Belgium national football team

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

Belgium

Nickname

Rode Duivels / Diables Rouges
(Red Devils)

Association

Belgian Football Association
(Union Royale Belge des Sociétés
de Football-Association / Koninklijke
Belgische Voetbalbond)

Confederation

UEFA (Europe)

Head coach

René Vandereycken (2006-)

Captain

Bart Goor

Most caps

Jan Ceulemans (96)

Top scorer

Paul Van Himst,
Bernard Voorhoof (30)

Home stadium

King Baudouin Stadium

FIFA code

BEL

FIFA ranking

Highest FIFA ranking

16 (January 2003)

Lowest FIFA ranking

57 (July 2006)

Elo ranking

Highest Elo ranking

4 (March 1921)

Lowest Elo ranking

51 (October 1961)





First kit





Second kit

First international

Belgium 3 - 3 France

(Brussels, Belgium; 1 May 1904)

Biggest win

Belgium 9 - 0 Zambia

(Brussels, Belgium; 4 June 1994)

Belgium 10 - 1 San Marino

(Brussels, Belgium; 28 February 2001)

Biggest defeat

England amateur 11 - 2 Belgium

(London, England; 17 April 1909)

World Cup

Appearances

11 (First in 1930)

Best result

Fourth place, 1986

European Championship

Appearances

4 (First in 1972)

Best result

Runners-up, 1980

Men’s Football
Olympic medal record
Bronze	1900 Paris	Team
Gold	1920 Antwerp	Team

The Belgium national football team is the national football team of Belgium and is controlled by the Belgian Football Association.

1 History
2 World Cup Record
3 European Championship Record
4 Olympics Record
5 Current Squad
6 Distinguished players
7 Top Belgium goalscorers
8 Coaches
9 External links

[edit] History

Belgium played its first official game on May 1, 1904 in a 3-3 draw against France. Prior to this match, a team Belgium played several matches but the squad contained some English players so it was not added to the palmares. For example, Belgium beat Netherlands by 8-0 on April 28, 1901 with the help of some Englishmen. It was then decided that Belgium would play twice a year against Netherlands starting 1905, generally once in Antwerp and once in Rotterdam. At that time, the national squad was chosen by a committee of representatives of the 6 or 7 main clubs.

The team was nicknamed The Red Devils by journalist Pierre Walckiers after its victory to the Netherlands (Rotterdam, 1906), 2-3.

Over the next six decades, Belgium established itself as a strong second-tier team, rarely in the running for winning a major tournament but never easy to handle at home or abroad. A key strength of the team was its systematic use of the offside trap, a defensive tactic developed in the 1960s at Anderlecht under French coach Pierre Sinibaldi.

The 1980s and early 1990s are generally considered the strongest period of the national team. Under the lead of Guy Thys, who coached more than 100 official games, Belgium established a reputation of being a physical, well-organized team that was hard to play against. The team's rigorous organization was reinforced by several world-class players such as goalkeeper Jean-Marie Pfaff, right-back Eric Gerets, midfielder Jan Ceulemans, and playmaker Enzo Scifo. However, the team was prone to uneven motivation, sometimes performing poorly against lower-ranked teams but nearly always inspired against top teams. Until as recently as 2002, world-class national teams did not like the prospect of playing the Red Devils--not even eventual champions Brazil, who won 2-0 with some difficulty in the knockout phase of the 2002 World Cup. Since then, however, the team has steadily slipped down the rankings, and has not been able to extend its past reputation.

After failing to qualify for the 2006 World Cup for the first time in 24 years, the contract of national coach Aimé Anthuenis was not renewed beyond 2005, and it was decided on December 22, 2005 that René Vandereycken would replace Anthuenis on January 1, 2006. On August 16 of that year, they started their new campaign against Kazakhstan and although the team had made the confidence of the home public grow through some promising performances from new talented young players against teams as Slovakia and Turkey, they played awfully and did not manage to get past the team from Kazakhstan. The situation got worse after also losing the home game against Poland on November 15 of that year. Qualification already seemed far away.

[edit] World Cup Record

Belgium's World Cup appearance record reflects the unusual depth of footballing talent for a country of this size, in the manner of the Czech Republic, the Netherlands, or Sweden. The country qualified for six successive World Cups - (1982-2002), a total only surpassed by Italy (12), Argentina (9) and Spain (8). Every other nation with an equal or longer string of appearances has had the streak "interrupted" by automatic qualification as the host or the defending champion. (The 2006 tournament was the first for which the defending champion does not automatically qualify.)

Playing inspired against other teams in the World Cup, they have reached the knockout phase five out of six times from 1982 to 2002, including a streak of four tournaments. One of their most famous victories was a 1-0 win over defending champions Argentina, led by Diego Maradona, in the first game of the 1982 World Cup held at Camp Nou.

