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Football is the national sport of Belgium. It has been played since the last decades of the nineteenth century. The national association was founded in 1895. The first match of the national team was played on May 1, 1904 (3-3 against France). Image File history File links Information_icon. ... Football (soccer) - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia /**/ @import /skins-1. ... A decade is a set or a group of ten, commonly a period of 10 years in contemporary English, or a period of 10 days in the French revolutionary calendar. ... Alternative meaning: Nineteenth Century (periodical) (18th century — 19th century — 20th century — more centuries) As a means of recording the passage of time, the 19th century was that century which lasted from 1801-1900 in the sense of the Gregorian calendar. ... Categories: Football (soccer) stubs | Football (soccer) governing bodies | Belgian football ... First international Belgium 3 - 3 France (Brussels, Belgium; 1 May 1904) Largest win Belgium 9 - 0 Zambia (Brussels, Belgium; 4 June 1994) Belgium 10 - 1 San Marino (Brussels, Belgium; 28 February 2001) Worst defeat England amateur 11 - 2 Belgium (London, England; 17 April 1909) World Cup Appearances 11 (First in... May 1 is the 121st day of the year in the Gregorian calendar (122nd in leap years). ... Year 1904 (MCMIV) was a leap year starting on a Friday (see link for calendar). ...

The football of the national team is known to be very physical, though in recent years, due a.o. to immigration, a number of technical players have played with the national team (Emile Mpenza, Luis Oliveira, Vincent Kompany). The same remark applies to the championship but for the reason that there is no limitation in the number of foreign players for a team in Belgium. So, after the Bosman ruling, Belgian clubs began to buy lots of unknown players from Eastern Europe countries as well as South American and African countries. This led to two different consequences: on the one hand, the national team was weakened and on the other hand, the Belgian league reinforced its status of window championship for the greatest European countries. Indeed, some of the most talented players in Europe have played in Belgian clubs: Jean-Pierre Papin was discovered at Club Brugge, Sunday Oliseh at RFC Liégeois, Jan Koller and Aruna Dindane at R.S.C. Anderlecht, Mido at K.A.A. Gent, etc. Emile Lokonda Mpenza (born July 4, 1978) is a Belgian football striker currently on the books of Hamburger SV in Germany. ... Luis Oliveira (born 24 March 1969 in Maranhao São Luis, Brazil) is a Brazilian-Belgian football (soccer) player, who spent most of his playing career in Italy. ... Vincent Kompany (born April 10, 1986 in Uccle) is a Belgian football defender, who currently plays for R.S.C. Anderlecht and the Belgian national team. ... The Belgian First Division, also known as Jupiler League (for sponsorship reasons), is the top competition in Belgian football (soccer). ... In football (soccer), the Bosman ruling is one that allows professional football players in the European Union to move freely to another club at the end of their term of contract with their present team. ... Jean-Pierre Papin (born November 5, 1963 in Boulogne-sur-Mer, France) was a French football player. ... Club Brugge KV is a football club from Brugge, Belgium. ... Sunday Oliseh (born September 14, 1974 in Abavo, Port Harcourt) is a former Nigerian footballer. ... RFC Liège is a Belgian football club from the city of Liège. ... Jan Koller (born March 30, 1973 in Smetanova Lhota, Czech Republic, then Czechoslovakia) is a Czech football player, who currently stars as a striker for the Czech Republic national team and the Ligue 1 club AS Monaco. ... Aruna Dindane (born November 26, 1980 in Costa Marfil) is an Ivorian football (soccer) forward, who plays for Racing Club de Lens (in France). ... Royal Sporting Club Anderlecht, usually known as Anderlecht, is a Belgian football club from the Brussels Capital Region. ... Ahmed Hossam Hussein Abdelhamid Mido (Arabic: أحمد حسام ميدو) (born February 23, 1983 in Cairo), is an Egyptian footballer who is a striker and currently with North London side Tottenham Hotspur. ... K.A.A. Gent is a Belgian football, athletics and hockey club, based in the Belgian city of Ghent. ...

