Jelle Van Damme
{{Short description|Belgian footballer}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=August 2021}}
{{Infobox football biography
| name = Jelle Van Damme
| image = Jelle Van Damme 2014.jpg
| image_size =
| caption = Van Damme playing for Standard Liège in 2014
| fullname = Jelle François Maria Van Damme
| height = 1.94 m
| birth_date = {{birth date and age|1983|10|10|df=y}}
| birth_place = Lokeren, Belgium
| currentclub =
| clubnumber =
| position = Defender, left midfielder
| youthyears1 =
| youthclubs1 = Beveren
| youthyears2 =
| youthclubs2 = Lokeren
| years1 = 1998
| clubs1 = Lokeren
| caps1 = 1
| goals1 = 0
| years2 = 2001–2002
| clubs2 = Germinal Beerschot
| caps2 = 7
| goals2 = 0
| years3 = 2002–2004
| clubs3 = Ajax
| caps3 = 18
| goals3 = 0
| years4 = 2004–2006
| clubs4 = Southampton
| caps4 = 6
| goals4 = 0
| years5 = 2005–2006
| clubs5 = → Werder Bremen (loan)
| caps5 = 8
| goals5 = 1
| years6 = 2006–2010
| clubs6 = Anderlecht
| caps6 = 100
| goals6 = 12
| years7 = 2010–2011
| clubs7 = Wolverhampton Wanderers
| caps7 = 6
| goals7 = 1
| years8 = 2011–2016
| clubs8 = Standard Liège
| caps8 = 120
| goals8 = 17
| years9 = 2016–2017
| clubs9 = LA Galaxy
| caps9 = 46
| goals9 = 1
| years10 = 2017–2019
| clubs10 = Royal Antwerp
| caps10 = 44
| goals10 = 1
| years11 = 2019–2020
| clubs11 = Lokeren
| caps11 = 23
| goals11 = 1
| totalcaps = 379
| totalgoals = 34
| nationalyears1 = 2001–2002
| nationalteam1 = Belgium U19
| nationalcaps1 = 18
| nationalgoals1 = 0
| nationalyears2 = 2002–2003
| nationalteam2 = Belgium U21
| nationalcaps2 = 4
| nationalgoals2 = 0
| nationalyears3 = 2003–2014
| nationalteam3 = Belgium
| nationalcaps3 = 31
| nationalgoals3 = 0
}}
Jelle François Maria Van Damme ({{IPA|nl|ˈjɛlə vɑn ˈdɑmə}}; born 10 October 1983) is a Belgian retired professional footballer who played as a centre-back, left-back or left midfielder. He played for clubs in Belgium, England, Germany, the Netherlands and the United States. He also earned over 30 caps for the Belgium national team.
Club career
=Early career=
Van Damme started his career at Beveren, before he made a short move to neighbour club Lokeren where he played in the youth teams. He then signed for Germinal Beerschot in 2001, making his senior debut in the Jupiler League. Beerschot were linked with Ajax and the Amsterdam club soon offered him a trial stay beginning in February 2002.
In summer 2002, Van Damme moved permanently to Ajax where he showed promise in the Dutch Cup. In the 2002–03 season, he played in the Champions League and started as a regular player in the squad before breaking his toe in November 2002. The next season, he helped Ajax again qualify for the Champions League group stage but he had few chances to play in the first team's title winning campaign, with the club preferring the Brazilian Maxwell at full back. This limited chance of game time led him to sign for Southampton of the Premier League in June 2004, for £2.5 million.{{cite news| title = Saints land van Damme| date=9 June 2004 | publisher=BBC Sport | url= http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport1/hi/football/teams/s/southampton/3788441.stm | access-date = 9 July 2013}}
He made little impact during his spell with Southampton, playing just six times during the 2004–05 season, as the club were relegated to the Championship. He spent the 2005–06 season on loan at German Bundesliga club Werder Bremen but again struggled to hold down regular football, making just eight appearances (three starts), as the club finished runners-up. In search of more playing opportunities, Van Damme returned to his homeland to sign for Anderlecht in June 2006 for €500,000.{{cite news| title = Van Damme bound for Anderlecht| date=6 June 2006 | publisher=UEFA | url= http://en.uefa.com/memberassociations/news/newsid=427741.html | archive-url= https://archive.today/20120717043610/http://en.uefa.com/memberassociations/news/newsid=427741.html | url-status= dead | archive-date= 17 July 2012 | access-date = 9 July 2013}}
=Anderlecht=
His four-year spell at Anderlecht was much more successful as he won two Jupiler League championships (twice runners-up) and the 2008 Belgian Cup, and appeared in the Champions League group stages several times. Van Damme scored in the 2–1 win at rivals Club Brugge that won the second of these league titles in 2010.{{cite news| title =
