Anthony Henri Vanden Borre is a Belgian professional footballer who plays as defender for Anderlecht.
He has been capped 25 times for the Belgium national team and is capable of playing as
both a right back and a right winger.
Club career Anderlecht
Vanden Borre was trained at Anderlecht throughout his entire youth career, at the same time
as his friend Vincent Kompany.
He made his debut in the regular competition when he was 16 years and 187 days old.
At that time, only one other player, Paul Van Himst, was younger when he debuted.
A month on, Vanden Borre signed a contract with Anderlecht until 2007.
In 2005 he drew attention to himself in a Champions League game against Chelsea, when
he had the best attempt on goal for Anderlecht as they lost 1–0 to the English champions,
striking Chelsea goalkeeper Petr Čech's post around midway through the game.
He finally scored his first official goal at home against K.S.V.
Roeselare in a 5–1 win when he opened the scoring on 21 September 2005.
While both Kompany and Vanden Borre were considered huge football talents, Vanden Borre was considered
to be an even greater star-in-the-making than Kompany.
Anderlecht-icon Paul Van Himst called Vanden Borre "the biggest talent he has ever seen
in his career".
He was praised for his technical ability, passing and vision.
However, while Kompany managed to maintain a high level of play match after match, Vanden
Borre's Anderlecht career was marked by irregularity, lack of concentration and injuries.
After several minor incidents, including a stint which featured him shaving the initials
of his name 'AVB' into his hair, he received a 'bad boy'-label from both the press and
his coaches.
While at Anderlecht, Vanden Borre was linked a move away from the club like Hamburger,
Ajax, Inter Milan, Real Betis, Tottenham Hotspur, Juventus and Lazio.
But eventually, he decided to extend his contract with Anderlecht until 2010, during the 2005-06
season.
Italian career Vanden Borre joined Fiorentina, completing
his move on 1 June 2007, for worth 3.5 million euros and signing a four-year contract that
will keep him until 2012.
The move was previously made on 8 March 2007, with an agreement, according to his agent.
He made his Serie A debut on 7 October against Juventus, coming on for Giampaolo Pazzini.
Having made two appearance, Vanden Borre said he was developing at the club, though he was
not playing.
On 19 January, Vanden Borre was on the move again.
This time, joining Serie a side Genoa on loan, with Papa Waigo moving the opposite way.
It is understood that Vanden Borre's rights were jointly owned by Fiorentina and Genoa.
After the move, Vanden Borre says joining Genoa is a great opportunity to play.
On 8 March 2008, Vanden Borre made his debut, coming on as a substitute in the 78th minutes,
in a 2-0 loss against Juventus.
In an interview with Belgium Soccer, he stated he want to stay at Genoa, insisting he is
happy there In June 2008, Genoa announced that the club had acquired the full rights
of the player, following eight appearances at the club.
In his first full season at Genoa, Vanden Borre made twenty-five appearance for the
club, under manager Gian Piero Gasperini.
However, the next season, Vanden Borre was soon available on a transfer and has since
fallen out of the first team.
Portsmouth On 13 August 2009, it was announced that Vanden
Borre had joined Portsmouth on a season-long loan.
He made his debut for the club on 19 August 2009 against Birmingham.
He scored his first goal for Portsmouth in a 3–1 Football League Cup win over Carlisle
United on 22 September 2009.
On 6 February 2010, he scored an own-goal in a 5-0 loss against Manchester United.
Two months later, on 3 April 2010, Vanden Borre received two bookings in a 0-0 draw
against Blackburn Rovers.
After the match, he accused referee Steve Bennett of costing him his dream of playing
at Wembley as he had to serve a one-match suspension.
However, his time at Portsmouth was difficult, battling to hold down a regular place in the
Portsmouth defence as the club was relegated to the Championship.
At the end of the season, new manager Steve Cotterill announced that Vanden Borre would
not be returning to the club, having expected to extend his stay at Portsmouth, and he was
subsequently linked with German side FC Köln.
Genk After returning to Genoa from a loan spell
at Portsmouth, Vanden Borre was heavily linked a move away in the transfer window.
But, Vanden Borre announced he will move to Belgian side Genk for €350,000.
However, the move fell through.
Eventually, the move was completed on an undisclosed fee, signing a two-year deal, with an option
for an additional year and he won't play until 2011, though playing in friendlies and reserve
team.
A week after being an official player, he made his debut for the club, coming on as
a substitute for Kevin De Bruyne in the 78th minutes, in a 3-2 win over Kortrijk on 22
January 2011.
On the last game of Jupiler Pro League before splitting to PlayOff I, he received two bookings,
in a 1-1 draw against Standard Liège.
In the PlayOff I, he played almost every game in action and thus played an important role
in achieving the national title.
The next season, Vanden Borre was involved with the squad, playing in the Champions League
campaign, which led to Group-stage.
While in the league, he often play in the first team, but received more disciplined
under newly manager Mario Been.
In a match against Zulte Waregem on 15 January 2012, he received a booking on the 18th minutes
and was substituted in the 78th minutes.
He wasn't featured for five games and made his return.
In PlayOff I, Vanden Borre scored his first goal for the club, in a 3-1 win over his former
club, Anderlecht on 14 April 2012.
At the end of the season, he wasn't offered a new contract at the club, having being decided
to leave by the club.
After his release, Vanden Borre was linked heavily, once again, with the club, but the
move never happened.
However, in October, he joined Ukrainian side Tavriya Simferopol, until the end of the season.
But his time in Ukraine was short-lived.
Return to Anderlecht In 2013, after five years away from the club,
Vanden Borre made his return to Anderlecht, until the end of the season after being given
a second chance by team-manager Herman Van Holsbeeck.
His move was welcomed by team-mates when the team had a training scheduled.
Having made a comeback with the reserve team on 4 March 2013, Vanden Borren made a league
comeback, a week later on 16 March 2013, coming on for Ronald Vargas, in a 1-1 draw against
Genk.
International career Holding Belgian and Democratic Republic of
Congo citizenship, Vanden Borre played his first international match, opting for Belgium
at age sixteen, having come on for Eric Deflandre as a substitute in a late minutes, as Belgium
lose 3-2 against Turkey on 28 April 2004.
One year later, on 4 June 2005, Vanden Borre made his first start, in a 0–0 draw against
Serbia and Montenegro.
Vanden Borre has since represented the national team by playing at the 2007 UEFA European
Under-21 Football Championship and the 2008 Summer Olympics.
On 13 May 2014, Vanden Borre was named in Belgium's squad for the 2014 FIFA World Cup.
Personal life Born in Likasi, Zaire, Vanden Borre moved
to Belgium at early age.
He is the son of a Belgian father and a Congolese mother.
Honours Anderlecht
Belgian League: 2003–04, 2004–05, 2006–07, 2012–13, 2013–14
Belgian Super Cup: 2004, 2013 Portsmouth
FA Cup runner-up: 2009–10 Genk
Belgian League: 2010–11 Belgian Super Cup: 2011
Career statistics As of match played 11 April 2014
International goals Score and Result lists Belgium's goals first.
References
External links Anthony Vanden Borre at National-Football-Teams.com
Belgium Stats at Belgian FA