Belgian footballer (born 2002)
Rein Van Helden Date of birth
(2002-07-24 ) 24 July 2002 (age 22) Place of birth
Genk , Belgium Height
1.87 m (6 ft 2 in)[ 1] Position(s)
Centre-back Current team
Sint-Truiden Number
20 2007–2011
Genker VV 2011–2016
KRC Genk 2016–2021
Sint-Truiden Years
Team
Apps
(Gls ) 2021–
Sint-Truiden
51
(0) 2022–2023
→ MVV (loan)
33
(2) 2024–
Belgium U21
2
(0)
*Club domestic league appearances and goals, correct as of 18:48, 30 November 2024 (UTC)
Rein Van Helden (born 24 July 2002) is a Belgian professional footballer who plays as a centre-back for Belgian Pro League club Sint-Truiden .
Van Helden joined the Genk youth academy in 2011 from his childhood club Genker VV. Five years later he moved to the Sint-Truiden academy. He signed his first professional contract with the club in May 2021,[ 2] after having torn the anterior cruciate ligament on his right knee a few months earlier in February 2021.[ 3]
On 13 August 2022, Van Helden joined Eerste Divisie club MVV on a one-season loan deal.[ 4] There, he made his professional debut on 19 August 2022, replacing Mart Remans in injury time of a 3–1 league win over ADO Den Haag .[ 5] [ 6] After a difficult start, where he was mainly a substitute, he made his first start for MVV on 16 September in a 4–1 win over Jong Ajax as a replacement for the injured Matteo Waem .[ 7] He put in a strong performance during the game, and would remain a starter in central defense from then on.[ 8] [ 9] On 30 September in a home game against Willem II , Van Helden scored his first professional goal, heading home the 3–2 winner for MVV in the 95th minute to complete a comeback from 2–0 down.[ 10] [ 11]
Return to Sint-Truiden [ edit ]
Van Helden returned to Sint-Truiden at the end of the season, and stated that he was determined to compete for playing time in the new season .[ 12]
Van Helden is the son of Koen Van Helden, who played professional football for Patro Eisden Maasmechelen , but had to retire prematurely due to a skull fracture .[ 13] [ 14] He would later go on to coach Bilzerse Waltwilder VV, Eendracht Mechelen-aan-de-Maas and KFC Park Houthalen.[ 14] [ 15]
As of match played 23 November 2024 [ 16]
Appearances and goals by club, season and competition
Club
Season
League
National cup
Other
Total
Division
Apps
Goals
Apps
Goals
Apps
Goals
Apps
Goals
Sint-Truiden
2021–22
Belgian Pro League
0
0
0
0
—
0
0
2023–24
Belgian Pro League
36
0
1
0
—
37
0
2024–25
Belgian Pro League
15
0
1
0
—
16
0
Total
51
0
2
0
—
53
0
MVV (loan)
2022–23
Eerste Divisie
33
2
1
0
2[ a]
0
36
2
Career total
84
2
3
0
2
0
89
2
^ Appearances in Eredivisie promotion/relegation playoffs
^ "R. Van Helden – Profiel" . Voetbal International . Retrieved 15 January 2023 .
^ "Proficiat Rein Van Helden!" . STVV (in Flemish). 14 May 2021. Archived from the original on 31 August 2022. Retrieved 15 January 2023 .
^ Vanlommel, Pieter; Schoofs, Gunter (24 February 2021). "Van Helden (STVV) zes maanden out met kruisbandletsel" . Het Belang van Limburg (in Flemish). Archived from the original on 31 August 2022. Retrieved 15 January 2023 .
^ "Rein van Helden naar MVV" . MVV (in Dutch). 13 August 2022. Archived from the original on 15 January 2023. Retrieved 15 January 2023 .
^ "ADO Den Haag verliest met 3–1 in Maastricht" . ADO Den Haag (in Dutch). 19 August 2022. Archived from the original on 30 October 2022. Retrieved 15 January 2023 .
^ "MVV – ADO Den Haag 3:1 (Eerste Divisie 2022/2023, 3. Round)" . WorldFootball.net . HEIM:SPIEL. Retrieved 15 January 2023 .
^ Caelen, Sem (15 September 2022). "MVV mist aanvoerder Waem in thuisduel tegen Ajax-beloften" . 1limburg (in Dutch). Retrieved 4 February 2023 .
^ "MVV TV | Een foutloos basisdebuut voor Rein van Helden tegen Jong #Ajax. Hoe kijkt hij terug? #MVV" (Video) . YouTube (in Dutch). 17 September 2022. Archived from the original on 4 February 2023. Retrieved 4 February 2023 .
^ Visser, Emil (21 October 2022). "Rein Van Helden voelt zich na frustrerende tijd goed bij MVV: Het moeilijk om te zien dat andere spelers doorbreken, terwijl je zelf stilstaat" . De Limburger (in Dutch). Archived from the original on 21 October 2022. Retrieved 4 February 2023 .
^ Vanlommel, Pieter (2 October 2022). "Genkenaar Rein Van Helden matchwinnaar voor MVV" . Het Belang van Limburg (in Flemish). Archived from the original on 9 October 2022. Retrieved 15 January 2023 .
^ Bouwens, Jaj (30 September 2022). "Knappe comeback MVV tegen Willem II" . 1limburg (in Dutch). Archived from the original on 2 December 2022. Retrieved 15 January 2023 .
^ Vanlommel, Pieter (20 June 2023). "Terug van uitleenbeurt en gegroeid als voetballer: STVV'er Rein Van Helden is klaar om te bikkelen voor zijn plek" . Het Belang van Limburg (in Flemish). Archived from the original on 28 June 2023. Retrieved 19 July 2023 .
^ Vanlommel, Pieter (26 June 2022). "Youngster Rein Van Helden charmeert Hollerbach bij STVV: "Hij kan de stap naar eerste elftal maken" " . Het Belang van Limburg (in Flemish). Archived from the original on 31 August 2022. Retrieved 15 January 2023 .
^ a b " "Wie zich verstopt, krijgt meer kilometers" " . Het Belang van Limburg (in Flemish). 16 November 2019. Archived from the original on 31 August 2022. Retrieved 15 January 2023 .
^ Claessens, Lucien (26 May 2022). "Park Houthalen wint thriller tegen Lindelhoeven en promoveert naar eerste provinciale: "Nipte, maar verdiende zege en promotie" " . Het Laatste Nieuws (in Flemish). Archived from the original on 31 August 2022. Retrieved 15 January 2023 .
^ Rein Van Helden at Soccerway. Retrieved 15 January 2023.