Many talented defensive footballers played for Belgium: Jean-Marie Pfaff, Eric Gerets, Leo Clijsters, Michel Preud'homme, Georges Grün, Philippe Albert, Franky Van Der Elst, Vincent Kompany, etc. In comparison, only few attacking Belgian footballers have received international recognition: Enzo Scifo, Jan Ceulemans, Marc Degryse, Luc Nilis, Emile Mpenza, etc. Jean-Marie Pfaff (born in Lebbeke, December 4, 1953) is a Belgian former football goalkeeper. ... Eric Gerets (born May 15, 1954 in Rekem, Belgium) was a successful Belgian football defender and is now the coach of Turkish team Galatasaray SK of Istanbul. ... Country: Belgium Residence: Bree, BEL Height: 58 1/2 (174 cm) Weight: 150 lbs. ... Michel Preudhomme (born January 24, 1959 in Ougree) is an Belgian football (soccer) player, the winner of the Yashin Award as the best goalkeeper at the 1994 World Cup. ... Georges Grün (born January 25, 1962 in Etterbeek, Belgium) was a talented football defender and is now a TV presenter for the UEFA Champions League matches at RTL TVI. Grün played in three FIFA World Cups for the Belgium national football team (1986, 1990 and 1994). ... Philippe Albert (born August 10, 1967 in Bouillon, Belgium) is a former football defender. ... Franky Van Der Elst (born April 30, 1961 in Opwijk, Belgium) is a former football player and now manager. ... Vincenzo Enzo Scifo (born February 19, 1966) is a Belgian football midfielder. ... Jan Ceulemans (born February 28, 1957 in Lier, Belgium) was a Belgian football player, and became the nations most capped player with his 96 caps. ... Marc Degryse used to play football for Sheffield Wednesday but wasnt very good. ... Luc Nilis (born May 25, 1967 in Hasselt, Belgium) is a former football striker. ... Emile Lokonda Mpenza (born July 4, 1978) is a Belgian football striker currently on the books of Hamburger SV in Germany. ...

Clubs

Matricule

Several teams were created in the years 1870s and 1880s. The first club to register to the national association was R. Antwerp F.C. and it was subsequently assigned the matricule n°1. Each registered team was given a matricule in November 1926 by order of registration. The higher matricule is currently the n°9472 for F.C.M. Uccle. Though, many matricule numbers do not exist anymore since a lot of teams have merged. When two (or more) teams merge, they must choose which matricule they keep (usually, they choose the one with the most honours). The new club begins the championship at the level where the old club with the same matricule should have begun the season. R. Antwerp F.C. is a Belgian football club, from the city of Antwerp in Antwerp (province). ...

The first few matricule numbers are:

1. R. Antwerp F.C..
2. Daring Club de Bruxelles (no longer active)
3. Club Brugge
4. R.F.C. Liégeois
5. R. Léopold Uccle Forestoise
6. Racing Club de Bruxelles
7. K.A.A. Gent
8. R.C.S. Verviétois
9. R. Dolhain F.C.
10. R. Union Saint-Gilloise

For a more complete list, see List of football clubs in Belgium. R. Antwerp F.C. is a Belgian football club, from the city of Antwerp in Antwerp (province). ... Royal Daring Club Molenbeek was a football team from the city of Brussels, Belgium until 1973. ... Club Brugge KV is a football club from Brugge, Belgium. ... R.F.C. de Liège is a Belgian football club from the city of Liège. ... Royal Léopold Uccle Forestoise is a Belgian football club from the city of Brussels. ... Racing Club de Bruxelles was a Belgian football club created in 1894. ... K.A.A. Gent is a Belgian football, athletics and hockey club, based in the Belgian city of Ghent. ... Royal Cercle Sportif Verviétois is a Belgian football club from the municipality of Verviers, Liège (province). ... R. Union Saint-Gilloise is a Belgian football club located in the municipality of Saint-Gilles, Brussels. ... This is a list of football clubs in Belgium. ...

Naming

A team existing for at least 50 years may require to add the prefix Royal to its name (either in English or in the team language). Before 1958, this right was given to any team that celebrated its 25 years of existence, and between 1958 and 1968, it was granted to any team with at least 35 years of existence. The English language is a West Germanic language that originates in England. ...

The naming of the Belgian clubs usually comprises the name of the town where the club plays as well as a prefix and/or suffix. Here is a partial list of such prefixes and suffixes in the two main languages of the country. For historical reasons, many Flemish clubs changed their names from French to Dutch between the beginning of the twentieth century and the late 1960s. (19th century - 20th century - 21st century - more centuries) Decades: 1900s 1910s 1920s 1930s 1940s 1950s 1960s 1970s 1980s 1990s The 20th century lasted from 1901 to 2000 in the Gregorian calendar (often from (1900 to 1999 in common usage). ...

