Wilfried Van Moer
Wilfried Van Moer ( born March 1, 1945 in Beveren ) is a former Belgian football player who won the Belgian Golden Shoe three times, first in 1966 at the Royal Antwerp FC, then 1969 and 1970 for Standard Liège.
Before 1966 Van Moer played for KSK Beveren. He came to his first club early 80s back after a short period at FC Beringen. He played 57 times and hit nine times for the Belgian national football team 1966-1982 and made his debut in a 1-0 victory in a friendly match against Switzerland on 22 October 1966. Van Moer was in the cadres of the Football World Cup 1970 and 1982 and the European Football Championship in 1980, when Belgium was runner-up.
Van Moer began his career at the club in the hometown ( Beveren- Waas ), then in the third, Belgian league. A change to Royal Antwerp FC in 1965 was influenced to play not only of the possibility in the first division, but also by the fact that he was already working as an electrician in this city. He won his first Golden Boot in late 1966 and has been appointed earlier in the year for the first time in the national team.
During these three years at Antwerp under coach Harry Van Moer Game moved against his will from the right wing into the center of midfield and was prepared to ultimately follow another of Belgium's meistgefeiertsten players in the national team, Jef JURION.
After the relegation of Antwerp in 1968, was followed by a drawn in the length change to Standard Liege, in which Van Moer the interest of the 1st FC Cologne resistant to stay in Belgium and also the FC Bruges, with whom he made a personal agreement. The 150,000 euro fee for the now established international players were then Belgian record.
With standard followed by national success by 1969, 1970 and 1971 won the championship and the hat-trick in the Golden Shoe accomplished with the gains in 1969 and 1970.
Internationally, he was a regular player, played at the World Cup 1970 and met with the only victory of his team in Mexico, twice in the 3-0 win against El Salvador. Van Moer also played a key role, to qualify his country two years later for the semi-finals of the European Championship. After Belgium, stubbornly defended in a goalless quarter-final, first leg in Italy, he scored in the return match in Anderlecht Real Stade Émile Versé in the middle of the first half of the first goal. But then should something happen put the career of the Belgian on ice. Just in time for half- time resulted Bertinis dropouts in a broken leg for Van Moer. A bittersweet day for the home nation, ultimately a 2-1 victory celebrated.
Although he recovered, held the broken leg and other injuries international appearances for three seasons back. In October 1979 now 34 years old, was an international football mentally not be further away. He played four and a half years no longer for the Red Devils. But the wily Belgian coach had other ideas. Van Moer was a brilliant idea for a Belgian team that forgot how to succeed and be prepared just in Portugal in an " all-or -nothing" European Championship qualifier. Van Moer triumphed again with the first goal of the 2-0 victory. Van Moer also played key roles in the home and away victories over Scotland that drove to Belgium 's qualification for finals tournament in Italy.
Although striker Horst Hrubesch may have scored two goals to secure Germany the final victory, but for many was the Belgian central midfielder with his seemingly boundless energy of the outstanding players in a tournament unspectacular. He was the highlight of the show in almost all his games, the ball planning, driving and entertaining. His performances were never wasteful, but rather dynamic as inspirational as Belgium, paved the way for his only grand finale. Van Moer was probably the most authoritative player of the tournament actually the fourth place earned him his appearances at age 35 ( the best result of a Belgian -adjusting) in the election to the European Footballer of the Year. Karl -Heinz Rummenigge, Bernd Schuster and Michel Platini took places before him.
Van Moers international career continued two years, long enough to be in the final tournament of the World Cup here. In the absence of Eric Gerets made captain, ended his international career in the second group stage against Poland, when he was replaced at half time by Franky Van Der Elst. Belgium was at halftime back with two goals and eventually lost 0-3 to Poland's inspiration by Zbigniew Boniek, the only scorers.
As for his club career, he left in 1976 and played for the standard Limburger Erstligateam FC Beringen for a few seasons ( he owned a cafe in the capital of Limburg Hasselt ). After his career in 1980 back to life, he took a surprise transfer to his original club SK Beveren ( the 1979 Belgian champion ). He remained there for two more seasons and finished his career again in Limburg at VV St. Truiden, where he was player-manager.
After he stopped playing football, he became a coach in Sint- Truiden, SK Beveren, Assent and FC Diest, before he finished this work one day, disappointed by the general professional level of Belgian football player anyway.
He was asked by the Belgian Football Union to deliver some construction work, and in 1995 assistant coach Paul van Himst after some heavy defeats of the Red Devils. He followed van Himst 1996 after five games as head coach. However, the Belgian Football Union and the press were not pleased he was about his lack of communication skills and early 1997 by the more flamboyant in his eyes and more managerial way -seeing Georges Leekens replaced. Disappointed by the lack of confidence that he got from the Football Union, he retired from football.