Bruggen's current-season form is level with last season (Season 31→30), while his Rating eased 29→22. His peak season for form remains 2021/22 (Season 34).

Domestic career

Season	Club	Apps	G	A	Match	RTG	Season
2025/26	Cercle Brugge · 3rd	32	0	1	6.97	22	30
2024/25	Cercle Brugge · 3rd	34	1	1	6.96	29	31
2023/24	Cercle Brugge · 2nd	34	1	1	6.96	32	30
2022/23	Cercle Brugge · 2nd	35	0	3	6.76	33	18
2021/22	Cercle Brugge · 2nd	29	0	2	6.89	42	34

Domestic-league totals per season. RTG = Field Insider Rating (potential / ceiling); Season = age-blind form that year. 11 earlier seasons in the full career.

Belgium · international

Side	Apps	G
Belgium U21	3	0
Belgium U19	14	3

Career caps & goals — tournament breakdown in the full career.

Scout report

Experienced headBall-winning Defensive midfielder

H. Van der Bruggen is a 33-year-old defensive midfielder at Cercle Brugge, enjoying a standout season — 0 goals and 1 assists in 32 appearances, a Season grade of 30, top 52% of Jupiler Pro League defensive midfielders. On long-term scout potential he's rated 22.4, ranking 279th of 294 in the Jupiler Pro League. A seasoned veteran, he has been a regular starter (79.3% of available minutes). His defensive output reads 4.27 tackles, blocks and interceptions per 90. Below: strengths, watch-points, market-value outlook and the latest transfer news on Bruggen.

Judged on this season alone, Bruggen graded 30 — a workmanlike campaign that ranks 14th of 27 of the 27 defensive midfielders in the Jupiler Pro League, on 0 goals, 1 assist and 4.274 defensive actions per 90.

Year-on-year, that's broadly in line with last season (Season 31 → 30). Over the 6 seasons on record his form has trended upward, peaking in 2021/22.

On long-term talent our Rating reads 22, 26th of 27 of the 27 defensive midfielders in the Jupiler Pro League. At 33 Bruggen is into the veteran stage, where the age curve weighs on the projection, and a market index of 4.1 reflects that trajectory.

From the career report

Read the full career report →

Below his 2021/22 peak but holding a solid level — the platform for a return is there.

Peak: 2021/22Holding levelRemarkably consistent

Current potential26th of 27 defensive midfielders · Jupiler Pro League Current season14th of 27 defensive midfielders · Jupiler Pro League14th-best defensive midfielder in the Jupiler Pro League279th in the Jupiler Pro League · potential26th-highest potential defensive midfielder in the Jupiler Pro League

22.4

Ratingi

26th of 27 defensive midfielders

30.3

Seasoni

below regular-starter level

79.3%

Minutes

a regular starter

4.27

Def. actions / 90

solid defensive volume

Output in context · Cercle Brugge finished 3rd of 6 · a mid-table side

4.27

Def. / 90

Tackles

Interceptions

Clean sheets

4.27 tackles, blocks & interceptions per 90 — solid defensive volume, with 6 clean sheets across 32 appearances. Going forward he chipped in 0 goals and 1 assist — a useful bonus from the back.

Strengths

Availability. On the pitch for 79.3% of available minutes — a dependable presence in the XI.
Defensive volume. 4.27 tackles, blocks & interceptions per 90 — does the unseen work.

Watch points

Age curve. At 33, both level and resale value are on the downslope.
Level. Rates below a nailed-on top-tier starter on our model.

Outlook

With a Rating of 22.4, Bruggen carries the 26th-highest potential of the defensive midfielders in the Jupiler Pro League of 27. Defensively he reads as solid defensive volume (4.27 tackles, blocks & interceptions per 90). Veteran phase — a short-term, lower-fee proposition as both level and value decline (0.7× and falling).

Generated from Field Insider's rating model · AI-written analysis to follow.