Many clubs encountered a lot of name changes throughout their existence with multiple reasons (a language change, a merge, an anniversary, etc.). Because of the numerous fusions between Belgian clubs, team names sometimes comprise several town names (like K. Beringen-Heusden-Zolder or Sporting West Ingelmunster-Harelbeke). K. Beringen-Heusden-Zolder is a Belgian football club, from the municipalities of Heusden-Zolder and Beringen in Limburg. ... Sporting West Ingelmunster-Harelbeke is a Belgian football club based in Harelbeke, West Flanders. ...

European results

R.S.C. Anderlecht and Y.R. K.V. Mechelen are the two Belgian clubs that have already won a European competition. Here is a list of the winners and runners-up by competition: Royal Sporting Club Anderlecht, usually known as Anderlecht, is a Belgian football club from the Brussels Capital Region. ... Y.R. K.V. Mechelen is a Belgian football club from Mechelen in Antwerp province. ...

• Champions' League:
  • Final:
    • Club Brugge (1978)
• Cup Winners' Cup:
  • Wins:
    • R.S.C. Anderlecht (1976 and 1978)
    • K.V. Mechelen (1988)
  • Finals:
    • R.S.C. Anderlecht (1977 and 1990)
    • Standard Liège (1982)
    • R. Antwerp F.C. (1993)
• UEFA Cup:
  • Wins:
    • R.S.C. Anderlecht (1983)
  • Finals:
    • Club Brugge (1976)
    • R.S.C. Anderlecht (1984)
• Inter-Cities Fairs Cup:
  • Final:
    • R.S.C. Anderlecht (1970)
• European Supercup:
  • Wins:
    • R.S.C. Anderlecht (1976 and 1978)
    • K.V. Mechelen (1988)

-1... Club Brugge KV is a football club from Brugge, Belgium. ... The Cup Winners Cup was a football club competition between the winners of the European domestic cup competitions. ... Royal Sporting Club Anderlecht, usually known as Anderlecht, is a Belgian football club from the Brussels Capital Region. ... Y.R. K.V. Mechelen is a Belgian football club from Mechelen in Antwerp province. ... Royal Sporting Club Anderlecht, usually known as Anderlecht, is a Belgian football club from the Brussels Capital Region. ... Royal Standard de Liège, usually referred to as Standard Liège is a Belgian football club from the town of Liège. ... R. Antwerp F.C. is a Belgian football club, from the city of Antwerp in Antwerp (province). ... The UEFA Cup is a football competition for European club teams, organized by the Union of European Football Associations (UEFA). ... Royal Sporting Club Anderlecht, usually known as Anderlecht, is a Belgian football club from the Brussels Capital Region. ... Club Brugge KV is a football club from Brugge, Belgium. ... Royal Sporting Club Anderlecht, usually known as Anderlecht, is a Belgian football club from the Brussels Capital Region. ... Royal Sporting Club Anderlecht, usually known as Anderlecht, is a Belgian football club from the Brussels Capital Region. ... The European Super Cup is at stake in an annual football game between the reigning champions of the UEFA Cup and UEFA Champions League. ... Royal Sporting Club Anderlecht, usually known as Anderlecht, is a Belgian football club from the Brussels Capital Region. ... Y.R. K.V. Mechelen is a Belgian football club from Mechelen in Antwerp province. ...

Football in Belgium by province

Under the first four levels in the league system, the competition is organized by province, with the notable exception of the Brabant that comprises clubs from the provinces of Flemish Brabant, Walloon Brabant and the Brussels Capital Region. The Belgian football league system is a series of interconnected leagues for club football in Belgium. ... Flemish Brabant is a province of Flanders, one of the three regions of Belgium. ... Walloon Brabant is a province of Wallonia and of Belgium. ... The Brussels-Capital Region (French: R gion de Bruxelles-Capitale, Dutch: Brussels Hoofdstedelijk Gewest, German: Region Br ssel-Hauptstadt) or Brussels Region (French: R gion Bruxelloise, Dutch: Brusselse Gewest) is one of the three regions of Belgium. ...

