The Story of Charles De Ketelaere: Kevin De Bruyne’s Belgium Heir

Charles De Ketelaere could have been a Tennis star probably the next Rafa Nadal rather than a footballer. When Charles De Ketelaere switched to soccer, a few people (including his Father) weren’t convinced of his son’s talent. At first, Francis thought, “Can my son do all of that?”  In no time, a brave  Charles made his ambitions to everyone, including his Dad.

Our Charles De Ketelaere Biography tells you Facts about his Childhood Story, Early Life, Parents – Isabelle De Cuyper (Mother), Francis De Ketelaere (Father), Family Background, Brother (Louis De Ketelaere), Sister (Renée De Ketelaere), Girlfriend (Jozefien Van de Velde), etc. Again, this Bio also includes facts about Charles De Ketelaere’s Family Origin, Parents’ medical occupation, Religion, Ethnicity, etc.

Preamble:

Our version of Charles De Ketelaere’s Bio begins by unveiling notable events of his boyhood years. Next, we’ll portray the highlights of his early career years.

And finally, how the Belgium midfielder rose to become the next beautiful promise of his country’s new football generation.

We hope to whet your autobiography appetite as you read this piece of Charles De Ketelaere’s Biography.

To start going that, let’s present you this gallery of his life trajectory – from boyhood to national rise. No doubt, De Ketelaere has come a long way in his amazing career journey.

Yes, everyone knows Charles De Ketelaere is the shining light of Belgium’s post-Kevin De Bruyne generation.

He joins a new generation of Belgium players who are taking Europe and the UK by storm. Popular names among them are Leandro Trossard, including the fast-rising Jeremy Doku, etc.

While everyone is conversant with the great things this midfielder does for both club and country, we found a knowledge gap.

Truth is, not many soccer fans have read a detailed version of Charles De Ketelaere’s Biography, which is very exciting. Now, without further ado, let’s begin.

Charles De Ketelaere Childhood Story:

For beginners in his Biography reading, he bears the nickname ‘King Charles’. Charles De Ketelaere was born on the 10th day of March 2001 to his Mother, Isabelle De Cuyper and Father, Francis De Ketelaere, in Bruges, Belgium.

To this day, lots of fans (probably you reading this Bio) still get it wrong when it comes to pronouncing the name; De Ketelaere. Because of that, Charles once took his time to tell which pronunciation of his surname are wrong.

The Belgian Soccer midfielder arrived in the world as one among three children (himself, a brother and a sister). All children were born to the short-lived marital union between his parents  – Dr Frances and Nurse Isabelle.

Now, let’s introduce you to Charles De Ketelaere’s Parents. Despite Frances and Isabelle being separated from their marriage, their son still adores them. Especially his Mum, whom the Bruges star lived with for more years.

Growing-Up:

Charles De Ketelaere is the last-born child of his parents, otherwise known as the family’s baby. The attacking midfielder grew up alongside two siblings – a sister, Renée and a brother Louis.

In case you didn’t know, Charles De Ketelaere’s brother and sister are twins. Let’s introduce you to Louis, the big brother who has always got his back.

Big Brother Louis is a Business Developer by profession. We’ll tell you more about Charles’ brother in the later section of this Bio.

The other twin in the family is Renée De Ketelaere. She is a professional tennis player. Not forgetting, beautiful Renée is also a TikToker. Here is one of her TikTok videos.

All children born to his parents – Isabelle De Cuyper and Francis, are equally loving and proud of the achievements of their family’s last born. Celebrating their little brother’s first individual honour was an unforgettable moment for the De Ketelaere siblings.

Charles De Ketelaere Early Life:

Thanks to the idea of following in his older sister’s footsteps, the youngster once had tennis as his major childhood sport.

For Charles De Ketelaere’s parents, the racket game was a perfect way of encouraging their little boy to be active outside and to have fun with his friends.

Whether De Ketelaere was shuffling across the baseline or sprinting forward to slam a volley with his racket, it was always exciting to watch him back in the day.

Before he shifted his focus fully to football, Charles was one of the best tennis kids of his generation.