Per 90 & availability

Minutes played %79.3%

Available fixtures36 of 36

Goals / 900

Assists / 900.035

Goal contribution / 900.035

Defensive actions / 904.274

Player flow

Goal involvements1

Shot conversion %0

Shot accuracy %19

Pass accuracy %77

Dribble success %35.7

Cards / 900.245

Foul involvement / 902.207

Season-by-season progression

Rating (potential)Season (form)

Value & potential by age

Market valueRating

Solid = now · dashed = projected

The gold line is market value — an index (not €) blending rating, age and league. It climbs through the early 20s, peaks around ages 23–27 (~12), then tapers with age. At 33, Bruggen sits on 4.1, past its peak and easing. The blue line is Bruggen's projected Rating — 22.4 today — recomputed at each age, so it follows the same rise-and-fall as a career matures and declines. Solid = up to today; dashed = projected.

Season statistics

Bars = where he ranks among defensive midfielders in the Jupiler Pro League with 600+ minutes this season.

Shooting

Goals0

Shots on target4

Shots21

Passing

Assists1

Chances created14

Passes1,303

Pass accuracy77%

Possession

Successful dribbles5

Dribble success35.7%

Duels won147

Duels won %49.5%

Fouls won25

Defending

Tackles73

Interceptions38

Blocks11

Fouls committed38

Penalties conceded1

Yellow/red cards

Yellow cards7

Red cards0

Transfer history

Cercle Brugge2020/21 – now

Kortrijkuntil 2020/21

About H. Van der Bruggen

Hannes Van der Bruggen is a 33-year-old defensive midfielder who plays for Cercle Brugge, born on April 1, 1993 in Burst, standing 181 cm tall. He is from Belgium. Cercle Brugge currently sit 3rd of 6 in the Jupiler Pro League.

This season

In the current season, H. Van der Bruggen has made 32 appearances with 0 goals and 1 assist across 2,569 minutes, averaging a 7.09 match rating over his last 10 rated games, with 7 yellow cards.

When H. Van der Bruggen plays, Cercle Brugge's record this season is 10W-11D-11L — and his match ratings average 6.93 at home against 6.99 on the road.

Recent matches

April 24, 2026: 2-1 win at home vs Dender (45 minutes, 6.7 rating)
April 19, 2026: 4-1 win away at Dender (80 minutes, 6.6 rating)
April 11, 2026: 3-0 win at home vs RAAL La Louvière (89 minutes, 7.2 rating)
April 4, 2026: 2-2 draw away at Zulte Waregem (90 minutes, 7 rating)
March 22, 2026: 3-2 win away at Anderlecht (85 minutes, 7.2 rating)
March 15, 2026: 1-3 loss at home vs RAAL La Louvière (45 minutes, 6.9 rating)
March 8, 2026: 1-2 loss away at St. Truiden (86 minutes, 7.3 rating)
March 1, 2026: 0-0 draw at home vs Dender (88 minutes, 7.3 rating)
February 20, 2026: 1-0 win away at Gent (82 minutes, 7.2 rating)
February 15, 2026: 1-2 loss at home vs Club Brugge KV (63 minutes, 7.5 rating)

Field Insider's view

Field Insider currently rates H. Van der Bruggen at 22.4 with a Season form score of 30.3, ranking 279th of 294 defensive midfielders in the Jupiler Pro League. See the full scout report for strengths, watch-points and the market-value outlook.

His honours include 4 career titles — among them the Super Cup and the First Division A. Full list in the career record.

Career

Across 16 recorded seasons, H. Van der Bruggen has totalled 411 club appearances with 13 goals and 11 assists for 3 different clubs. His busiest campaign came in 2022/23, with 35 appearances for Cercle Brugge.

H. Van der Bruggen's career has also included time at Kortrijk.

On the international stage, H. Van der Bruggen has represented Belgium U21 and Belgium U19 — 17 caps and 3 goals in our records.

Transfer news

No transfer news found for this player.

Profile

Season stats

Performance data · by competition

Career

Scout report

Output in context · Cercle Brugge finished 3rd of 6 · a mid-table side

Strengths

Watch points

Outlook

Per 90 & availability

Player flow

Season-by-season progression

Value & potential by age

Season statistics

Shooting

Passing

Possession

Defending

Yellow/red cards

Transfer history

About H. Van der Bruggen

This season

Recent matches

Field Insider's view

Career

Transfer news

Related players

Career

Per 90 & availability

Player flow

Season-by-season progression

Value & potential by age

Transfer history

About H. Van der Bruggen

This season

Recent matches

Field Insider's view

Career

Related players