Nov 20

Nov 20 The 5 Best Belgian Footballers of all-time

The 5 Greatest ever Belgian Footballers

While often underappreciated due to a lack of major international honours, Belgium is still widely renowned for the amount of talent it produces on a regular basis. But who are Belgium’s greatest players?

The Belgians tend to perform well in major tournaments despite a dearth of silverware; and these performances stretch across different eras, illustrating a collective mentality gotten through patriotism and pride rather than solely individual quality.

Here then, are 5 Belgians who have best represented their country in football.

The Red Devils of Belgium are ready for take off.

Romelu Lukaku

Position: Striker

Caps: 91

Goals: 59

Belgium’s top scorer of all time at the age of 27, and clear of second place by 27 goals, Romelu Lukaku’s achievements for Belgium may never be surpassed and yet seem only partly acknowledged despite the speed at which he’s achieved this feat.

Lukaku made his senior Belgium debut in 2010 at 17 years old, during a breakthrough season with Belgian side Anderlecht which saw the then-youngster score double figures in the league.

He later scored a brace that year vs Russia to open his account, but Lukaku’s prolific days for his nation took a few years to materialize. The striker only scored 5 goals in his first 26 caps initially, but 2014 was a turning point for Lukaku. He helped Belgium secure qualification for the 2014 WC with a brace in a 2-1 win vs Croatia in late 2013. He then started the first 2 games in Brazil but failed to score, leading to a benching until the KO rounds.

Lukaku finally came alive in the knockouts, coming off the bench in the RO16 to start the scoring in a 2-1 win vs the US. Belgium eventually ended up as quarter-finalists. Another QF spot was the result in Euro 2016 as well, but Lukaku was more important. He started all 5 games for The Red Devils, scoring 2 goals.

The 2018 World Cup was Belgian’s best WC performance and Lukaku’s best tournament for Belgium as well. The instinctive frontman started every game and scored 4 goals as Belgium grabbed the bronze medal, finishing second on the top scorer’s list.

A physically robust striker with good anticipation and improving technique, Lukaku is a natural goalscorer with no weaknesses, Belgium are lucky to have him and should recognize this more often.

Eden Hazard

Position: Forward

Caps: 106

Goals: 32

Belgium’s most talented player of this century bar none. Possessing the nonchalance of a carefree child and the skill of a magician; Eden Hazard often exemplified the fun aspect of football, that aspect often forgotten in the midst of competition, tension and uncertainty. Hazard was handed his senior international debut in November 2008 at the age of 17; midway through his second season as a professional footballer for Lille of France.

The then-youngster was so good, Les Blues tried to poach him as Hazard was eligible for France due to naturalization. By the next year, he was already a regular fixture in Belgium’s squad.

In the squad for the 2014 WC in Brazil, Hazard played every game but wasn’t the game-changer he could’ve been, scoring no goals in the competition as Belgium reached the QFs. After a poor 2014 with only 1 goal in 12 caps, Hazard scored 6 in 9 the next year and was awarded the armband for Euro 2016 as a result.

At the Euros hosted by France, Hazard started all 5 games as captain, providing inspiration when required as the Belgians reached their first-ever Euros QFs. The maestro only scored once though, a goal in the 4-0 win vs Hungary in the RO16. Leading via his vision and skill, Hazard continued to wear the armband going into the ’18 WC in Russia where The Red Devils produced their best-ever WC performance with a bronze

Hazard himself had his best international tournament to date, scoring 3 goals in 6 starts as Belgium’s current generation finally came of age in a major tournament. One of his goals even came vs England in the third-place playoff.

Usually, on the left wing for Belgium, Hazard is a player blessed with a low centre of gravity; clever movement and sublime skill. He is unpredictable and unstoppable at his best. Now 31, he will hope to win something with his country before retirement to solidify his status as a national great.

Jan Vertonghen

Position: Defender

Caps: 126

Goals: 9

Belgium’s most capped player of all time, it feels as if Jan Vertonghen isn’t appreciated for the consistency of his service to his nation.

Vertonghen hasn’t even retired yet, meaning he can still yet add to his record. The versatile defender made his senior international debut in June 2007, after only 3 appearances and a full season of professional football at Ajax of Holland. Clearly, Vertonghen was seen as a talented prospect.

