Wilfried Van Moer

{{Infobox football biography

| name = Wilfried van Moer

| image = Training Belgisch nationale voetbalelftal in Mechelen voor de wedstrijd woensdag, Bestanddeelnr 931-1522.jpg

| caption = Van Moer in 1980

| full_name =

| birth_date = {{birth date|df=yes|1945|3|1}}

| birth_place = Beveren, Belgium

| death_date = {{death date and age|df=yes|2021|8|24|1945|3|1}}

| death_place = Leuven, Belgium

| height = 1.68 m

| position = Midfielder

| youthyears1 =

| youthclubs1 =

| years1 = 1960–1965

| clubs1 = Beveren

| caps1 = 121

| goals1 = 56

| years2 = 1965–1968

| clubs2 = Antwerp

| caps2 = 77

| goals2 = 14

| years3 = 1968–1976

| clubs3 = Standard de Liège

| caps3 = 170

| goals3 = 24

| years4 = 1976–1980

| clubs4 = Beringen

| caps4 = 110

| goals4 = 17

| years5 = 1980–1982

| clubs5 = Beveren

| caps5 = 49

| goals5 = 6

| years6 = 1982–1984

| clubs6 = Sint-Truiden

| caps6 = 26

| goals6 = 0

| totalcaps = 553

| totalgoals = 117

| nationalyears1 = 1966–1982

| nationalteam1 = Belgium

| nationalcaps1 = 57

| nationalgoals1 = 9

| manageryears1 = 1996

| managerclubs1 = Belgium

| medaltemplates = {{MedalCountry|{{fb|BEL}}}}

}}

Wilfried van Moer (1 March 1945 – 24 August 2021) was a Belgian footballer who won the Belgian Golden Shoe three times, first in 1966 while at Antwerp then in 1969 and in 1970 while at Standard Liège.

Prior to 1966 Van Moer played with Beveren. He returned to his first club after a spell at Beringen in the early 1980s.

He played 57 times and scored nine goals for the Belgium national team between 1966 and 1982, starting in a 1–0 friendly win against Switzerland on 22 October 1966. Van Moer was in the team for the 1970 and 1982 World Cups and for the Euro 1980 in which Belgium finished second.

Club career

Born in Beveren-Waas, Van Moer began with home town club Beveren-Waas, then in the third tier of the Belgian League. A move to Royal Antwerp in 1965 was influenced not only by a chance to play in the 1st Division, but by the fact he was already working in that city as an electrician. He made his debut for the club in August 1965 against Union Saint-Gilloise.[http://www.rafcmuseum.be/spelersarchief/spelersfiche.php?id=284 Profile] - FC Antwerp At the end of 1966 he won his first Golden Shoe Award, having won his first international cap earlier that year.

It was during his three years at Antwerp under the guidance of coach Harry Game, that Van Moer, against his wishes, was moved from a wide right role to central midfield, preparing him to eventually succeed to another of Belgium's most celebrated players Jef Jurion, in the national team.

Following relegation for Antwerp in 1968, a protracted move to Standard Liège ensued, Van Moer resisting the interest of 1. FC Köln to remain in Belgium, and also Club Brugge, with whom he had made a personal agreement. The €150,000 fee for the now established international was at the time a Belgian record.

Wonderful domestic success followed at Standard, winning the championship in 1969, 1970 and 1971 and making it a hat-trick of Golden Shoes by winning the award in both 1969 and 1970.

As for his club career, he had left Standard in 1976 and played for the Limburg first division team FC Beringen for a few seasons (he owned a café in the Limburg capital Hasselt). In 1980, after his career had been rekindled, he made a transfer to his original team SK Beveren (which had become Belgian champion in 1979). He stayed there for two more seasons and concluded his career in Limburg again at Sint-Truiden, where he became trainer-player.