De Ketelaer once excelled in a number of kids’ tennis tournaments. In case you missed the video of the Belgian football star playing tennis, now you have it here.

Charles De Ketelaere Family Background:

First thing first, a Belgian footballer comes from a home of Medical practitioners. Put simply, both of Charles’ parents are health experts. Francis De Ketelaere, Charles’ Dad, is a Belgian doctor who has been recognized for his work, bravery, and clinical excellence.

Our research has it that Charles De Ketelaere’s Father is an oral, maxillofacial, and facial Surgeon. Francis (who initially wasn’t a football fan) works with AZ Sint-Lucas Hospital in Groenebriel 1, Ghent, Belgium.

Still, on the occupation of Charles De Ketelaere’s parents, it is pertinent to note that his Mum is a nurse. In recent years, the mother of the Belgian soccer star had preferred the home health nurse role.

Isabelle De Cuyper works early shifts by providing care to her patients in their homes under the guidance of a physician.

As I write this Bio, Charles De Ketelaere’s parents are divorced. Despite that, Isabelle De Cuyper and Francis De Ketelaerethe have ensured a healthy relationship with their children.

As of October 2021, BBC reported that the Belgian professional footballer (at the age of 20) still lived with his mother. That was before Charles De Ketelaere earned his transfer to AC Milan. The rest of the footballers’ siblings, Renée and Louis, live with her Father.

Charles De Ketelaere Family Origin:

The capricious attacking midfielder has only one nationality – Belgium. Research made to determine where Charles De Ketelaere’s family comes from points to Bruges. Pictured below, this is the largest city and capital of the province of West Flanders in northwest Belgium.

The beautiful Belgian city with a historic centre is among the prominent World Heritage Sites of UNESCO. Again, Bruges is the sixth-largest city in Belgium (about 256,000 inhabitants), and the city is home to many museums.

Charles De Ketelaere Ethnicity:

Our study shows that the Belgian midfielder is a Flemish-Dutch. De Ketelaere belongs to the ethnic group known as the Flemings.

They speak a language known as Flemish, which is a dialect of Dutch. In addition, his tribe – Flemish-Dutch – (why occupy the northern part of Belgium), are an important aspect of the Belgian society.

Charles De Ketelaere Education:

Being driven both athletically and academically was important for his parents. For his early schooling, Charles De Ketelaere attended De Wassenaard primary school. This Elementary educational institution is situated in Jabbeke, Belgium.

After successful graduation from his primary school, Charles De Ketelaere proceeded to Sint-Lodewijkscollege secondary school in Bruges, Belgium. Similar to Davy Klaassen, the Soccer and Tennis prodigy was very knowledgeable in mathematics, including science.

As of 2022, Charles De Ketelaere is on his way to becoming a university graduate. Our research (via the AC Milan website) shows the Belgian midfielder is studying Law at the University of Gent. As you have noticed, being athletically versatile and highly educated proves his intelligence.

Charles De Ketelaere Biography – Football Story:

The journey to becoming one of the best tennis players of his young generation initially began with smooth sailing.

But after having a few smashed rackets, little Charles De Ketelaere decided to abandon the idea of becoming a professional in tennis.

Before making the life-changing decision, the child prodigy had long tasted football. Charles De Ketelaere joined Club Brugge at age seven, where he played soccer and worked as a ball boy. From the onset, his Dad, Francis, didn’t like the idea of another sport (for his son) except for tennis.

Charles De Ketelaere’s Father feared his fragile son might get injured. In the mind of the Dad, tennis was a safer sport with less chance of injury. Initially, when Charles was allowed to go to Club Brugge to play soccer, papa Francis didn’t have high expectations for the little boy.

But, of course, Francis De Ketelaere later saw how his little boy grew to become a soccer whiz kid. In fact, Charles developed into a precocious football whiz kid. A boy blessed with adhesive control and a rare knack for drifting past his opponents.

In his early teenage years, the life-changing decision to follow his footballing dream over a tennis career began to yield dividends. Starring in a number of tournaments, De Ketelaere helped his Club Brugge academy side win the Deventer junior challenge trophy.