Belgium's best-ever World Cup run was in 1986 when they placed fourth, losing to eventual champions Argentina in the semifinal (0-2) and to France in the third-place match (2-4) after extra time.

1930 - Round 1
1934 - Round 1
1938 - Round 1
1950 - Withdrew
1954 - Round 1
1958 to 1966 - Did not qualify
1970 - Round 1
1974 - Did not qualify
1978 - Did not qualify
1982 - Round 2
1986 - Fourth place
1990 - Round 2
1994 - Round 2
1998 - Round 1
2002 - Round 2
2006 - Did not qualify

[edit] European Championship Record

Belgium's performance in the European Championships does not match its World Cup record. The best result is no doubt the unexpected second place at the 1980 edition in Italy after a narrow defeat (1-2) to West Germany in the final. Belgium hosted or co-hosted the event twice, finishing third in 1972 and being one of the major disappointments of the 2000 edition with a first-round exit.

1960 - Did not qualify
1964 - Did not qualify
1968 - Did not qualify
1972 - Third place
1976 - Did not qualify
1980 - Runners-up
1984 - Round 1
1988 - Did not qualify
1992 - Did not qualify
1996 - Did not qualify
2000 - Round 1
2004 - Did not qualify

[edit] Olympics Record

Belgium won the Olympic Gold Medal in 1920, and the Bronze Medal in 1900.

[edit] Current Squad

The following players have all recently been called up to the Belgian squad. [1]

Caps as of 1 October 2006, included against Armenia, 6 September 2006.

No.	Pos.	Player	DoB/Age	Caps	Goals	Club
--	GK	Logan Bailly	27 December 1985	0	0	K.R.C. Genk
--	GK	Stijn Stijnen	7 April 1981	5	0	Club Brugge
--	GK	Brian Vandenbussche	24 September 1981	1	0	Heerenveen
--	DF	Philippe Clement	22 March 1974			Club Brugge
--	DF	Carl Hoefkens	6 October 1978	12	1	Stoke City
--	DF	Nicolas Lombaerts	20 March 1985	1	0	Gent
--	DF	Daniel Van Buyten	7 February 1978	33	4	Bayern Munich
--	DF	Jelle Van Damme	10 October 1983	13	0	Anderlecht
--	DF	Anthony Vanden Borre	24 October 1987	2	1	Anderlecht
--	DF	Peter Van Der Heyden				VfL Wolfsburg
--	MF	Thomas Chatelle				K.R.C. Genk
--	MF	Koen Daerden	8 March 1982	9	3	Club Brugge
--	MF	Steven Defour	15 April 1988	3	0	Standard
--	MF	Mark De Man				RSC Anderlecht
--	MF	Marouane Fellaini				Standard
--	MF	Karel Geraerts	5 January 1982	8	2	Standard
--	MF	Gaby Mudingayi	1 October 1981	2	0	Lazio Roma
--	FW	Maarten Martens				AZ Alkmaar
--	FW	Émile Mpenza	4 April 1978	49	17	Manchester City F.C.
--	FW	Mbo Mpenza	4 December 1976	51	3	Anderlecht
--	FW	François Sterchele		0	0	K.F.C. Germinal Beerschot

[edit] Distinguished players

As of October 11, 2006 the 22 most capped players for Belgium are:

#	Player	Belgium career	Caps
1	Jan Ceulemans	1977-1991	96
2	Eric Gerets	1975-1991	86
=	Franky Van Der Elst	1984-1998	86
4	Vincenzo Scifo	1984-1998	84
5	Paul Van Himst	1960-1974	81
6	Georges Grün	1984-1995	77
7	Lorenzo Staelens	1990-2000	70
=	Marc Wilmots	1994-2002	70
=	Bart Goor*	1999-	70
10	Victor Mees	1949-1960	68
11	Georges Heylens	1961-1973	67
12	Joseph Jurion	1955-1967	64
=	Jean-Marie Pfaff	1976-1987	64
14	Franky Vercauteren	1977-1988	63
=	Marc Degryse	1984-1996	63
16	Bernard Voorhoof	1928-1940	61
17	Michel Preud'homme	1979-1994	58
18	Eric Deflandre*	1997-	57
=	Wilfried Van Moer	1966-1982	57
20	Louis Carré	1948-1958	56
=	Joseph Mermans	1945-1956	56
=	Luc Nilis	1988-2000	56

Other notable players who have represented Belgium include (note, this is not a comprehensive list):

