Just thought I might get some life back into this board by having a post on the top 50 best belgian players of all time. Rules: only one rule, you can post one name only per post. And we compile a list in the end for people to vote the best. Here we go: 1. Paul Van Himst
2. Fernand Goyvaerts He played for both Barcelona and Real Madrid. In 1962 we was named the best foreign player in the Primera division. (Other foreigners playing in Spain at the time: Puskas, Di Stefano, Evaristo).
3. Enzo Scifo Originally Italian born by Italian parents, Vincenzo Scifo was nicknamed the 'Little Pele' after scoring 432 goals in only four seasons as a junior. He moved to Anderlecht in 1980 and made his first division debut in the Belgian league three years later. At the age of 18, Enzo gained Belgian nationality in June 1984 just in time for the European Championships. He was one of the most promosing youngsters in the world in the mid-80s and most top clubs battled to sign the Belgian playmaker. In 1986, Belgium surprised many by reaching the semifinals of the World Cup in Mexico, and Scifo contributed a great deal to their success. He played in all the seven games and scored two goals. Anderlecht could not stop him from taking the big step to the Serie A in 1987. Unfortunately his spell at Inter Milan was anything but successful and he was soon transferred to French side Bordeaux. After another miserable season, Enzo was ready to give up football at the tender age of 23. Guy Roux, the Auxerre manager, saved Enzo’s career and took him under his wings and soon Scifo was back at his best level again. By the time the 1990 World Cup started in Italy, many expected Belgium to emulate their achivements of four years earlier. Scifo scored a magnificent goal against Uruguay in the first round, but England scored a last minute winner in extra-time of the second round which meant Belgium were eliminated much sooner than they had hoped for. Scifo went back to Italy and had a few successful years with Torino where he won the Italian Cup and also enjoyed success at Monaco before he returned back home to Anderlecht after ten years away. He participated also in the 1994 and 1998 World Cups with moderate success. Enzo Scifo is one of only 14 players who have participated in four World Cups. He retired from the national team shortly after the World Cup in France 1998.
4. Eric Gerets aka the lion. My favourite Belgian player of all time. Was one of the most talented defenders in the world in '82, but his career came to a temporary end after the standard team tried to bribe Waterschei. When the case came out he was already playing for AC Milan. Too bad for him, especially because he couldn't find a club after his suspension. Dutch team MVV offered him a small contract and Gerets was incredible for them. He made a transfer to PSV and became the first Belgian player to lift EC1 as captain. As a defender he was terrible to play against: even if you managed to get past him, he would come back two or three times. For me he represents the soul of Belgium (all his mistakes included).
5. Vincent Kompany Even if he's very young, I think he's one of the best players Belgium ever has seen...
6. Michel Preud'homme He was world-keeper 1994... He was a great player in Mechelen and Benfica. He played a great World-Cup in 1994
8. Jan Ceulemans The Caje stayed with Club Brugge his entire career, but not by lack of other opportunities. He chose for his family instead of big money, which is a rarity in the football world. He was our best NT striker for a decade, and was important for all the Belgian and Club Brugge teams he played for. Lately I've gotten the feeling people greatly underrate him.
Tomo you picked the guy I would have voted for I don't have to add a single word you described the guy perfectly. So apart from Eric "the lion" Gerets I would pick another defender: 9.Georges Grün He has had a remarkable carreer in Belgium with Anderlecht as well as with Parma,Italy.True correct player,a gentleman on the ground but a tough guy as well.He is now working on TV as consultant for CL games.
10. Rik Coppens This technical miracle shone for Beerschot (I think in the thirties, forties and fifties). He was able to dribble four defenders on a square meter and was a peoples player. He was always laughed at because he had a big nose and he took revenge by dribbling a goalie once, putting the ball just before the line, and scoring with his nose. One of his most famous goals is where he jumps under the ball for a header and scores with his heel. Belgianguy, I definitely second your vote for de Caje. Why haven't you brought up Lotte Lambert yet?
11. Philippe Albert Philippe Albert (born August 10, 1967 in Bouillon, Belgium) is a former football defender. He played with R. Charleroi S.C., KV Mechelen, R.S.C. Anderlecht and Newcastle United F.C. in England. Albert was a regular in his national team where he played as of the 1994 World Cup. He was a cult hero at Newcastle United, confirmed when he scored an audacious lob over Peter Schmeichel in a famous 5-0 win over Manchester United. Albert won the Belgian Golden Shoe in 1992, the year when he was transferred from Mechelen to Anderlecht.
12. Luc Nilis Luc Nilis (born May 25, 1967 in Hasselt, Belgium) is a former Belgian football striker. He ended his career early in the 2000-01 season after he broke his leg in a match with his club Aston Villa following a clash with goalkeeper Richard Wright. His former clubs include K.F.C. Winterslag, R.S.C. Anderlecht, PSV Eindhoven. During his time with PSV, Nilis formed one of the deadliest partnerships in Europe with team-mate Ruud van Nistelrooij. In the 1998-1999 season, Nilis and van Nistelrooij scored 55 league goals between them. van Nistelrooij finished as top-scorer, Nilis came second. In the following season, Nilis's last for PSV, they scored 48 league goals between them. Nilis played 56 times for the Belgian national team, scoring 10 times. A prolific goalscorer with his clubs, he scored his first goal for Belgium only on his 24th cap (a 9-0 win against Zambia). Nilis played in the 1998 World Cup and Euro 2000 which Belgium co-hosted with The Netherlands. He truly was a great striker and probably one of the best free kick takers in the world at that time... too bad his career ended early.
13 Gilles De Bilde AKA de ket Alost: 1994-1995 Played 33 Scored 21 goals Anderlecht: 1995-1996 Played 28 Scored 15 goals 1996-1997 Played 18 Scored 7 goals PSV Eindhoven: 1996-1997 Played 8 Scored 7 goals (Eredivisie) 1997-1998 Played 21 Scored 13 goals (Eredivisie) 1998-1999 Played 20 Scored 4 goals (Eredivisie) Transferred on 19/7/1999 for £3, 000, 000 Sheffield Wed.: 1999-2000 Played 38 Scored 10 goals (Premiership) 2000-2001 Played 21 Scored 3 goals (Division 1) Aston Villa: 2000-2001 Played 4 Scored 0 goals (Premiership) (on loan He was the big promise of belgian football, but after hitting some player from Lierse and breaking his jaw he was banned from belgian football, got a transfer to PSV where he did well and was loved by the crowd, he had a nice partnership with Luc Nilis, then went on to England and did ok his first year with SHeffield but in the end did not really play up to his potential anymore. A controversial one I know but probably the most talented belgian player out there.
still, his talent was not wasted really, getting out of belgium was probably the best thing to do. What he achieved at PSV was great so my choice stands, he was a gifted kid with a temper and you need assholes in the game, Cantona was similar in a way....
good call, could you submit a bit more info as well please, just to liven up the post or do you want me to do it
it is possible to do so, but could we wait a week or two before we start this? Cause I am currently spending too much time on the Italian draft already and I know a hell of a lot more about Italian players then I do about Belgian ones....
16. Jef Jurion. Legendary player of both the national team as RSC Anderlecht. He won the golden boot twice and scored decisive goals against Real Madrid (Anderlecht-Real 1-0) Holland (Belgium-Holland 1-0) and of course many many more that belgium-holland was a special one though, it was the 99th derby, With 11 players of Anderlecht !!!! :O :d