François Van der Elst

See also Franky Van der Elst, another Belgian footballer.
François Van Der Elst
Personal information
Full name François J. C. Van Der Elst
Date of birth 1 December 1954 (1954-12-01) (age 57)
Place of birth Opwijk, Belgium
Height 1.72 m (5 ft 7 1⁄2 in)
Playing position Striker
Senior career*
Years Team Apps† (Gls)†
1971–1980 Anderlecht 243 (82)
1980–1981 New York Cosmos 43 (12)
1981–1983 West Ham United 62 (14)
1983–1986 Lokeren 57 (12)
National team
1973–1983 Belgium 44 (14)
* Senior club appearances and goals counted for the domestic league only.
† Appearances (Goals).

François J. C. Van Der Elst (born 1 December 1954 in Opwijk) is a former Belgian footballer, who played as a striker.

Nicknamed Swat, his younger brother, Leo, was also a professional footballer. Both were Belgian internationals.

Football career

From 1969–80, Van Der Elst played for R.S.C. Anderlecht, with which he would go on to total 82 Belgian First Division goals, surpassing 100 overall; in 1976, he was part of the 1975–76 European Cup Winners' Cup-winning squad, netting twice in the final against West Ham United (4–2) and, in the following season's league, was crowned the competition's topscorer at 21 goals, as the Brussels outfit finished in second position.

In January 1982, after a brief USA spell with the New York Cosmos, Van Der Elst signed with West Ham for £400,000, proceeding to score 17 goals overall in his one 1/2 season stint; he finished his career back home, with three seasons with K.S.C. Lokeren Oost-Vlaanderen.

With Belgium, Van Der Elst counted 44 caps and 14 goals, helping the nation to second place in the UEFA Euro 1980.

Honours

R.S.C. Anderlecht

External links

Belgium squad – UEFA Euro 1980 Runners-up
Belgium squad – 1982 FIFA World Cup