International career

File:Wilfried_Van_Moer.jpg

Van Moer was a regular for the Belgium national team, appearing in the 1970 FIFA World Cup and scoring twice in a 3–0 defeat of El Salvador, Belgium's only win in the tournament. Two years later, he played a key role in helping his country qualify for the semi-finals of the UEFA Euro 1972. After Belgium had defended stubbornly in a goalless quarter final, first leg in Italy, he scored the opening goal midway through the first half in the return at Anderlecht's Constant Vanden Stock Stadium. But then something was to happen, putting the Belgian's career on hold. On the stroke of half-time, Mario Bertini's lunge resulted in a broken leg for Van Moer, a bitter-sweet day for the home nation who ultimately celebrated a 2–1 victory.

Although he recovered, the leg-break and other injuries restricted his international appearances over the next three seasons. By October 1979, aged 34, without an appearance for The Red Devils for four and a half years, international football couldn't have been further from his thoughts. But wily Belgian coach Guy Thys had other ideas. Van Moer was an inspired choice for a Belgian side who had forgotten how to win, as they prepared to take on Portugal in a 'do or die' EC qualifier. Van Moer again came up trumps with the first goal in a 2–0 win. Van Moer also performed key roles in home and away victories over Scotland, which propelled Belgium to qualification for the Finals tournament in Italy.

Striker Horst Hrubesch may have scored two goals to secure final victory for West Germany, but for many the outstanding player of the tournament was the Belgian central midfielder with the seemingly boundless energy. He ran the show in most every game he played, scheming, prompting and holding the ball, never wasteful his performances were as dynamic as they were inspirational as Belgium went all the way to their only major Final. Van Moer was arguably the most influential player in the tournament and indeed at 35, his performances earned him fourth place (equalling the best ever showing by a Belgian) in the Ballon d'Or poll. Karl-Heinz Rummenigge, Bernd Schuster and Michel Platini finished ahead of him.

Van Moer's international career went on for another two years, long enough to appear in another World Cup Finals series. Named captain in the absence of Eric Gerets, for the second-phase game against Poland his international career ended when replaced by François Van der Elst at half-time. Belgium trailed by two at the interval and went on to lose 3–0, Poland's inspiration coming from Zbigniew Boniek who was the only player to score.

Managerial career

After he stopped playing football, he became coach with Sint-Truiden, SK Beveren, Assent and FC Diest, before calling it a day, somewhat disappointed by the general professional level of the Belgian football players.

He was called by the Belgian Football Union to do some prospective work and became assistant coach to national coach Paul Van Himst in 1995 after a few heavy defeats of the Red Devils. He succeeded Van Himst as a head coach in 1996 for five games.

However, people in the Football Union and the press were not very delighted by his lack of communicative skills and at the beginning of 1997, he was, in his turn, replaced by Georges Leekens. He has not taken up any managerial tasks since.

Death

Van Moer suffered a cerebral haemorrhage and died in a hospital in Leuven on 24 August 2021.[https://www.hln.be/dossier-wilfried-van-moer-1945-2021/voetbalwereld-in-rouw-drievoudig-gouden-schoen-wilfried-van-moer-76-overleden~a5aa2591/ Voetbalwereld in rouw: drievoudig Gouden Schoen Wilfried Van Moer (76) overleden]{{Cite web|title=WILFRIED VAN MOER HAS PASSED AWAY|url=https://www.rbfa.be/en/news/wilfried-van-moer-has-passed-away|access-date=2021-08-26|website=RBFA}}