His time in Brussels was the source of an unsavoury incident however, when Standard Liège defender Oguchi Onyewu accused him of racial abuse alleging that Van Damme called Onyewu a "dirty monkey" during the 2008–09 Championship playoff between the clubs.{{Cite news |first=Michael |last=Adubato |title=Onyewu: We'll Make Liege Proud |url=http://www.yanks-abroad.com/get.php?mode=content&id=4745 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20090524170847/http://yanks-abroad.com/get.php?mode=content&id=4745 |url-status=usurped |archive-date=24 May 2009 |work=Yanks-Abroad.com |date=22 May 2009 |access-date=22 May 2009 |quote=I almost ended up fighting him (Van Damme). He called me a monkey several times. The league has these anti-racism campaigns, but when I told the referee what Van Damme was saying, he chose not to do anything about it. I also told the journalists after the game last night about this.}} Onyewu subsequently sued Van Damme,{{Cite magazine |title=U.S.' Onyewu sues over alleged racist slur |url=http://sportsillustrated.cnn.com/2009/soccer/06/02/onyewu.slur.ap/index.html |archive-url=https://archive.today/20120718031312/http://sportsillustrated.cnn.com/2009/soccer/06/02/onyewu.slur.ap/index.html |url-status=dead |archive-date=18 July 2012 |magazine=Sports Illustrated |agency=Associated Press |date=2 June 2009|access-date=2 June 2009 }} although the case was withdrawn in February 2011 after a meeting between the two players when Van Damme apologised for any offence he may have given.{{cite web|title= Oguchi Onyewu retire sa plainte contre Jelle Van Damme (Oguchi Onyewu withdraws his complaint against Jelle Van Damme) |url=http://www.dhnet.be/sports/football/article/343381/oguchi-onyewu-retire-sa-plainte-contre-jelle-van-damme.html |work=DH Sports |date=17 February 2011|access-date=16 June 2012 | language = fr}}
=Wolverhampton Wanderers=
Van Damme returned to the Premier League in June 2010 by joining Wolverhampton Wanderers. He signed a three-year deal, with the option of a fourth year, for a fee reported to be around £2.5 million.{{cite news| title = Wolves recruit defender Jelle van Damme from Anderlecht| date=1 June 2010 | publisher=BBC Sport | url= http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport1/hi/football/teams/w/wolverhampton_wanderers/8715598.stm | access-date = 9 July 2013}} Sell-on clauses relating to his 2006 move to Anderlecht mean that Southampton should receive between 10 and 15 per cent of the fee received from Wolves, estimated at £300,000.{{cite news|title=Van Damme deal nets Saints a cash boost|url=http://www.dailyecho.co.uk/sport/8195071.Van_Damme_deal_nets_Saints_a_cash_boost/|access-date=1 June 2010|newspaper=Southern Daily Echo|date=1 June 2010}}
He scored his first, and only, goal for Wolves against Fulham on 11 September 2010. He struggled to settle at the club though, and on 29 November 2010, he signed a pre-contract agreement to return to his Belgian homeland in a three-and-a-half-year deal with Standard Liège, after just six appearances for the Midlands club.{{cite news|title=Jelle Van Damme|url= http://www.standard.be/toutes-les-news/lire/~jelle-van-damme-1145.htm?lng=fr#.Udx3XqqTeXI |publisher=Standard Liège|date=29 November 2010 | language = fr | access-date = 9 July 2013}}{{cite news|title=Wolves confirm Van Damme deal close |url=http://www.wolves.co.uk/page/News/0,,10307~2233479,00.html |publisher=wolves.co.uk |date=30 November 2010 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20101201231954/http://www.wolves.co.uk/page/News/0%2C%2C10307~2233479%2C00.html |archive-date= 1 December 2010 }}
=Standard Liège=
Van Damme's return to Belgium was officially ratified when the January 2011 transfer window opened. He made his Standard debut (playing as captain) in a 2–0 loss at former club Anderlecht on 23 January.{{cite news|title=R.S.C. Anderlecht 2–0 Royal Standard de Liège|url=http://www.standard.be/match-3675-r-s-c-anderlecht-royal-standard-de-liege/description-108.htm?lng=fr|publisher=Standard Liège|date=23 January 2011|access-date=9 July 2013|language=fr|url-status=dead|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130921053309/http://www.standard.be/match-3675-r-s-c-anderlecht-royal-standard-de-liege/description-108.htm?lng=fr|archive-date=21 September 2013}}
=LA Galaxy=
On 26 January 2016, it was announced that Van Damme had joined LA Galaxy.{{cite web|title=LA Galaxy acquire defender Jelle Van Damme|url=http://www.lagalaxy.com/post/2016/01/26/la-galaxy-acquire-defender-jelle-van-damme|publisher=LA Galaxy|access-date=26 January 2016|date=26 January 2016}} He made his debut on 24 February 2016 in a CONCACAF Champions League quarterfinal leg against Santos Laguna.
