Charles Vanhoutte's 'atypical career' leads him to OGC Nice
"I never thought I'd be able to do what I'm doing now," said Charles Vanhoutte following his move to OGC Nice. The Belgian has surprised even himself over the course of his career.
An 'atypical' career
Vanhoutte, by modern standards, is something of a late-bloomer. As the Belgian tells us, he struggled at youth level due to his slight frame, which meant that he ended up repeating a year at U15 level. However, he managed to overcome the setbacks and surprised even himself, forging a professional career in his native Belgium.
" I think I have had an atypical career [...] If someone had told me that I would go on to play at Cercle Brugge, where I had signed⦠it is never enough. You always want more. That is my ambition, my mentality," he said.
Vanhoutte reaches 'end of cycle'
That desire led him to leave Union Saint-Gilloise at the end of the transfer window. βI think at Union, I was at the end of a cycle. I won everything there: the league, the cup, the supercup. It was time to make the step to a higher league, to a top-five league," says Vanhoutte.
However, the timing of the move was curious. He was leaving at a time when Union Saint-Gilloise were making waves, qualifying for the Champions League. It is an experience that he chose to sacrifice to join OGC Nice.
Debut with the @BelRedDevils, ππ€π£ππ§ππ©πͺπ‘ππ©ππ€π£π¨ Charles Vanhoutte π§πͺ pic.twitter.com/1xbybX0wv7
β OGC Nice π¬π§πΊπΈ (@ogcnice_eng) September 8, 2025
"When Nice called me, I told them (USG) that I wanted to go there. I spoke with the manager. I was immediately convinced," he said. The prospect of playing in Ligue 1 McDonald's, a top-five European league, is one that he simply could not turn down, and he said that he even "fought" to join Le Gym, after USG initially closed the door to a departure.
"Either Iβd come here and play in a better league and in the Europa League, or Iβd stay at USG and play in the Champions League. In the end, itβs destiny. Iβm here now, and I am happy," said the Belgian.
Vanhoutte has impressed in the Red and White of Nice since joining. In his Ligue 1 McDonald's debut, a 1-0 win over FC Nantes, he was named man-of-the-match. Despite a mixed start to the club's season, the Belgian is impressed with what he has seen since making the move.
'Ligue 1 McDonald's is a higher-level league' - Vanhoutte
βI knew that there were good players here, but what has surprised me here is the quality of the training sessions and of the players. We have a great team," he said.
He will hope to flourish at Nice this season in what is a crucial season. During the most recent international break, Vanhoutte made his Belgium debut at the age of 26. There is a World Cup at the end of the year, and he will hope to be boarding the plane over to North America.
βBy coming here, I think I have increased my chances [of being at the World Cup], but everything depends on my performances. Already, it is a higher-level league, and there are more people who will see me. But the World Cup isnβt in my head yet. I just want to play well, and what happens with the national team is just a bonus," says the midfielder.
READ MORE
