Former Arsenal defender, Thomas Vermaelen, has commented on how competing against a Tottenham star did not affect their friendship, and he has made a big claim about the bitterness of the North London derby.
The rivalry between Tottenham Hotspur and Arsenal is hardly the biggest in the world. That prize is more likely to be awarded to the hostile derbies in places such as Glasgow and Buenos Aires.
However, there is no love lost when Spurs take on their arch enemies, with the disdain the two teams hold for each other often evident on the pitch, as well as in the stands.
Despite this, Thomas Vermaelen has said something about the North London derby which could come as a surprise.
Thomas Vermaelen remained friends with Jan Vertonghen when the Belgian joined Tottenham
Vermalen signed for Arsenal in 2009, and Jan Vertonghen joined Spurs three years later. This was an interesting occurrence for the two defenders because they both played together for Ajax’s youth team.
According to Ajax Showtime, as relayed by Sport Witness, Vermaelen did not let the rivalry of the North London clubs get in the way of his friendship with Vertonghen.
He said: “We didn’t see each other as rivals and awarded each other the best.
MORE SPURS STORIES
“It’s obviously a very big derby in England, but Jan and I still saw each other off the field. It’s not that I thought, oh, you’re playing at Tottenham now, I don’t like you as much. It lives mainly with the supporters.”
Vermaelen’s claim about the North London derby is surprising. It is not really a shock to hear Vermaelen say that he remained friends with someone just because they joined a rival club. The pair played together for Belgium as well as Ajax, so the endurance of their relationship was always to be expected.
However, Vermaelen has said the hatred and bitterness of the derby mainly lives with the supporters. Some players might argue it is just as strong in the dressing room, and if it is not, they do not understand what it truly means to play for their club.