Jarno Lion

{{Infobox football biography

| name = Jarno Lion

| image =

| caption =

| fullname =

| birth_date = {{birth date and age|2001|02|13|df=y}}

| birth_place = Asse, Belgium

| height =

| position = Defensive midfielder

| currentclub = HSV Hoek

| clubnumber = 4

| youthyears1 =

| youthclubs1 = Wolvertem SC

| youthyears2 =

| youthclubs2 = Mechelen

| youthyears3 = {{0|0000}}–2018

| youthclubs3 = Club Brugge

| youthyears4 = 2018–2021

| youthclubs4 = Mechelen

| years1 = 2021–2023

| clubs1 = Mechelen

| caps1 = 0

| goals1 = 0

| years2 = 2021–2023

| clubs2 = → Helmond Sport (loan)

| caps2 = 49

| goals2 = 1

| years3 = 2023–

| clubs3 = HSV Hoek

| caps3 = 49

| goals3 = 8

| club-update = 21:23, 6 April 2025 (UTC)

}}

Jarno Lion (born 13 February 2001) is a Belgian footballer who plays as a midfielder for Dutch Derde Divisie club HSV Hoek.

Career

=Mechelen=

Lion played youth football for Wolvertem SC, Mechelen and Club Brugge, before returning to Mechelen in 2018.{{cite news |title=KV Mechelen: contract voor drie jonkies en net als De Bie en Bosiers uitgeleend aan Helmond |url=https://www.gva.be/cnt/dmf20210804_94161384 |access-date=5 July 2022 |work=Gazet van Antwerpen |date=4 August 2021 |language=nl-BE}} In January 2020, he joined the first team on their winter training camp to Spain.{{cite news |last1=Franken |first1=Thomas |title=Drie KV-jonkies proeven op stage van profbestaan: "Niemand van ons had verwacht dat hij hier zou staan" |url=https://www.gva.be/cnt/dmf20200106_04793521 |access-date=5 July 2022 |work=Gazet van Antwerpen |date=6 January 2020 |language=nl-BE}}

==Loan to Helmond Sport==

On 4 August 2021, Lion signed his first professional contract with Mechelen and was sent on loan to Dutch Eerste Divisie club Helmond Sport as part of the two clubs' partnership, alongside Jules Houttequiet and Ilias Breugelmans.{{cite web |title=Helmond Sport gaat samenwerken met KV Mechelen |url=https://www.lc.nl/sport/Helmond-Sport-gaat-samenwerken-met-KV-Mechelen-25932476.html |website=Leeuwarder Courant |accessdate=10 October 2020 |language=Dutch |date=15 August 2020}} He made his professional debut on 6 August 2021, the opening day of the 2021–22 Eerste Divisie season, where he was a starter at midfielder and played the entire match, which ended in a 2–0 loss against FC Den Bosch at De Vliert.{{cite web |title=Den Bosch vs. Helmond Sport – 6 August 2021 |url=https://int.soccerway.com/matches/2021/08/06/netherlands/eerste-divisie/fc-den-bosch/stichting-helmond-sport/3512776/ |website=Soccerway |access-date=5 October 2021}} On 15 April 2022, he headed in his first goal off a corner-kick from Arno Van Keilegom in a 5–3 league defeat to Roda JC Kerkrade.{{cite news |last1=Kleinen |first1=Jelle |title=Roda JC wint op spectaculaire wijze van Helmond Sport |url=https://www.1limburg.nl/sport/1723166/roda-jc-wint-op-spectaculaire-wijze-van-helmond-sport |work=1limburg |date=15 April 2022 |language=nl}} As a starting defensive midfielder through the 2021–22 season, Lion was lauded for his performances as the "vacuum cleaner" of Helmond Sport.{{cite news |last1=Ottens |first1=Chris |title=Opvallend onopvallende stofzuiger van Helmond Sport koestert de nul tegen ADO Den Haag: Niet verwacht |url=https://www.ed.nl/helmond-sport/opvallend-onopvallende-stofzuiger-van-helmond-sport-koestert-de-nul-tegen-ado-den-haag-niet-verwacht~a20a1639/ |access-date=5 July 2022 |work=Eindhovens Dagblad |date=16 October 2021 |language=nl}}{{cite news |last1=Biesemans |first1=Eric |title=Stofzuiger Jarno Lion: Ik wil hier in een volwassen competitie ervaring opdoen |url=https://www.nieuwsblad.be/cnt/dmf20211222_94538583 |access-date=5 July 2022 |work=Nieuwsblad |date=22 December 2021 |language=nl-BE}}

On 15 June 2022, Lion's loan to Helmond Sport was extended for a second season.{{cite news |title=KV Mechelen regelt nieuwe uitleenbeurten voor enkele spelers |url=https://www.msn.com/nl-be/sport/voetbal/kv-mechelen-regelt-nieuwe-uitleenbeurten-voor-enkele-spelers/ar-AAYuXb0 |access-date=4 July 2022 |work=MSN |date=15 June 2022 |language=nl-BE}} He was increasingly benched for newcomers Elmo Lieftink and Michael Chacón during the 2022–23 season, as the club had seen an influx of players under new head coach Sven Swinnen and his replacement, interim coach Tim Bakens.{{cite news |title=Bakens neemt tijdelijk de leiding over bij Helmond Sport |url=https://www.regio8.nl/bakens-neemt-tijdelijk-de-leiding-over-bij-helmond-sport |access-date=16 December 2022 |work=Regio8 |date=25 October 2022 |language=nl-NL}}

