The Most Famous

SOCCER PLAYERS from Belgium

This page contains a list of the greatest Belgian Soccer Players. The pantheon dataset contains 21,273 Soccer Players, 276 of which were born in Belgium. This makes Belgium the birth place of the 13th most number of Soccer Players behind Uruguay, and United States.

Top 10

The following people are considered by Pantheon to be the top 10 most legendary Belgian Soccer Players of all time. This list of famous Belgian Soccer Players is sorted by HPI (Historical Popularity Index), a metric that aggregates information on a biography's online popularity. Visit the rankings page to view the entire list of Belgian Soccer Players.

1. Jean-Marie Pfaff (b. 1953)

With an HPI of 69.25, Jean-Marie Pfaff is the most famous Belgian Soccer Player. His biography has been translated into 42 different languages on wikipedia.

Jean-Marie Pfaff (born 4 December 1953) is a Belgian former professional footballer who played as a goalkeeper and spent most of his professional career with Beveren and Bayern Munich. Pfaff was capped 64 times playing for Belgium, and participated at the 1982 FIFA World Cup and 1986 FIFA World Cup tournaments. Pfaff was named goalkeeper of the 1986 FIFA World Cup, and he was the first player to receive the IFFHS World's Best Goalkeeper award in 1987.

2. Kevin De Bruyne (b. 1991)

With an HPI of 68.07, Kevin De Bruyne is the 2nd most famous Belgian Soccer Player. His biography has been translated into 85 different languages.

Kevin De Bruyne (Dutch pronunciation: [ˈkɛvɪn də ˈbrœynə]; born 28 June 1991) is a Belgian professional footballer who plays as a midfielder for Serie A club Napoli and captains the Belgium national team. Widely considered one of the best players in the world at his peak, De Bruyne has been described as a "complete" footballer. After spending most of his youth career at Gent, De Bruyne began his professional senior career at Genk, where he was a regular player when they won the 2010–11 Belgian Pro League. In 2012, he joined English club Chelsea, where he was used sparingly and then loaned to Werder Bremen. He signed with VfL Wolfsburg for £18 million in 2014, establishing himself as one of the best players in the Bundesliga and was integral in the club's 2014–15 DFB-Pokal win. In the summer of 2015, De Bruyne joined Manchester City for a then-club record £54 million. Making 422 appearances for the club, he won the UEFA Champions League, six Premier League titles, five League Cups and two FA Cups. In 2017–18, he had a significant role in City becoming the only Premier League team to attain 100 points in a single league season. In 2019–20, De Bruyne equalled the record for most assists in a Premier League season and was named Player of the Season, the award he won for the second time in 2021–22. He was again heavily involved in 2022–23, as Manchester City sealed the continental treble in their most successful season to date. De Bruyne made his full international debut in 2010, and he has since earned 110 caps, scoring 30 goals for Belgium. He was a member of the Belgian squads that reached the quarter-finals at both the 2014 FIFA World Cup and UEFA Euro 2016. De Bruyne was named in the Fan Dream Team of the 2018 World Cup, as Belgium finished in third place, as well as appearing at Euro 2020, the 2022 World Cup and Euro 2024. De Bruyne has been named in the UEFA Champions League Squad of the Season and IFFHS Men's World Team six times each, ESM Team of the Year and the FIFA FIFPRO World 11 five times each, the UEFA Team of the Year three times, and the France Football World XI and the Bundesliga Team of the Year once each. He has also won the Premier League Playmaker of the Season three times, the PFA Players' Player of the Year twice, Manchester City's Player of the Year four times, the UEFA Champions League Midfielder of the Season, the Bundesliga Player of the Year, the Footballer of the Year (Germany), the Belgian Sportsman of the Year and the IFFHS World's Best Playmaker three times each. He was nominated for the prestigious Ballon d'Or award several times, ending third in the 2022 edition, and fourth in 2023.

3. Michel Preud'homme (b. 1959)

With an HPI of 66.08, Michel Preud'homme is the 3rd most famous Belgian Soccer Player. His biography has been translated into 36 different languages.

Michel Georges Jean Ghislain Preud'homme (born 24 January 1959) is a Belgian retired footballer and manager who played as a goalkeeper. Currently, he is vice-president and sports director at Standard Liège. He was considered one of the world's best and most consistent goalkeepers during his professional career; he was the first winner of the Yashin Award as the best goalkeeper at the 1994 FIFA World Cup. At club level, Preud'homme played for Standard Liège, Mechelen and Benfica. With Mechelen, he won the Belgian Cup in 1987, the Cup Winner's Cup and the European Super Cup in 1988 and the Belgian league title in 1989. He also won the Portuguese Cup with Benfica in 1996. He retired as a player in 1999, aged 40. For Belgium, Preud'homme was capped 58 times, from 1979 to 1994. Other than the 1994 World Cup, he also played in the 1990 tournament.

4. Paul Van Himst (b. 1943)

With an HPI of 66.01, Paul Van Himst is the 4th most famous Belgian Soccer Player. His biography has been translated into 33 different languages.