Career statistics

class="wikitable" style="text-align:center" \|+Appearances and goals by club, season and competition{{cite web \|date=3 December 2025 \|title=General Information about the player Wilfried Van Moer \|url=https://www.national-football-teams.com/player/18339/Wilfried_Van_Moer.html}} ! rowspan="2" \|Club ! rowspan="2" \|Season ! colspan="3" \|League ! colspan="2" \|National cup ! colspan="2" \|League cup ! colspan="2" \|Europe ! colspan="2" \|Total
Division !Apps !Goals !Apps !Goals !Apps !Goals !Apps !Goals !Apps !Goals
rowspan="6" \|Beveren \|1960–61 \| rowspan="3" \|Fourth Division \|4 \|2 \| \| \| \| \| \| \| \|
1961–62 \|28 \|12 \| \| \| \| \| \| \| \|
1962–63 \|30 \|23 \| \| \| \| \| \| \| \|
1963–64 \| rowspan="2" \|Third Division \|30 \|9 \| \| \| \| \| \| \| \|
1964–65 \|29 \|9 \| \| \| \| \| \| \| \|
colspan="2" \|Total !121 !56 ! ! ! ! ! ! ! !
rowspan="4" \|Antwerp \|1965–66 \| rowspan="3" \|First Division \|26 \|8 \| \| \| \| \| \| \| \|
1966–67 \|26 \|3 \| \| \| \| \| \| \| \|
1967–68 \|25 \|2 \| \| \| \| \| \| \| \|
colspan="2" \|Total !77 !14 ! ! ! ! ! ! ! !
rowspan="9" \|Standard Liège \|1968–69 \| rowspan="8" \|First Division \|25 \|1 \| \| \| \| \| \| \| \|
1969–70 \|26 \|6 \| \| \| \| \| \| \| \|
1970–71 \|28 \|6 \| \| \| \| \| \| \| \|
1971–72 \|21 \|1 \| \| \| \| \| \| \| \|
1972–73 \|18 \|2 \| \| \| \| \| \| \| \|
1973–74 \|13 \|2 \| \| \| \| \| \| \| \|
1974–75 \|20 \|4 \| \| \| \| \| \| \| \|
1975–76 \|19 \|3 \| \| \| \| \| \| \| \|
colspan="2" \|Total !170 !24 ! ! ! ! ! ! ! !
rowspan="5" \|Beringen \|1976–77 \| rowspan="4" \|First Division \|30 \|5 \| \| \| \| \| \| \| \|
1977–78 \|28 \|5 \| \| \| \| \| \| \| \|
1978–79 \|23 \|5 \| \| \| \| \| \| \| \|
1979–80 \|29 \|2 \| \| \| \| \| \| \| \|
colspan="2" \|Total !110 !17 ! ! ! ! ! ! ! !
rowspan="3" \|Beveren \|1980–81 \| rowspan="2" \|First Division \|21 \|2 \| \| \| \| \| \| \| \|
1981–82 \|28 \|4 \| \| \| \| \| \| \| \|
colspan="2" \|Total !49 !6 ! ! ! ! ! ! ! !
rowspan="3" \|Sint-Truiden \|1982–83 \| rowspan="2" \|Second Division \|18 \|0 \| \| \| \| \| \| \| \|
1983–84 \|8 \|0 \| \| \| \| \| \| \| \|
colspan="2" \|Total !26 !0 ! ! ! ! ! ! ! !
colspan="3" \|Career total !553 !117 ! ! ! ! ! ! ! !

class="wikitable" style="text-align:center"

|+Appearances and goals by club, season and competition{{cite web |date=3 December 2025 |title=General Information about the player Wilfried Van Moer |url=https://www.national-football-teams.com/player/18339/Wilfried_Van_Moer.html}}

