Hans Vanaken is Belgium’s most decorated active club footballer and one of the highest-paid players in the Belgian Pro League.
This article covers his verified net worth, annual salary, contract terms, career earnings, and the achievements that made him one of Europe’s most underrated midfielders.
Hans Vanaken’s Biography
| Detail | Information |
|---|---|
| Full Name | Hans Vanaken |
| Date of Birth | August 24, 1992 |
| Age | 33 years old |
| Nationality | Belgian |
| Birthplace | Neerpelt (Pelt), Limburg, Belgium |
| Height / Weight | 1.95 m (6’5″) / 77 kg (170 lbs) |
| Position | Attacking Midfielder |
| Current Club | Club Brugge KV |
| Shirt Number | #20 |
| Turned Professional | 2010 (Lommel United) |
| Estimated Net Worth | $8 Million |
| Annual Salary | ~€3.4 Million |
| Contract Expiry | June 30, 2027 |
| Relationship Status | Married; one daughter (Romée) |
| @hansvanaken20 |
Early Life & Career
Hans Vanaken was born on August 24, 1992, in Neerpelt, a small town in Belgium’s Limburg province. He began his youth career at Lommel United, a local club that would shape the early chapters of his football story.
When Lommel United declared bankruptcy in 2002, the young Vanaken crossed the border to join the prestigious PSV Eindhoven academy in the Netherlands.
He stayed in Eindhoven for several years, developing the technical skills and tactical intelligence that would later define his game.
In 2008, Vanaken returned to a restructured Lommel and made his senior debut in the Belgian Second Division in 2010.
Over three seasons at Lommel, he scored 21 goals in 80 league appearances, a return that was impressive enough to attract the attention of top-flight clubs.
In 2013, Lokeren signed him and handed him a stage on Belgium’s biggest domestic platform. He made his Belgian Pro League debut for Lokeren on July 28, 2013, scoring twice in a 3–2 win over defending champions Anderlecht — an announcement of arrival that most players only dream of.
During his two seasons at Lokeren, Vanaken helped the club win the 2013–14 Belgian Cup and finished third in the Golden Shoe voting in his second season, confirming he was ready for one of Belgium’s biggest clubs.
Professional Career
Club Brugge signed Vanaken in the summer of 2015, and the move proved to be one of the most important in Belgian football history.
His debut season at Jan Breydel ended with a league title — the first of six he would win with the club.
By 2018, he was producing numbers that few midfielders anywhere in Europe could match: 21 goals and 21 assists in a single calendar year, a haul that earned him the Belgian Professional Footballer of the Year award and his first Belgian Golden Shoe in January 2019.
He backed that up by winning the Golden Shoe again in January 2020, becoming the first player since Jan Ceulemans in 1986 to win the award in back-to-back years.
On the European stage, he scored a memorable equalizer against Real Madrid in the Champions League in December 2019. Club Brugge extended his contract in August 2019, and again in August 2022, keeping their captain at the club through 2027.
In February 2025, Vanaken won a third Golden Shoe — matching the tallies of legends Jan Ceulemans and Wilfried van Moer, and sitting just one behind Paul van Himst’s all-time record of four.
On November 6, 2024, he scored the winning penalty in a stunning 1–0 victory over Aston Villa in the UEFA Champions League. As of March 2026, his career total stands at 725 appearances and 190 goals across all clubs and competitions, according to his Wikipedia career statistics page.
Wife
Hans Vanaken is married and shares his life with his wife and their daughter, Romée.
He keeps his personal life largely private, but has occasionally shared family moments on his verified Instagram account (@hansvanaken20), where he has described his family as “where everything starts”.
Beyond football, he remains a celebrated figure in his hometown; in 2021, he was made an honorary citizen of Lommel, Belgium, a recognition of what his career has meant to the community that raised him.
Hans Vanaken’s Net Worth Details
As of 2026, Hans Vanaken’s has an estimated net worth of $8 million. He built this wealth through more than a decade of professional contracts in the Belgian Pro League, consistently ranking as one of the highest earners at Club Brugge and in Belgian football overall.
Contract
Vanaken signed his most recent contract with Club Brugge on August 31, 2022, which runs until June 30, 2027, according to Capology’s salary database.
The deal keeps him at Jan Breydel through his mid-thirties, and there has been public discussion about a further extension beyond 2027, with Vanaken himself expressing a desire to finish his career at Club Brugge.
