Leo Van der Elst

Leo Van der Elst
Personal information
Date of birth7 January 1962
Place of birthOpwijk, Belgium
Height1.80 m (5 ft 11 in)
Playing positionMidfielder
Youth career
HO Merchtem
Senior career*
YearsTeamApps†(Gls)†
1979–1984Antwerp150(25)
1984–1988Club Brugge123(30)
1988Metz13(1)
1988–1989RKC17(1)
1989–1990Charleroi29(1)
1990–1994Genk83(10)
1994–1995Eendracht Aalst21(1)
Total436(69)
National team
1984–1987Belgium13(0)
Teams managed
1999–2000Oostende
2002–2003Eendracht Aalst
* Senior club appearances and goals counted for the domestic league only.
† Appearances (Goals).

Leo Van der Elst (born 7 January 1962) is a Belgian retired footballer who played mainly as a defensive midfielder.

He amassed Belgian Pro League totals of 406 games and 67 goals over the course of 15 seasons, mainly in representation of Antwerp, Club Brugge and Genk. His older brother, François, was also a professional footballer, and both were Belgian internationals.

Football career

Van der Elst was born in Opwijk. During his career he played for Royal Antwerp FC, Club Brugge KV (where he often partnered namesake Franky, contributing with five goals in 30 games to the conquest of the 1987–88 national championship), FC Metz, RKC Waalwijk, R. Charleroi SC, K.R.C. Genk and V.C. Eendracht Aalst 2002, retiring in 1995 at 33; subsequently, he began a coaching career.

Van der Elst gained 13 caps for Belgium and was selected, alongside Franky, to the 1986 FIFA World Cup. There, in the quarterfinal clash against Spain, he scored the penalty shootout decider after the regulation 1–1.[1]

References

  1. ↑ "1–1: Buenas noches, España" [1–1: Good night, Spain] (in Spanish). El Mundo Deportivo. 23 June 1986. Retrieved 4 June 2014.

External links