=HSV Hoek=

On 13 July 2023, Lion signed a one-year contract with amateur club HSV Hoek, competing in the Dutch Derde Divisie.{{cite news |title=Hoek haalt middenvelder met meer dan 50 duels in het Nederlandse profvoetbal achter zijn naam |url=https://www.pzc.nl/amateurvoetbal/hoek-haalt-middenvelder-met-meer-dan-50-duels-in-het-nederlandse-profvoetbal-achter-zijn-naam~ac2c82c9f/ |access-date=16 February 2024 |work=Provinciale Zeeuwse Courant |date=13 July 2023 |language=nl}} He marked his club debut on 12 August by scoring the final goal in the 69th minute of a 3–2 victory over SteDoCo in the first round of the KNVB Cup.{{cite news |title=Hoek stelt na rust orde op zaken en bekert verder |url=https://www.omroepzeeland.nl/nieuws/15795659/hoek-stelt-na-rust-orde-op-zaken-en-bekert-verder |access-date=16 February 2024 |work=Omroep Zeeland |date=12 August 2023 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230922162648/https://www.omroepzeeland.nl/nieuws/15795659/hoek-stelt-na-rust-orde-op-zaken-en-bekert-verder |archive-date=22 September 2023 |language=nl}} His league debut for Hoek followed on 19 August, starting in a convincing 6–1 victory away against HV & CV Quick.{{cite news |title=Hoeks kwartiertje velt Quick bij zeer overtuigende competitiestart |url=https://www.omroepzeeland.nl/nieuws/15811685/hoeks-kwartiertje-velt-quick-bij-zeer-overtuigende-competitiestart |access-date=16 February 2024 |work=Omroep Zeeland |date=20 August 2023 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20240112173928/https://www.omroepzeeland.nl/nieuws/15811685/hoeks-kwartiertje-velt-quick-bij-zeer-overtuigende-competitiestart |archive-date=12 January 2024 |language=nl}}

Style of play

Lion is a defensive midfielder, valued for his ability to win the ball and recycle possession quickly. He is also a refined passer of the ball with a good technique. He has compared his style of play to compatriot Axel Witsel.{{cite news |last1=Tomasowa |first1=Jordi |title=Belgische stofzuiger imponeert in de KKD: 'Speelstijl te vergelijken met Witsel' |url=https://www.voetbalzone.nl/doc.asp?uid=406838 |access-date=16 December 2022 |work=Voetbalzone |date=13 August 2022 |language=nl}} After stepping down to playing amateur football with HSV Hoek in 2023, Lion started working at Footline, a store specialising in football equipment. {{as of|2023|post=,}} he lives in Zelzate with his girlfriend.{{cite news |last1=Dagevos |first1=Jan |title=Oud-prof Jarno Lion heeft zich verzoend met een stapje terug: 'Misschien is Hoek ook weer een springplank voor mij' |url=https://www.pzc.nl/amateurvoetbal/oud-prof-jarno-lion-heeft-zich-verzoend-met-een-stapje-terug-misschien-is-hoek-ook-weer-een-springplank-voor-mij~a5890c79/?cb=d860ab3c0ae053c065214f1445ac4061&auth_rd=1 |access-date=16 February 2024 |work=Provinciale Zeeuwse Courant |date=10 August 2023 |language=nl}}

Career statistics

{{updated|match played 5 April 2025}}{{cite web |title=J. Lion: Summary |url=https://us.soccerway.com/players/jarno-lion/741611/ |website=Soccerway |publisher=Perform Group |access-date=5 July 2022}}

rowspan="2"\|Club !rowspan="2"\|Season !colspan="3"\|League !colspan="2"\|Cup !colspan="2"\|Other !colspan="2"\|Total
class="wikitable" style="text-align:center" \|+ Appearances and goals by club, season and competition
Division	Apps	Goals	Apps	Goals	Apps	Goals	Apps	Goals
Mechelen \|2020–21 \|First Division A \|0	0	0	0	colspan="2"\|—	0	0
rowspan="3"\|Helmond Sport (loan) \|2021–22 \|Eerste Divisie \|31	1	1	0	colspan="2"\|—	32	1
2022–23 \|Eerste Divisie \|18	0	1	0	colspan="2"\|—	19	0
colspan="2"\|Total !49	1	2	0	colspan="2"\|—	51	1
rowspan="3"\|HSV Hoek \|2023–24 \|Derde Divisie \|23	3	2	1	colspan="2"\|—	25	4
2024–25 \|Derde Divisie \|26	5	1	0	colspan="2"\|—	27	5
colspan="2"\|Total !49	8	3	1	colspan="2"\|—	52	9
colspan="3"\|Career total !98	9	5	1	0	0	103	10