Journey to Fame:

After graduating from Sint-Lodewijkscollege secondary school, the humble boy from Bruges began a quest to enhance his technical qualities. In his mid-teenage years, Charles made his passion for soccer (and not tennis) become his sole job. Next, he developed a mindset to do extraordinary things on the pitch.

De Ketelaere’s bravery at the Future Champions Tournament is perhaps the biggest soccer highlight of his later academy years. The competition happened in the Gauteng region of South Africa. With his magic on the pitch (as shown below), Charles De Ketelaere proved he was, indeed, a world-class footballer in the making.

Club Brugge won the prestigious Under-17 tournament, which was held at the Nike Football Training Centre in Pimville, Soweto. Here is De Ketelaere and his teammates celebrating the trophy after a comprehensive 4-0 victory over ADO Den Haag, a team from the Netherlands.

Rise to Fame Story:

A year after winning the international tournament, the rising star finally saw his dream come true. Charles De Ketelaere (in September 2019) made his senior debut for the club he had supported and played for since his childhood (from the age of 7).

From the moment he became a professional, the fast-rising Belgian star began to make headlines. First, Charles De Ketelaere edged out among players in the League to win the Belgian Promising Talent of the Year: 2020.

This notable award has been won by athletes like Romelu Lukaku (2009) and Divock Origi (2014). In the same light, De Ketelaere formed a great partnership with rising talents like Tajon Buchanan, Emmanuel Dennis and Andreas Skov Olsen to help Brugge to greater heights.

Did you know?… The Rising Belgian was part of a Club Brugge side that won the Belgian First Division A trophy three seasons in a row. It didn’t end there; De Ketelaere also won the 2021 Belgian Super Cup with the club.

European Exposure:

From the moment he made his UEFA Champions League debut against PSG, many knew it was only a matter of time before a big transfer knocked at his door. With his excellent performance, the football world began to notice an absolute top talent in the sport.

After a fantastic 14 years with the Bruges, a time finally came for the youngster to say his goodbyes. Before his departure to AC Milan, here are some of Charles De Ketelaere’s unforgettable senior career moments with the Blue-Blacks.

A new chapter in the life of the Belgian opened on the 2nd day of August 2022. Charles De Ketelaere joined AC Milan in a €32m deal. In their long search to find a replacement for Kaka, the Rossoneri believe he would do better than Lucas Paqueta.

Here is behind-the-scenes footage of his Charles’ AC Milan signing.

Not many soccer fans know the fact that Charles De Ketelaere’s first goal for AC Milan was a hat trick. In that match, the former Bruges Boy showed the Rossoneri fans signs of his impending rise in the Red and Black shirt.

At the time of writing Charles De Ketelaere’s Biography, he was already a vital member of the Belgian national team. More importantly, the former Club Brugge superstar hopes to make a big statement at the 2022 FIFA World Cup in Qatar. The rest, as we say, is now history.

Jozefien Van de Velde – Charles De Ketelaere’s Girlfriend?

Behind the successful Belgian attacking midfielder comes a glamorous girlfriend. Jozefien Van de Velde is best described as Charles De Ketelaere’s Girlfriend. It is reported that Charles and Jozefien Van de Velde began dating in 2020. Here is a photo of the Belgian star and his lover.

When did Charles De Ketelaere and his Girlfriend start dating?

First, the relationship with Jozefien became official on the 26th day of March 2020. That day, Charles made public a rare photo which showed he was truly dating someone. As noticed here, the Bruges star appears to be truly in love.

Research has it that the lovers first meet (love at first sight) at a party, and since then, they have been inseparable.

As of October 2022, Charles De Ketelaere’s Girlfriend has more than 29,000 on her Instagram account. Beautiful Jozefien does know how to excite her fans with these scintillating Instagram photos.

Who is Jozefien Van de Velde?

To start with, Charles De Ketelaere’s Girlfriend is a Dentist and horse lover. She (together with her man) are both 21 years old at the time of writing this Bio. Although Jozefien is currently a student in Belgium, she sees it as necessary to spend quality time with Charles in Italy.