! rowspan="2" |Club

! rowspan="2" |Season

! colspan="3" |League

! colspan="2" |National cup

! colspan="2" |League cup

! colspan="2" |Europe

! colspan="2" |Total

Division

!Apps

!Goals

!Apps

!Goals

!Apps

!Goals

!Apps

!Goals

!Apps

!Goals

rowspan="6" |Beveren

|1960–61

| rowspan="3" |Fourth Division

1961–62

|28

|12

1962–63

|30

|23

1963–64

| rowspan="2" |Third Division

|30

1964–65

|29

colspan="2" |Total

!121

!56

rowspan="4" |Antwerp

|1965–66

| rowspan="3" |First Division

|26

1966–67

|26

1967–68

|25

colspan="2" |Total

!77

!14

rowspan="9" |Standard Liège

|1968–69

| rowspan="8" |First Division

|25

|26

|28

|21

|18

|13

|20

|19

colspan="2" |Total

!170

!24

rowspan="5" |Beringen

|1976–77

| rowspan="4" |First Division

|30

1977–78

|28

1978–79

|23

1979–80

|29

colspan="2" |Total

!110

!17

rowspan="3" |Beveren

|1980–81

| rowspan="2" |First Division

|21

1981–82

|28

colspan="2" |Total

!49

rowspan="3" |Sint-Truiden

|1982–83

| rowspan="2" |Second Division

|18

1983–84

colspan="2" |Total

!26

colspan="3" |Career total

!553

!117

class="wikitable" style="text-align:center" \|+Appearances and goals by national team and year{{cite web \|date=11 January 2024 \|title=WILFRIED VAN MOER - Footballer stats by year \|url=https://eu-football.info/_player.php?id=21832 \|publisher=eu-football.info \|language= \|publication-date=}} !National team !Year !Apps !Goals
rowspan="14" \|Belgium \|1966 \|2 \|0
1967 \|2 \|0
1968 \|6 \|0
1969 \|4 \|0
1970 \|6 \|3
1971 \|5 \|1
1972 \|3 \|1
1973 \|1 \|0
1974 \|6 \|2
1975 \|1 \|0
1979 \|3 \|1
1980 \|9 \|0
1981 \|3 \|0
1982 \|6 \|1
colspan="2" \|Total !57 !9

class="wikitable" style="text-align:center"

|+Appearances and goals by national team and year{{cite web |date=11 January 2024 |title=WILFRIED VAN MOER - Footballer stats by year |url=https://eu-football.info/_player.php?id=21832 |publisher=eu-football.info |language= |publication-date=}}

!National team

!Year

!Apps

!Goals

rowspan="14" |Belgium

|1966

1967

1968

1969

1970

1971

1972

1973

1974

1975

1979

1980

1981

1982

colspan="2" |Total

!57

class="wikitable sortable"

|+List of international goals scored by Wilfried Van Moer

! scope="col" |{{Abbr|No.|Number}}

! scope="col" |Cap

! scope="col" |Date

! scope="col" |Venue

! scope="col" |Opponent

! scope="col" |Score

! scope="col" |Result

! scope="col" |Competition

align="center" | 1

rowspan="2" align="center"| 16

rowspan="2"|3 June 1970

rowspan="2" | Estadio Azteca, Mexico City, Mexico

rowspan="2"| {{fb|SLV}}

align="center" | 1–0

rowspan="2" style="text-align:center;" {{won|3–0}}

rowspan="2"|1970 FIFA World Cup Group stage

align="center" | 2

align="center" | 2–0

align="center" |3

| align="center" |19

|15 November 1970

|Heysel Stadium, Brussels, Belgium

|{{fb|FRA}}

| align="center" |1–1

|Friendly

align="center" |4

| align="center" |23

|20 May 1971

|Stade Municipal, Luxembourg City, Luxembourg

|{{fb|LUX}}

| align="center" |4–0

|Friendly

align="center" |5

| align="center" |27

|13 May 1972

|Stade Émile Versé, Anderlecht, Belgium

|{{fb|ITA}}

| align="center" |1–0

|1982 World Cup qualification

align="center" |6

| align="center" |31

|17 April 1974

|Stade de Sclessin, Liège, Belgium

|{{fb|POL}}

| align="center" |1–0

|Friendly

align="center" |7

| align="center" |34

|8 September 1974

|Laugardalsvöllur, Reykjavík, Iceland

|{{fb|ISL}}

| align="center" |1–0

|Euro 1984 qualification

align="center" |8

| align="center" |38

|17 October 1979

|Heysel Stadium, Brussels, Belgium

|{{fb|POR}}

| align="center" |1–0

|Euro 1984 qualification

align="center" |9

| align="center" |53

|24 April 1982

|Heysel Stadium, Brussels, Belgium

|{{fb|BUL}}

| align="center" |2–1

|Friendly

Honours

File:Farewell_Wilfried_Van_Moer_Sclessin.jpg, September 2021]]

