 21 May 2018.
  6. ^ "INTER 1-0 GENOA: D'AMBROSIO HEADER SEALS LATE WIN" (Press release). F.C. Internazionale Milano. 24 September 2017. Retrieved 21 May 2018.
  7. ^ "INTER PRIMAVERA ARE CHAMPIONS OF ITALY" (Press release). F.C. Internazionale Milano. 11 June 2017. Retrieved 21 May 2018.
  8. ^ "UEFA YOUTH LEAGUE: INTER 2-2 DYNAMO KYIV". F.C. Internazionale Milano. 27 September 2017. Archived from the original on 10 May 2019. Retrieved 21 May 2018.
  9. ^ "Cruciate ligament injury for Vanheusden". Football Italia. Tiro Media. 28 September 2017. Retrieved 21 May 2018.
  10. ^ "Inter, il giovane Vanheusden rinnova fino al 2022". Corriere dello Sport (in Italian).
  11. ^ "Zinho VANHEUSDEN op uitleenbasis naar Standard".
  12. ^ "Un penalty tardif d'Emond donne une victoire précieuse au Standard contre Gand". 14 April 2018.
  13. ^ Uccellieri, Daniel (28 June 2019). "UFFICIALE: Inter, Vanheusden allo Standard Liegi a titolo definitivo". Tutto Mercato Web (in Italian). Arezzo: TC&C. Retrieved 29 June 2019.
  14. ^ "Inter sell Vanheusden for €12.5m". Football Italia. London: Tiro Media. 28 June 2019. Retrieved 29 June 2019.
  15. ^ "FC INTERNAZIONALE MILANO STATEMENT". Inter Milan. 13 July 2021.
  16. ^ @GenoaCFC (20 July 2021). "❤️💙 Zinho #Vanheusden è Rossoblù!" (Tweet). Archived from the original on 29 August 2021. Retrieved 31 May 2022 – via Twitter.
  17. ^ Alampi, Fabio (17 August 2021). "Verso Inter-Genoa: Vanheusden, debutto in Serie A tra presente e futuro". FC Inter 1908 (in Italian). La Gazzetta dello Sport. Archived from the original on 20 October 2021. Retrieved 31 May 2022.
  18. ^ "Vanheusden versterkt AZ" (in Dutch). AZ. 25 July 2022. Retrieved 25 July 2022.
  19. ^ "Official – Inter Milan Starlet Returns To Standard Liege On Loan". sempreinter.com. 8 July 2023. Retrieved 14 August 2023.
  20. ^ "Zinho Vanheusden moves to KV Mechelen" (Press release). Inter Milan. 25 July 2024. Retrieved 25 July 2024.
  21. ^ "Belgium vs. Côte d'Ivoire - 8 October 2020". Soccerway.
  22. ^ "Jonge Belg wint prijzen in Italië: "Zinho, het geheim van het jonge Inter"". Archived from the original on 15 April 2018. Retrieved 18 April 2018.
  23. ^ Zinho Vanheusden at Soccerway
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