De Ketelaere supports his girlfriend’s idea to follow her career dreams. He supports and wants Jozefien Van de Velde to follow her educational passion – which revolves around dentistry. Again, De Ketelaere’s ultimate wish is to see his girlfriend continue her studies and practice her career after graduation.

In describing who his girlfriend is, the footballer once said the following words to Sport Voetbalmagazine;

Jozefien is not the type who would just put everything aside and follow me to Italy. I love her kind of woman… she is someone with a passion. My girlfriend is someone who goes for something she is passionate about and good at.

I wouldn’t want Jozefien to give up on her studies, but I’m confident we’ll find a way around managing the distance.

In just a matter of time, Charles De Ketelaere’s Girlfriend (Jozefien Van de Velde) should be a graduate of Dentistry. Judging by her independent approach to life, Jozefien Van de Velde will likely set up her own Dentistry company to practice her profession.

Personal Life:

Who is Charles De Ketelaere?

To start with, the Belgian midfielder is a perfect gentleman, someone who feels comfortable in his down-to-earth style. Even though Charles De Ketelaere’s feet are gold, he still keeps them firmly on the ground.

Similar to the Danish footballer Jonas Wind, the Belgian is someone who (before joining AC Milan) lived in the same house with his mother. Despite the money he was making in football at that time, De Ketelaere just wanted to live a typical life. Here is a video of what a typical life looks like for the Belgian.

Charles De Ketelaere Lifestyle:

Getting to know how the 6 ft 4 midfielder lives his life outside the pitch would help you understand him better. To begin with, Charles De Ketelaere is someone who hardly gives lavishing his wealth too much thought.

The midfielder lives the atypical football lifestyle, and there are no such things as flaunting exotic cars or buying big mansions – just like the Neymars and Pogbas do. Together with his girlfriend (Jozefien Van de Velde), the Attacking midfielder lives an ordinary life.

Charles De Ketelaere Family Life:

From the onset, it didn’t always matter how much went into his bank account as a rich sportsperson. What matters more are the people who give De Ketelaere a perfect sense of belonging. In this section, we’ll tell you more about every family member of the 6 foot 4 Athlete.

Charles De Ketelaere’s Father:

The popular Bruges Surgeon is popularly known as Dr Francis by his hospital colleagues and friends. Charles De Ketelaere’s Dad was the type who (early on) missed his son’s training and matches. This was because of his busy schedule at his workplace – AZ Sint-Lucas Hospital.

Because Francis De Ketelaere wasn’t always available, he didn’t quite realize how good his own son was in soccer. It was only recently that Charles’ Dad became a real football fanatic. Here is a video that shows Francis joining his children (Renee and Louis) to cheer for his son.

Charles De Ketelaere’s Mother:

Nurse Isabelle, as her patient calls her, is 49 years old at the time of writing this memoir. While Renee and her twin, Louis, live with their Dad, Isabelle De Cuyper has custody of her last-born child. This was a decision Charles De Ketelaere’s parents made after their divorce.

Charles enjoys the benefits of being a last-born child. No matter his age, he will always be the baby of the family, including his Mum’s best friend. Back in the day, Isabelle De Cuyper worked the early shift as a home nurse.

She does that, especially on Sunday mornings, so she can spend time with her son. Isabelle De Cuyper has been a constant figure in all her son’s big football moments.

Charles De Ketelaere’s Siblings:

Although he might not be like these footballers who are twins – John McGinn, Taiwo Awoniyi and Jurrien Timber, the Belgian is blessed with Twins in his family. In this section, we’ll tell you more about them.

Renée De Ketelaere – Charles’ Sister:

For any who doesn’t know, the older female sibling of the midfielder is a professional tennis player. Here is a video that shows Charles De Ketelaere’s sister on tennis duty.

Renée De Ketelaere, the sister of the former Club Brugge star, studied at Sport school Meulebeke and the Artevelde University College in Ghent. As of 2022, she has over 22k fans on Instagram and loves to post bikini and family shots.

