Fair play at the highest level: how self-evident is it really? We put the question to Yorick Vande Velde, head coach of Topsportschool Vilvoorde and the U18 Young Tigers. Last summer he was present at the U19 World Championship, and in the coming weeks he will begin preparations for the U18 European Qualification Tournament.

“It obviously depends on what you define as fair play,” Vande Velde explains. “At the very highest level, you won’t spontaneously walk up to the referee to admit you touched the ball or stepped into the net yourself. But that doesn’t mean fair play is absent. On the contrary, between coaches there is a great deal of honesty: everyone coaches intensely, strategically and with passion, yet always in a correct manner.”

In international competitions, both at senior and youth level, many of the same coaches regularly appear on the sidelines. According to Vande Velde, this creates a distinct dynamic. “We are all focused on developing high-potential players, hoping they will eventually represent their country at senior level. That naturally creates mutual respect. At tournaments, coaches sometimes exchange information or advice. In doing so, we help each other, but ultimately we help our young players even more. In my view, that too is a form of fair play: strengthening one another through collegial cooperation.”