Rafael van der Vaart has admitted that returning to Hamburg after leaving Tottenham was not the right sporting decision, despite following his heart when he made the move in 2012.

The Dutch midfielder spent two seasons at Tottenham after joining from Real Madrid in 2010 and quickly established himself as a fan favourite. Looking back, he now believes he was at the top of his game in north London when he chose to return to Hamburg.

Speaking on BILD’s Phrasenmäher podcast, Van der Vaart was asked which career move he would make differently. His answer was clear: returning to Hamburg.

“It sounds strange now, but I don’t think it was smart to go back to HSV. I was at the top of my game at Tottenham,” Van der Vaart said.

He explained that he wanted to help Hamburg and believed they could avoid relegation, adding that his heart was with the German club but that, from a sporting perspective, it was not the best decision.

Van der Vaart also gave his Tottenham spell the highest possible grade in BILD’s German school grading system, awarding it a 1. He described Spurs as a “great team” packed with quality, naming Luka Modrić, Gareth Bale, Peter Crouch, Jermain Defoe and Kyle Walker among his former team-mates.

His Premier League record at Spurs was 24 goals and 15 assists in 63 appearances. He left for Hamburg in 2012 and remained there until 2015.

A key player in Harry Redknapp’s Champions League team

Van der Vaart arrived after Tottenham had already qualified for the 2010/11 Champions League, but he became a hugely important part of Harry Redknapp’s team in that campaign.

He scored 15 goals in all competitions during his first season, including in memorable wins over Inter Milan and Arsenal, as Spurs reached the quarter-finals.

His creativity, goals and personality made him an instant favourite at White Hart Lane.

Had Van der Vaart stayed beyond 2012, there is a strong case that his status among Spurs supporters would have grown even further. Two excellent seasons left fans wondering what might have been.