Standard Liège{{cite web|title=Standard de Liège {{!}} Palmares|url=https://standard.be/fr/palmares|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160206084928/http://www.eurosport.co.uk/football/michel-preud-homme_prs89281/person.shtml|archive-date=6 February 2016|access-date=6 February 2016|publisher=Eurosport}}

Belgian First Division: 1968–69, 1969–70, 1970–71
Belgian League Cup: 1975

Belgium

UEFA European Championship: runners-up 1980{{cite web|title=UEFA Euro 1980|url=https://www.uefa.com/uefaeuro/history/seasons/1980/matches/}}
Belgian Sports Merit Award: 1980{{cite web|title=Nationale Trofee voor Sportverdienste|url=https://www.standaard.be/cnt/dmf20191107_04705232}}

Individual

Belgian Golden Shoe: 1966, 1969, 1970{{cite web|title=Winnaars Gouden Schoen|url=https://www.nieuwsblad.be/cnt/dmf20120111_213}}
Sport Ideal European XI: 1972{{cite web|url=http://hemeroteca.mundodeportivo.com/preview/1972/12/31/pagina-15/972425/pdf.html |website=Mundo Deportivo|title=Sport 1972|access-date=4 June 2024 }}
Ballon d'Or fourth place: 1980{{cite web|title=Ballon d'Or 1980|url=https://www.francefootball.fr/news/1980-k-h-rummenigge/423420}}
Ballon d'Or nominations: 1971,{{cite web|title=Ballon d'Or 1971|url=https://www.francefootball.fr/news/1971-johan-cruyff/423389}} 1981{{cite web|title=Ballon d'Or 1981|url=https://www.francefootball.fr/news/1981-k-h-rummenigge/423423}}
Belgian Golden Shoe of the 20th Century (1995): third place{{cite web|title=Soulier d'or belge du 20ème siècle|url=https://www.football-the-story.com/blog/soulier-d-or-belge}}
Platina Eleven (Best Team in 50 Years of Golden Shoe Winners) (2003){{Cite web|last=UEFA.com|date=15 January 2004|title=Aruna voted Belgium's finest|url=https://www.uefa.com/insideuefa/member-associations/BEL/news/0199-0f8452c4cff9-ecec98bb3aad-1000--aruna-voted-belgium-s-finest/|access-date=8 November 2020|website=UEFA|language=en}}{{dead link|date=March 2025|bot=medic}}{{cbignore|bot=medic}}
The Best Golden Shoe Team Ever (2011){{cite web|title=Het beste Gouden Schoen-elftal ooit|url=https://www.nieuwsblad.be/cnt/go6356m2g}}
IFFHS All Time Belgium XI (2021){{Cite web |title=IFFHS |url=https://www.iffhs.com/posts/1260 |access-date=2022-01-16 |website=www.iffhs.com}}
Standard Liège Hall of Fame: 2024{{Cite web |date=1 December 2024 |title=R. Standard Liège Hall of Fame: Our legends |url=https://halloffame.standardliege.be/en/legends/ |website=halloffame.standardliege.be |language=}}

References

External links

{{WorldFootball.net|wilfried-van-moer}}
[https://www.rsssf.org/miscellaneous/belg-recintlp.html Belgium - Record International Players] - RSSSF
[http://www.xtratime.org/forum/showthread.php?t=248787 xtratime.org] - Xtratime

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Category:1945 births

Category:2021 deaths

Category:Belgian men's footballers

Category:Men's association football midfielders

Category:Belgium men's international footballers