Mertens, a 39-year-old player with a 19-year professional football career, has joined the board of directors at Sporting Hasselt. He has brought private banker Guy Reynaerts as an additional investor. The club, which promoted to the second division last season, will now play at a professional level. Mertens has a rich football background, having played for KAA Gent, AGOVV, FC Utrecht, PSV, Napoli, and Galatasaray. He has also represented Belgium 109 times.
Mertens announced his retirement from football in the summer of 2025, but it seems he hasn't been idle since then. As an investor, he will not be taking an active role within the club, but will instead contribute to the board of directors. This move comes after two consecutive promotions for Sporting Hasselt in the past three seasons. The club's recent success has likely caught Mertens' attention, and he believes in the project enough to invest his time and resources.
Mertens' career has been marked by his time at Napoli, where he became an icon. He has also played for several other clubs, including KAA Gent, AGOVV, FC Utrecht, and PSV. His decision to invest in Sporting Hasselt is a significant one, and it will be interesting to see how the club develops in the future.
The next step for Mertens and Sporting Hasselt will be to see how the club performs in the second division. With Mertens' investment and experience, the team may be able to make a push for promotion to the top division in the future.