=Royal Antwerp=
In August 2017, Van Damme returned yet again to Belgium as he was signed by Royal Antwerp for $235,000. Van Damme said the main reason for leaving the LA Galaxy was that he wanted to be closer to his children.{{cite web|url=http://www.espnfc.us/la-galaxy/story/3182820/jelle-van-damme-completes-exit-from-la-galaxy-and-joins-royal-antwerp|title=Jelle van Damme completes exit from LA Galaxy and joins Royal Antwerp|date=18 August 2017|access-date=19 August 2017|publisher=ESPN FC}}
=Lokeren=
=Retirement=
Van Damme retired from professional football in February 2021.{{cite web |title=Defender Jelle Van Damme retires from professional soccer |url=https://www.lagalaxy.com/post/2021/02/12/defender-jelle-van-damme-retires-professional-soccer |publisher=LA Galaxy |access-date=17 April 2021 |date=12 February 2021}}
International career
Van Damme made his debut for the Belgium national team on 29 March 2003 in a 4–0 friendly loss to Croatia. He appeared for the national team during their unsuccessful qualifying campaigns for the 2006 and 2010 World Cups and UEFA Euro 2008.
Personal life
Van Damme was married to former tennis player Elke Clijsters, sister of Kim Clijsters, whom he wed in May 2008 in Bree, Belgium. The marriage ended in 2016. They have two children.{{cite news|title=Kim Clijsters|url=https://www.theguardian.com/sport/2010/oct/29/small-talk-kim-clijsters-tennis|work=The Guardian|date=29 October 2010 | access-date = 9 July 2013 | first = Katy | last = Murrells}}
Career statistics
=Club=
| class="wikitable" style="text-align:center"
|+ Appearances and goals by club, season and competition | ||||||||||||
| rowspan="2"|Club
!rowspan="2"|Season !colspan="3"|League !colspan="2"|National Cup !colspan="2"|League Cup !colspan="2"|Continental !colspan="2"|Other !colspan="2"|Total | ||||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Division | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals |
| Lokeren
|1998–99{{cite web |title=Jelle Van Damme » Club matches |url=https://www.worldfootball.net/player_summary/jelle-van-damme/2/ |website=worldfootball.net |access-date=1 August 2021}} |1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | colspan="2"|— | colspan="2"|— | colspan="2"|— | 1 | 0 | ||||
| Germinal Beerschot
|Belgian First Division |7 | 0 | 0 | 0 | colspan="2"|— | colspan="2"|— | colspan="2"|— | 7 | 0 | ||||
| rowspan="4"|Ajax
|rowspan="3"|Eredivisie |1 | 0 | colspan="2"|— | 0 | 0 | colspan="2"|— | 1 | 0 | |||||
| 2002–03
|11 | 0 | colspan="2"|— | 7 | 0 | colspan="2"|— | 18 | 0 | |||||
| 2003–04
|6 | 0 | colspan="2"|— | 5 | 0 | colspan="2"|— | 11 | 0 | |||||
| colspan="2"|Total
!18 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 12 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 30 | 0 | |
| Southampton
|6 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 3 | 0 | colspan="2"|— | colspan="2"|— | 9 | 0 | |||
| Werder Bremen (loan)
|8 | 1 | 1 | 0 | colspan="2"|— | 1 | 0 | colspan="2"|— | 10 | 1 | |||
| rowspan="5"|Anderlecht
|rowspan="3"|Belgian First Division |25 | 0 | 0 | 0 | colspan="2"|— | 3 | 0 | colspan="2"|— | 28 | 0 | |||
| 2007–08
|29 | 7 | 1 | 0 | colspan="2"|— | 10 | 0 | colspan="2"|— | 40 | 7 | |||
| 2008–09
|22 | 3 | 0 | 0 | colspan="2"|— | colspan="2"|— | 2{{efn|Belgian First Division championship play-offs}} | 0 | 24 | 3 | |||
| 2009–10
|24 | 2 | 1 | 0 | colspan="2"|— | 10 | 1 | 10{{efn|name=bpl-p|Appearances in Belgian Pro League play-offs}} | 5 | 45 | 8 | ||
| colspan="2"|Total
!100 | 12 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 23 | 1 | 12 | 5 | 137 | 18 | |