From what we’ve gathered, there are good sports genes in De Ketelaere’s family. While Charles is currently scaling high at AC Milan, his sister Renée is playing tennis at TC Brughia. She (who is the only active tennis player in the family) is doing very well.

It’s no secret that Renée sometimes has difficulty handling her little brother’s fame.

Sometimes, people would ring the doorbell to ask whether Charles was available at home. She and the rest of the De Ketelaere family usually say that he is not inside the family house.

Nowadays, Renée De Ketelaere receives messages on Instagram from people asking about her little brother. One day, as she and Charles visited a cafe, a lady suddenly ran and hugged her brother, shouting, ‘Charles, I’m your biggest fan! In Renne’s view, that was a bit inappropriate.

Louis De Ketelaere:

Charles’s brother is a Business Developer who works for BrightAnalytics, a Software company in Hooglede, Belgium. Louis is a passionate football fan and a Master’s Degree graduate in Business Economics from Ghent University.

With an educational background in business economics at UGent and IT management at HoGent, Louis De Ketelaere has always wanted to know two things. First is how companies can work more efficiently, and secondly is how technology can contribute to improving a business and its processes.

Untold Facts:

In the final phase of Charles De Ketelaere’s Biography, we’ll unveil more information about him. So, without further ado, let’s begin.

How rich is the man from Bruges?

Where Charles De Ketelaere’s family comes from, their average gross salary is €61,357 a year. With such a salary, a person working in Belgium would need 46 years to make the money Charles makes annually with AC Milan.

Charles De Ketelaere FIFA Profile:

Aside from Defending, the Bruges superstar (at age 20) prides himself as a complete footballer. As shown in his FIFA stats below, De Ketelaere lacks nothing below average in the game. The Belgian star joins the likes of Brahim Diaz and Florian Wirtz as top attacking midfield talents to watch out for in the future.

When it comes to abilities, the Baller possesses similar attributes to players like Vitinha and Jamal Musiala. Have you ever wondered how De Ketelaere would grow in a FIFA career mode?… Watch this video that shows what he’ll look like in 7 years’ time – the year 2029.

Charles De Ketelaere Religion:

Although he (like Lios Openda) hasn’t made his faith public, our odds are in favour of Isabelle De Cuyper raising her son as a devout Christian. Charles De Ketelaere is likely to be among the 60% of Belgians who identify with the Roman Catholic Christian religious faith.

EndNote:

Nicknamed ‘King Charles,’ De Ketelaere was born in 2001 to his Mum, Isabelle De Cuyper, a nurse and Dad, Francis De Ketelaere, a Surgeon.

The left-footed Midfielder grew up alongside his two older twin siblings – Louis De Ketelaere (big brother) and Renée De Ketelaere (big sister). Jozefien Van de Velde is the name of his girlfriend, whom he began dating in 2020.

Charles De Ketelaere’s parents are divorced at the time of writing this Biography. He spent the majority of his childhood years with his Mum while his siblings (Louis and Renée) stayed more with their Dad. As a boy, De Ketelaere has other passions (like tennis) aside from football.

Renée, his older sister, is a professional tennis player and TikToker. Charles’ brother, Louis De Ketelaere, is a Business Developer with a master’s degree from Ghent University. On Charles’ education, he attended De Wassenaard primary school and Sint-Lodewijkscollege secondary school.

The Flemish-Dutch star, early on, abandoned his tennis career to focus fully on soccer. At first, his very own Dad (Dr Francis) never supported the idea. But as time went on, Charles De Ketelaere’s Father saw his son grow to become one of Belgium’s brightest talents.

In 2008, young Charles started his career with Club Brugge’s academy. He helped the youth team win the Future Champions Tournament on his road to fame.

After becoming a professional in 2019, Charles helped the club win the Belgian First Division (thrice) and Belgian Super Cup (once).

The man who won his country’s 2020 Promising Talent of the Year and young footballer of the Year (2021/2022) is voted as the man to step into Kevin De Bruyne’s shoes.

Do you know why so many clubs want Charles De Ketelaere? It is because he has the qualities to become one of the best attacking midfielders in world football.