Tottenham appoint Micky van de Ven as captain for 2026-27 season

Tottenham Hotspur manager Roberto De Zerbi has appointed Micky van de Ven as the club's new captain, leading a five-man leadership group for the 2026-27 season. The announcement was made during a press conference on Friday, August 21, 2026, ahead of the team's opening Premier League fixture against Brentford on Saturday evening.

Van de Ven takes over the armband from Cristian Romero, who departed earlier this month to join Atletico Madrid. The Netherlands international defender recently signed a new long-term contract with the club. De Zerbi explained his decision to name a multi-player leadership structure, stating, "Why five? Because I want as many captains inside the pitch and to be clear in the situation and the position. Every one of them deserves to be captain or in the group of captains."

Pedro Porro has been named vice-captain. The leadership group also includes Ben Davies, James Maddison, and Archie Gray. De Zerbi noted that Gray, a 20-year-old midfielder, has been identified as a future club captain.

Despite the new appointments, both Van de Ven and Porro will be unavailable for the match at Brentford's Gtech Community Stadium. De Zerbi confirmed their absence in his...