Despite interest from clubs abroad at various points in his career, he has chosen loyalty over a potentially higher-paying move.
Salary
Vanaken earns approximately €65,385 per week (€3.4 million annually), making him one of the top two earners at Club Brugge alongside goalkeeper Simon Mignolet, according to salary tracking data from AiScore.
Some Belgian sources report his gross annual income closer to €4 million, which aligns with figures cited by SalarySport’s Club Brugge wage breakdown listing him at £70,000 per week.
The difference between sources likely reflects bonuses and performance-related payments on top of his base salary.
Career Earnings by Year
| Season | Weekly Salary (€) | Annual Salary (€) | Club |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2025–26 | €65,385 | €3,400,000 | Club Brugge |
| 2024–25 | €65,385 | €3,400,000 | Club Brugge |
| 2023–24 | €65,385 | €3,400,000 | Club Brugge |
| 2022–23 | €65,385 | €3,400,000 | Club Brugge |
| 2021–22 | €34,615 | €1,800,000 | Club Brugge |
| 2020–21 | €34,615 | €1,800,000 | Club Brugge |
| 2019–20 | €40,000 | €2,000,000 | Club Brugge |
| 2018–19 | €23,019 | €1,100,000 | Club Brugge |
| 2017–18 | €16,038 | €834,000 | Club Brugge |
| 2016–17 | €15,500 | €806,000 | Club Brugge |
| 2015–16 | €12,846 | €668,000 | Club Brugge |
Career Statistics
Club Career (as of March 1, 2026)
| Club | Seasons | League Apps | League Goals | Cup Apps | Cup Goals | Europe Apps | Europe Goals | Total Apps | Total Goals |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Lommel United | 2010–13 | 80 | 21 | 2 | 0 | — | — | 82 | 21 |
| Lokeren | 2013–15 | 76 | 19 | 9 | 1 | 6 | 2 | 92 | 22 |
| Club Brugge | 2015–26 | 402 | 112 | 44 | 10 | 101 | 24 | 552 | 148 |
| Career Total | 558 | 152 | 55 | 11 | 106 | 26 | 725 | 190 |
International Career (Belgium, as of November 18, 2025)
| Year | Apps | Goals |
|---|---|---|
| 2018 | 2 | 0 |
| 2019 | 2 | 0 |
| 2020 | 4 | 0 |
| 2021 | 9 | 3 |
| 2022 | 6 | 2 |
| 2025 | 9 | 2 |
| Total | 32 | 7 |
Major Honors
With Club Brugge:
- Belgian Pro League: 2015–16, 2017–18, 2019–20, 2020–21, 2021–22, 2023–24 (6 titles)
- Belgian Cup: 2024–25
- Belgian Super Cup: 2016, 2018, 2021, 2022, 2025
With Lokeren:
- Belgian Cup: 2013–14
Individual Awards:
- Belgian Golden Shoe: 2018, 2019, 2024 (3 times)
- Belgian Professional Footballer of the Year: 2017–18, 2018–19
- UEFA Europa Conference League Team of the Season: 2023–24
- Honorary Citizen of Lommel, Belgium: 2021
FAQs
What is Hans Vanaken’s net worth?
Hans Vanaken has an estimated net worth of $8 million. He earned this wealth through more than a decade of professional contracts at Club Brugge, where he is one of the highest-paid players in Belgian football.
How much does Hans Vanaken earn per week?
Vanaken earns approximately €65,385 per week (around €3.4 million annually) at Club Brugge, making him the second-highest earner at the club behind goalkeeper Simon Mignolet.
How many times has Hans Vanaken won the Belgian Golden Shoe?
He has won the Belgian Golden Shoe three times — in 2018, 2019, and 2024. This puts him level with Jan Ceulemans and Wilfried van Moer, and just one behind the all-time record of four held by Paul van Himst.
When does Hans Vanaken’s contract with Club Brugge expire?
His current contract runs until June 30, 2027. He signed this deal on August 31, 2022, and has publicly expressed interest in extending his stay at Club Brugge beyond that date.
How many career goals has Hans Vanaken scored?
Across all clubs and competitions, Vanaken has scored 190 goals in 725 appearances as of March 2026, including 148 goals in 552 games for Club Brugge alone.