| Wolverhampton Wanderers
|Premier League |6 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | colspan="2"|— | colspan="2"|— | 6 | 1 | |||
| rowspan="7"|Standard Liège
|rowspan="6"|Belgian Pro League |8 | 2 | 4 | 1 | colspan="2"|— | colspan="2"|— | 9{{efn|name=bpl-p}} | 0 | 21 | 3 | |||
| 2011–12
|20 | 5 | 2 | 2 | colspan="2"|— | 9 | 0 | 11{{efn|Ten appearances in league-playoffs, one appearance(s) in the Belgian Super Cup}} | 0 | 42 | 7 | ||
| 2012–13
|28 | 3 | 2 | 1 | colspan="2"|— | colspan="2"|— | 7{{efn|name=bpl-p}} | 0 | 37 | 4 | |||
| 2013–14
|28 | 3 | 1 | 0 | colspan="2"|— | 7 | 0 | 10{{efn|name=bpl-p}} | 0 | 46 | 3 | ||
| 2014–15
|19 | 2 | 1 | 0 | colspan="2"|— | 9 | 0 | 7{{efn|name=bpl-p}} | 0 | 36 | 2 | ||
| 2015–16
|17 | 2 | 2 | 0 | colspan="2"|— | 4 | 1 | colspan="2"|— | 23 | 3 | |||
| colspan="2"|Total
!120 | 17 | 12 | 4 | 0 | 0 | 29 | 1 | 44 | 0 | 205 | 22 | |
| rowspan="3"|LA Galaxy
|2016 |rowspan="2"|Major League Soccer |28 | 0 | 1 | 0 | colspan="2"|— | 2 | 0 | 3{{efn|Appearances in MLS play-offs}} | 0 | 34 | 0 | ||
| 2017
|18 | 1 | 3 | 1 | colspan="2"|— | colspan="2"|— | colspan="2"|— | 21 | 2 | ||||
| colspan="2"|Total
!46 | 1 | 4 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 3 | 0 | 55 | 2 | |
| rowspan="3"|Royal Antwerp
|rowspan="2"|Belgian First Division A |19 | 0 | 1 | 0 | colspan="2"|— | colspan="2"|— | 4{{efn|name=bfda-p|Appearances in Belgian First Division A play-offs}} | 0 | 24 | 0 | |||
| 2018–19
|25 | 1 | 0 | 0 | colspan="2"|— | colspan="2"|— | 9{{efn|name=bfda-p}} | 0 | 34 | 1 | |||
| colspan="2"|Total
!44 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 13 | 0 | 58 | 1 | |
| Lokeren
|23 | 1 | 1 | 0 | colspan="2"|— | colspan="2"|— | colspan="2"|— | 24 | 1 | ||||
| colspan="3"|Career total
!379 | 34 | 21 | 5 | 3 | 0 | 67 | 2 | 72 | 5 | 542 | 46 |
{{notelist}}
Honours
Ajax
Werder Bremen
- Bundesliga runner-up: 2005–06
Anderlecht
Standard Liège
|url=https://www.besoccer.com/match/standard-liege/kvc-westerlo/2011202128/lineups
|title=CUP BELGIUM. FINAL
|publisher=besoccer.com
|access-date=22 April 2022}}
=Individual=
References
{{Reflist}}
External links
- {{Soccerbase|name=Jelle Van Damme (incomplete)}}
- [https://archive.today/20121223120515/http://www.law.ed.ac.uk/courses/blogs/sportandthelaw/blogentry.aspx?blogentryref=8142 Article on legal ramifications of lawsuit between Onyewu and Van Damme]
{{2016 MLS Best XI}}
{{DEFAULTSORT:Van Damme, Jelle}}
Category:Footballers from East Flanders
Category:Belgian men's footballers
Category:Belgium men's international footballers
Category:Belgian Pro League players
Category:Premier League players
Category:Major League Soccer players
Category:K.S.K. Beveren players
Category:K.S.C. Lokeren Oost-Vlaanderen players
Category:Beerschot A.C. players
Category:Southampton F.C. players
Category:SV Werder Bremen players
Category:R.S.C. Anderlecht players
Category:Wolverhampton Wanderers F.C. players
Category:Standard Liège players
Category:Royal Antwerp F.C. players
Category:Belgian expatriate men's footballers
Category:Belgian expatriate sportspeople in the Netherlands
Category:Expatriate men's footballers in the Netherlands
Category:Belgian expatriate sportspeople in England
Category:Expatriate men's footballers in England
Category:Belgian expatriate sportspeople in Germany
Category:Expatriate men's footballers in Germany
Category:Men's association football defenders
Category:Men's association football midfielders
Category:Major League Soccer All-Stars
Category:Designated Players (MLS)