A look at the career path Thomas Vermaelen took before joining Barcelona.
Full name: Thomas Vermaelen
Squad No.: 23
Position: Defender
Date of birth: 14 November 1985
Place of birth: Kapellen, Belgium
Height: 1.83 m (6 ft 0 in)
Weight: 80 kg (176 lbs)
Born in the small town of Kapellen, Belgium, just north of Antwerp, a young Thomas Vermaelen was quickly introduced to the game of football. He joined the youth setup of Germinal Ekeren, now known as Germinal Beerschot, at the early age of six, and he steadily managed to progress through the ranks.