West Flanders

Four clubs from West Flanders play in the first division (Club and Cercle Brugge, Roeselare and Zulte-Waregem) and two clubs play in the second division (Kortrijk and Oostende). Cercle Brugge K.SV. is a Belgian football club. ... K.S.V. Roeselare is a Belgian football club, from the city of Roeselare, West Flanders. ... S.V. Zulte Waregem is a Belgian football club based in Waregem, West Flanders. ... K.V. Kortrijk is a Belgian football club from Kortrijk. ... K.V. Oostende is a Belgian football club, from the municipality of Oostende. ...

East Flanders

Three clubs from East Flanders play in the first division (Gent, Beveren and Lokeren) and four clubs play in the second division (Ronse, Waasland, Deinze and Hamme). K.A.A. Gent is a Belgian football, athletics and hockey club, based in the Belgian city of Ghent. ... Koninklijke Sportkring Beveren (English: Royal Sport Ring of Beveren) is a Belgian football club, from the town of Beveren in East Flanders. ... K.S.C. Lokeren Oost-Vlaanderen is a Belgian football club located in the city of Lokeren, in the province of Oost-Vlaanderen. ... K.S.K. Ronse is a Belgian football club from Ronse in East Flanders born in 1987 from the fusion between Assa Ronse and R.F.C. Renaisien. ... K.V. Red Star Waasland is a Belgian football club located in the city of Sint-Niklaas. ... K.M. S.K. Deinze is a football club based in Deinze, East Flanders. ... K.F.C. V.W. Hamme is a Belgian football club from Hamme in East Flanders. ...

Antwerp

The province of Antwerp has an old tradition of football. The first Belgian clubs were created in the city of Antwerp (Antwerp Lyon's Club, A.S. Anvers-Borgerhout, Antwerp F.C.). Three clubs from this province play at the highest level (Germinal Beerschot, Lierse and Westerlo) and four play in the second one (Antwerp, Mechelen, Dessel and Geel). For other uses, see Antwerp (disambiguation). ... K.F.C. Germinal Beerschot is a Belgian football club. ... K. Lierse S.K. is a Belgian football club, from the town of Lier in Antwerp. ... K.V.C. Westerlo is a Belgian football club located in the city of Westerlo. ... R. Antwerp F.C. is a Belgian football club, from the city of Antwerp in Antwerp (province). ... Y.R. K.V. Mechelen is a Belgian football club from Mechelen in Antwerp province. ... K.F.C. Dessel Sport is a Belgian football club, from the municipality of Dessel in Antwerp (province). ... K.F.C. Verbroedering Geel is a Belgian football club, from the city of Geel in Antwerp (province). ...

Limburg

Two clubs from Limburg play in the Jupiler League (Genk and Sint-Truidense) and two play in the second division (Overpelt-Lommel and Beringen-Heusden-Zolder). K.R.C. Genk, usually referred to as Racing Genk is a Belgian football club based in the city of Genk in Limburg, province of Belgium. ... K. Sint-Truidense V.V. is a Belgian football club located in the city of Sint-Truiden. ... K.V.S.K. United Overpelt-Lommel often referred to as K.V.S.K. United is a Belgian football club based in the city of Lommel, Limburg. ... K. Beringen-Heusden-Zolder is a Belgian football club, from the municipalities of Heusden-Zolder and Beringen in Limburg. ...

Brabant

Two clubs from Brabant play in the first division (Anderlecht and Brussels) while three clubs play in the second division (Oud-Heverlee Leuven, Union and Tubize). Royal Sporting Club Anderlecht, usually known as Anderlecht, is a Belgian football club from the Brussels Capital Region. ... F.C. Molenbeek Brussels Strombeek (often referred to as F.C. Brussels) is a Belgian football club based in the municipality of Molenbeek-Saint-Jean, Brussels. ... Oud-Heverlee Leuven is a Belgian football club, from the municipality of Leuven. ... R. Union Saint-Gilloise is a Belgian football club located in the municipality of Saint-Gilles, Brussels. ... A.F.C. Tubize is a Belgian football club located in the city of Tubize. ...

