Arne Engels left Club Brugge at the age of 19 due to a lack of first-team opportunities. Since then, he has made significant strides in his career. Now a regular starter at Celtic and newly capped as a Red Devil, he is gradually making his mark on the international football scene.
Engels reflects on the reasons that led him to depart from Club Brugge. Frustration, personal ambitions, and the need for growth compelled him to make a tough but necessary decision for his career. He speaks candidly about this pivotal period and the turning point it represented.
“At times, I was impatient, that’s true. But I had so many goals and dreams, and if it takes too long to achieve them… That’s why I left the Club,” he confided in an interview with HLN.
Engels felt comfortable with the first team, but was consistently sent back to Club NXT: “It was hard to accept, as I genuinely believed I deserved a spot in the first team. When that didn’t materialize, I began to reflect. I talked a lot with people both inside and outside the club, but I predominantly listened to my own intuition. I knew what I was capable of and what I needed to progress.”
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The lack of confidence weighed heavily on Engels: “I sometimes asked myself: ‘Why do some get this chance and not me?’ I gave it my all, but it’s crucial to stay mentally strong. That winter, I realized it was time to leave. I wanted to train with a first team and adopt that mindset. At Club Brugge, that wasn’t possible, so I had to look elsewhere. Germany emerged as the right choice.”
His success at Augsburg surprised some at Club Brugge: “I heard that Vincent Mannaert was not happy. He wondered how they could have let me go. Of course, everyone then realized what I was capable of. I thought to myself: what I’m doing here, I could have done at the Club as well. But things took a different path. Ultimately, we always end up landing on our feet.”
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With his current performances at Celtic and for the national team with the Red Devils, Engels proves that his choice has borne fruit: “I always believed in myself. It was a tough decision, but it has allowed me to get to where I am today.”
