There was very little good football on view last weekend in the Jupiler League, even from the clubs that took three points. It’s to be expected in the smaller leagues now that football is business with a capital B. Talented Belgians, and there are many, want to play abroad and talented foreigners don’t often want… Read More »
On Friday night, January 28, it was announced that Ilombe ‘Pelé’ Mboyo was being transferred from Kortrijk to Gent. It didn’t cause many headlines outside of Flanders and certainly did not rival Luis Suárez’s move from Ajax to Liverpool on the same day. However, in its own way, this transfer was just as important as… Read More »
The first weekend after the Jupiler League’s mid-season break saw important wins for Anderlecht, Racing Genk, Ghent and Club Brugge. The big losers were Standard Liege who put out a half-strength side for the visit to Anderlecht. This match, the so-called “Clasico” failed to live up to its billing as, without Steven Defour and Axel… Read More »
Lukakumamia briefly stalled on Wednesday when Anderlecht playmaker Mbark Boussoufa took Belgium’s ‘Golden Shoe’ for the second time. Romelu Lukaku had to be satisfied with second place, with the third spot going to Genk’s Jelle Vossen. Boussoufa became the second ‘foreign’ player to win the award on two occasions. The only other player to do… Read More »
Most points gained by winner of the ‘Golden Boot’: 509, Michel Preud’homme (KV Mechelen, 1987) Youngest ever winner: Paul Van Himst (Anderlecht, 1960) aged 17 years & 3 months. Player winning from 2nd division: Gilles De Bilde (Eendracht Aalst, 1994) – club promoted in May. Winner with the biggest feet: Jan Koller (Anderlecht, 2000) –… Read More »
On Wednesday night, journalists, coaches and past winners will decide who will Belgium’s Gouden Schoen for 2010. The favourites for the award both ply their trade at the Constant Vanden Stock stadium in Brussels: Anderlecht’s Moroccan playmaker Mbark Boussoufa and man – or rather boy – of the moment, 17 year-old striker Romelu Lukaku. The… Read More »
Anderlecht went into the mid-season break with a six point lead over Genk, having played one game more. The weather, or rather the method of deciding whether games are called off or not, has played havoc with the Jupiler league. Anderlecht and Club Brugge are the only teams to have played a full quota of… Read More »
Lots of journos (BBC, Kicker, Marca) did not make it to Brussels for Lukaku’s Christmas special press conference. They did not miss too much real news. The young striker said that he would listen to his father (ex striker in the Belgian league, Roger Lukaku) and his agent when it came to thinking about his… Read More »
With the transfer window approaching and the spotlight focusing firmly on Romelu Lukaku, people are asking what’s happening in Belgium. Why is a country that has had no recent success at the national and with a league that suffers from low budgets and poor stadiums suddenly producing a bunch of good players? The conveyor belt… Read More »
Racing Genk got a major boost when Jelle Vossen returned and scored two goals in their 5-1 victory over Eupen (he now has 16 in 17 games). Genk were helped when Eupen’s Daniel Panizzolo was harshly sent off with the sore at 1-1. Kevin De Bruyne also returned for a few minutes just before the… Read More »