After his debut, Vertonghen made at least 6 Belgian appearances annually for a decade, with 9 or more appearances in six of the ten years. His first international tournament came in form of the 2014 WC in Brazil, where he filled in as a left-back, playing every game as Belgium reached the quarter-finals for the first time since 1986.

Vertonghen even scored the winning goal in a 1-0 group stage win vs South Korea, helping to secure qualification for Belgium.

At Euro 2016, the defender continued to demonstrate his versatility, continuing to play LB. He played 4 out of 5 games as Belgium once again reached a QFs, helping keep 3 clean sheets along the way. Being ever-present, Vertonghen continued to feature regularly into the 2018 WC.

This time as a centre-back in a back 3, Vertonghen played 6 from the 7 possible games, scoring a crucial goal to revive hope in Belgium’s 3-2 comeback win vs Japan in the RO16 as well as keeping 2 clean sheets as Belgium came third, the nation’s highest finish till date.

Able to play across the backline, Vertonghen has provided cover and quality whenever necessary for his country and scored very important goals in major tournaments.

4. Jan Ceulemans

Position: Attacking Midfielder/Forward

Caps: 96

Goals: 23

In Belgium’s top 10 for both goals and appearances, Jan Cuelemans was often the driving force in Belgium’s offence in his pomp; with his physicality and strong build paired with good technique making the attacker infallible at times.

Ceulemans made his senior national team debut in 1977 at 20 years old, then in his third season at Belgian side Lierse. By Euro 1980 though, the forward was undroppable.

Ceulemans started all 4 games as the Belgians finished runners-up, their highest Euros finish to date, with the versatile playmaker scoring 1 goal as he rotated between the wing and striker role in his first major tournament. He continued to be vital to The Red Devils in later tournaments, appearing in his first of 3 WCs in 1982.

Ceulemans started every game at the 1982 WC as Belgium narrowly missed out on the knockout rounds, incessantly providing impetus from the front.

After proving himself to be dependable when called upon, Ceulemans was made captain of the Belgian national team for the 1984 Euros. He started all 3 games either on the flanks or in central midfield as Denmark exited in the group stages, scoring 1 goal.

Standing at 6 feet and 3 inches, Belgium’s captain continued to impose himself on the opposition in later competitions. At the ’86 WC, Ceulemans started all 5 games as Belgium came fourth (their highest finish at the time) as well as scoring 2 vital goals in 2 consecutive knockout round victories vs USSR first, and Spain afterwards.

His final competition for Belgium – Third World Cup and Fifth overall – came at the ’90 WC hosted by Italy. Still captain at 33 years old, the maestro started 3 from 4 games in Italy and scored a goal as Belgium reached the RO16. It was the fourth major tournament he scored in.

Nicknamed ‘Captain Courageous’, the forward who could play in midfield consistently illustrated his consistency and big game credentials throughout his international career, as well as an elite mentality in addition to strong leadership.

Ceulemans’ last cap came in 1991 at 34 years old. He is also Club Brugge’s top scorer of all-time, with 191 league goals.

5. Paul Van Himst

Position: Forward

Caps: 81

Goals: 30

A trailblazer and icon for Belgian footballers and the country in general, Paul Van Himst personifies an era with little success for Belgium, but he was a major catalyst in what success there was.

The striker made his senior international debut in October 1960, a few days after turning 17 years old. Van Himst was in his second season as a pro at the time, playing for the Belgian club Anderlecht.

The attacker became a regular in the national team over the course of his career, being heavily involved as Belgium qualified for their first World Cup in over 15 years. Donning the #10 at the 1970 WC, Van Himst captained his nation in every game as the Red Devils, unfortunately, exited in the group stage of the tournament.

The national side then transferred the belief built up from the World Cup campaign into Euro ’72 qualifying, which they achieved via a 2-1 playoff win vs Italy, with Van Himst scoring the decisive second goal. In Belgium’s first continental appearance, a bronze medal was achieved. Van Himst once again scored the decisive second goal in the third-place playoff 2-1 win vs Hungary, captaining his side to another major tournament but with a better performance the subsequent time.

His last game for Belgium came in 1974 at the age of just 31 years old. A silky player who was always composed on the ball, Van Himst was nicknamed Polle Gazon (Paul Lawn) due to being fouled so persistently by the opposition.

He was capable with both feet, had great vision and could execute any kind of pass. Van Himst is Anderlecht’s highest-ever appearance maker, having appeared in 457 league games.