Player	Belgium career	Caps
Michel Renquin	1976-1987	55
Raymond Braine	1925-1939	54
Mbo Mpenza*	1997-	53
Danny Boffin	1989-2002	53
Armand Swartenbroeks	1913-1928	53
Emile Mpenza*	1997-	51
Timmy Simons*	2001-	50
René Vandereycken	1975-1986	50
Gert Verheyen	1994-2002	50
Wilfried Puis	1962-1975	49
Léopold Anoul	1947-1954	48
Pierre Hanon	1958-1969	48
Erwin Vandenbergh	1979-1991	48
Yves Vanderhaeghe*	1999-	48
Henri Coppens	1949-1959	47
Pierre Braine	1922-1930	46
Ludo Coeck	1974-1984	46
Walter Meeuws	1977-1984	46
François Van Der Elst	1973-1983	44
Geert De Vlieger*	1999-2004	43
Michel De Wolf	1980-1994	42
Victor Lemberechts	1945-1955	42
Nico Van Kerckhoven*	1996-2002	42
Philippe Albert	1987-1997	41
Robert Paverick	1935-1946	41
Leo Clijsters	1983-1991	40
Christian Piot	1969-1977	40
Jean Nicolay	1959-1967	39
Florimond Van Halme	1921-1930	39
Stéphane Demol	1986-1991	38
Alfons Van Brandt	1950-1957	38
Paul Vandenberg	1957-1967	38
Wesley Sonck*	2001-	37
Marc Emmers	1988-1994	37
Glen De Boeck	1993-2003	36
Johan Walem	1991-2002	36
Nicolas Claesen	1983-1990	36
Philippe Clement*	1998-	35
Daniel Van Buyten*	2001-	35
Julien Cools	1974-1980	35
Jean Dockx	1967-1975	35
Luc Millecamps	1979-1983	35
Léon Semmeling	1961-1973	35
Jean Thissen	1968-1977	34
Eric Van Meir	1993-2002	34
Filip De Wilde	1989-2000	33
Patrick Vervoort	1986-1991	32
Luis Oliveira	1992-1999	31
Thomas Buffel*	2002-	29

the '*' denotes a player still playing or available for selection.

[edit] Top Belgium goalscorers

As of October 11, 2006:

#	Player	Belgium career	Goals (Caps)
1	Bernard Voorhoof	1928-40	30 (61)
=	Paul Van Himst	1960-74	30 (81)
3	Marc Wilmots	1994-2002	28 (70)
4	Joseph Mermans	1945-56	27 (56)
5	Robert De Veen	1906-13	26 (23)
=	Raymond Braine	1925-39	26 (54)
7	Marc Degryse	1984-96	23 (63)
=	Jan Ceulemans	1977-91	23 (96)
9	Henri Coppens	1949-59	21 (47)
10	Léopold Anoul	1947-54	20 (48)
=	Erwin Vandenbergh	1979-91	20 (48)
12	Jean Capelle	1931-39	19 (34)
13	Raoul Lambert	1966-77	18 (33)
=	Vincenzo Scifo	1984-98	18 (84)
15	Emile Mpenza*	1998-	17 (51)
16	Paul Vandenberg	1957-67	16 (38)
17	Johan Devrindt	1964-75	15 (23)
=	Wesley Sonck*	2001-	15 (37)
18	Victor Lemberechts	1945-55	14 (42)
=	François Van Der Elst	1973-83	14 (44)

the * denotes a player still playing or available for selection.

[edit] Coaches

Before 1910, a committee of the Belgian federation selected the players.

1910-1913: William Maxwell
1914: Charles Bunyan
1920-1928: William Maxwell
1928-1930: Victor Löwenfelt
1930-1934: Hector Goetinck
1935: Jules Turnauer
1935-1940: Jack Butler
1944-1946: François Demol
1947-1953: Bill Gormlie
1953-1954: Dougall Livingstone
1955-1957: André Vandeweyer
1957 (caretaker): Louis Nicolay
1957-1958: Geza Toldi
1958-1968: Constant Vanden Stock
June 19, 1968-April 26, 1976: Raymond Goethals
May 22, 1976-June 9, 1989: Guy Thys
July 23, 1989-February 21, 1990: Walter Meeuws
May 26, 1990-May 1, 1991: Guy Thys
September 1, 1991-March 25, 1996: Paul Van Himst
October 8, 1996-December 27, 1996: Wilfried Van Moer
February 11, 1997-August 18, 1999: Georges Leekens
August 20, 1999-June 30, 2002: Robert Waseige
August 21, 2002-December 31, 2005: Aimé Anthuenis
since January 1, 2006: René Vandereycken

[edit] External links

(English) (French) (Dutch) (German) Footbel.be website - Belgian FA official website
(English) RSSSF archive of results 1904-
(English) RSSSF archive of most capped players and highest goalscorers
(English) RSSSF archive of coaches 1904-
(English) Footbel.be website - page showing most capped players
(English) Footbel.be website - page showing top goalscorers

Football in Belgium, 2006-07
League competitions	URBSFA/KBVB	Cup competitions and awards
Jupiler League	Belgium	Cup
Second division	Women	Supercup
Third division	List of clubs	Golden Shoe
Promotion	List of clubs	Professional football awards