Van de Ven and Spence Storm Off
Spurs duo Djed Spence and Micky van de Ven saw their popularity rise sharply this week. This comes following the two players being at the heart of post-match controversy at the weekend. Spence climbed 100 spots to rank 332nd, his highest position in the Goalden View Popularity Ranking (GVPR) since the start of 2025. Micky van de Ven moved up 31 places to 145th, continuing his upward popularity trend since August lows.
This latest surge came after Sunday’s tense clash with Chelsea, which ended with frustration for the North London side. Following the final whistle, both players walked straight past manager Thomas Frank, ignoring him and heading directly for the tunnel. Cameras caught the moment, and it quickly went viral.
Behind the GVPR Reaction
Initially, fans criticized the pair for showing disrespect and not clapping the supporters. However, many others sympathized with their frustration. Tottenham’s attacking struggles — reflected in their 0.05 xG — only added to the growing dissatisfaction in the stands. For some, Spence and van de Ven’s reactions captured the wider mood around the club.
The moment drew heavy media coverage, but the aftermath brought a twist. Manager Thomas Frank later defended both players, confirming they had apologized and that he wasn’t concerned about their behaviour. This message from the Spurs boss was received in an overwhelmingly encouraging light, easing worries of a major fallout between manager and players. What seemed to have started as a controversial moment just as quickly became a positive one, contributing to the pair’s gains in popularity.
GVPR Roundup
Goalden View tracks how fans and football journalists react to players each week. In the world of football, controversy often drives attention, resulting in popularity swings. For Spence and van de Ven, this episode showed that flashes of frustration can turn into a spike in visibility. However, if the controversy hadn’t been diffused so quickly by the manager, we may very well have seen the GVPR shift in the opposite direction.