The first Belgian championship ever was played between 7 teams, 4 of which were based in Brussels: Racing Club, Léopold Club, Sporting Club and Union d'Ixelles. Léopold Club was a club for the nobility and bourgeoisie in Brussels and is still alive following a string of 4 merges between 1982 and 2001 (but it plays in the Promotion B). The latter two clubs collapsed respectively in 1897 and 1901. That year a new club from Brussels arrived in the first division (namely R. Union Saint-Gilloise) and will become a leading team in Belgian football in the following seasons. It enjoyed first a rivalry with Racing Club and then with Daring Club (that won its first championship) in 1912. Later, they played alongside Anderlecht in the first division. Racing Club de Bruxelles was a Belgian football club created in 1894. ... Royal Léopold Uccle Forestoise is a Belgian football club from the city of Brussels. ... Sporting Club de Bruxelles was an ephemeric football club in Belgium that existed only for three years. ... Union Football Club dIxelles was a Belgian football club that took part to the first Belgian championship in 1895. ... Belgian Promotion is the lowest nationwide division in Belgian football. ... R. Union Saint-Gilloise is a Belgian football club located in the municipality of Saint-Gilles, Brussels. ...

After World War I, the Belgian football was dominated by teams from the Antwerp province and from Brugge. In the early 1930s, Union and Daring shared 5 titles. The rivalry between the two clubs has inspired a play named Bossemans et Coppenolle (Bossemans was the name of the then coach of Union and Coppenolle the one of the Daring coach). During World War II, Anderlecht replaced Union and Daring as the leading team in Brussels. Its rivals in Brussels were successively Union, Daring, Racing White and its successors RWDM and FC Brussels. Combatants Allied Powers: Russian Empire France British Empire Italy United States Central Powers: Austria-Hungary German Empire Ottoman Empire Bulgaria Commanders Nikolay II Aleksey Brusilov Georges Clemenceau Joseph Joffre Ferdinand Foch Robert Nivelle Herbert H. Asquith D. Lloyd George Sir Douglas Haig Sir John Jellicoe Victor Emmanuel III Luigi Cadorna... Combatants Allied powers: China France Great Britain Soviet Union United States and others Axis powers: Germany Italy Japan and others Commanders Chiang Kai-shek Charles de Gaulle Winston Churchill Joseph Stalin Franklin Roosevelt Adolf Hitler Benito Mussolini Hideki Tōjō Casualties Military dead: 17,000,000 Civilian dead: 33,000... Racing White was a Belgian football club created in 1963, when and Racing de Bruxelles merged. ... Racing White Daring Molenbeek was a Belgian football club founded in 1909 as White Star Club de Bruxelles. ... F.C. Molenbeek Brussels Strombeek (often referred to as F.C. Brussels) is a Belgian football club based in the municipality of Molenbeek-Saint-Jean, Brussels. ...

Hainaut

Hainaut is the more active Walloon province at the highest national level. Indeed, three clubs currently play the first division (Mouscron, Charleroi and Louviéroise) and one play the second division (Mons). R.E. Mouscron is a Belgian football club. ... R. Charleroi S.C. is a Belgian football club. ... R.A.A. Louviéroise, sometimes referred to as La Louvière or RAAL, is a Belgian football club located in the city of La Louvière, in the province of Hainaut. ... R.A.E.C. Mons is a Belgian football club. ...

Namur

The province of Namur is, with that of Luxembourg, the province with the worst football tradition. No club from this province is playing in one of the first two levels in Belgian football. No club from the province of Namur has ever played in the first division.

Liège

The first Begian championship ever was won by FC Liégeois. One club from the province of Liège plays in the first division (Standard Liège) and one in the second division (K.A.S. Eupen). RFC Liège is a Belgian football club from the city of Liège. ... Royal Standard de Liège, usually referred to as Standard Liège is a Belgian football club from the town of Liège. ... K.A.S. Eupen is a Belgian football club, from the city of Eupen in Liège (province). ...

Football in the province of Liège was first lead by FC Liégeois (5 titles from 1895 to 1953) and then by Standard Liège (8 titles from 1958 to 1983). CS Verviers played some seasons in the first division, as well as FC Sérésien (that later merged with Standard) and FC Tilleur (that later merged with FC Liégeois). R.F.C. Seraing was a Belgian football club from the municipality of Seraing, province of Liège. ...

Luxembourg

Only one club from the province of Luxembourg play in the second division: Virton. Philippe Albert was born in this province (in the municipality of Bouillon). No club from this province has ever played in the first division. R.E. Virton is a Belgian football club, from the city of Virton in Luxembourg, province of Belgium. ... Philippe Albert (born August 10, 1967 in Bouillon, Belgium) is a former football defender. ... Relief map displayed in the city. ...

References

• (English) RSSSF archive - Belgian clubs history
• (Dutch) Belgian Soccer Database - Extensive database about players, clubs, results and other historical statistics