Paul Guillaume van Himst (born 2 October 1943) is a Belgian former football player and a football manager who played as a forward, most notably for R.S.C. Anderlecht. Regarded as Anderlecht's ultimate club icon, Van Himst holds the record of four Belgian Golden Shoe awards and was named best "Belgian footballer of the twentieth century".

5. Jan Ceulemans (b. 1957)

With an HPI of 65.30, Jan Ceulemans is the 5th most famous Belgian Soccer Player. His biography has been translated into 38 different languages.

Jan Anna Gumaar Ceulemans (Flemish pronunciation: [ˈjɑŋ ˈkøːləmɑns]; born 28 February 1957) is a Belgian former professional footballer who played as midfielder. A prolific goalscorer, Ceulemans was known for his stamina, aerial ability, technique and was also recognized as one of the greatest Belgium footballers of all time. He was also known for his power, imposing frame and natural authority. Ceulemans was also a regular member of the Belgium national football team, with 96 international appearances, a record that stood for 26 years until it was surpassed by Jan Vertonghen's 97th appearance for Belgium on 10 October 2017; Ceulemans is now the ninth most-capped for Belgium. He still holds the record for most appearances in the Belgian Pro League with 517. Most of his time with Belgium took place under the guidance of Guy Thys. This period saw the Belgium squad record some of their finest results, which include reaching the final of Euro 80 and fourth place at the 1986 FIFA World Cup.

6. Herbert Wimmer (b. 1944)

With an HPI of 64.56, Herbert Wimmer is the 6th most famous Belgian Soccer Player. His biography has been translated into 37 different languages.

Herbert "Hacki" Wimmer (born 9 November 1944) is a German former professional footballer who played as a midfielder. Besides winning five national championships and two UEFA Cups with his club side Borussia Mönchengladbach, he won the 1974 World Cup and the UEFA Euro 1972 with Germany.

7. Thibaut Courtois (b. 1992)

With an HPI of 64.37, Thibaut Courtois is the 7th most famous Belgian Soccer Player. His biography has been translated into 81 different languages.

Thibaut Nicolas Marc Courtois (French pronunciation: [tibo kuʁtwa]; Dutch pronunciation: [ˈtiboː kurˈtʋaː]; born 11 May 1992) is a Belgian professional footballer who plays as a goalkeeper for La Liga club Real Madrid and the Belgium national team. Regarded as one of the greatest goalkeepers of all time, he is known for his reflexes, acrobatic saves, and command of the penalty area. Courtois began his career with Genk and made his senior debut in 2009, at age 16; he went on to establish himself as the club's starting goalkeeper and won the Belgian Pro League. In 2011, Courtois signed for Chelsea in a transfer worth a reported £8 million (€9 million), but then joined Atlético Madrid on loan. At Atlético, Courtois won a La Liga title, the Copa del Rey, the Europa League, and reached the UEFA Champions League final. He returned to Chelsea in 2014 and won two Premier League titles and the EFL Cup. In 2018, Courtois signed for Real Madrid in a deal worth a reported £35 million (€38.8 million), becoming La Liga's most expensive goalkeeper, and where he has gone on to win three La Liga and two UEFA Champions League titles. Courtois made his senior international debut for Belgium in 2011 at age 19, becoming their youngest senior international goalkeeper. He has since earned over 100 caps, ranking seventh-highest for appearances, while he has appeared in five major tournaments. At the 2018 FIFA World Cup, Courtois won the Golden Glove as the best goalkeeper as he helped Belgium finish third, their highest-ever finish at the competition. Courtois has won the Ricardo Zamora Trophy three times, the Premier League Golden Glove once, and was named the third-best goalkeeper of the decade (2011–2020) by the International Federation of Football History & Statistics (IFFHS).

8. Eden Hazard (b. 1991)

With an HPI of 63.62, Eden Hazard is the 8th most famous Belgian Soccer Player. His biography has been translated into 87 different languages.

Eden Michael Walter Hazard (born 7 January 1991) is a Belgian former professional footballer who played as a winger or attacking midfielder for Lille, Chelsea, Real Madrid, and the Belgium national team. Known for his dribbling and creativity, he is regarded as one of the best players of his generation and one of the greatest dribblers of all time. Hazard began his senior career with Ligue 1 club Lille in 2007 at the age of 16 and soon became an integral part of the Lille team under manager Rudi Garcia. In his first full season, he became the first non-French player to win the Ligue 1 Young Player of the Year award, and the following season became the first player to win the award twice. In the 2010–11 season, he won the league and cup double and, as a result of his performances, was named the Ligue 1 Player of the Year, the youngest player to win the award. After making over 190 appearances and scoring 50 goals for Lille, Hazard signed for English club Chelsea in June 2012. He won the UEFA Europa League in his first season and the PFA Young Player of the Year in his second. In the 2014–15 season, Hazard helped Chelsea win the Football League Cup and Premier League, earning him the FWA Footballer of the Year and the PFA Players' Player of the Year awards. Two years later he won his second English league title as Chelsea won the 2016–17 Premier League. In 2018, he won the FA Cup, and was named in the FIFA FIFPRO Men's World 11. He won the Europa League again with Chelsea in 2019, scoring twice in the final. At Chelsea, Hazard established himself as one of the best players in the world. He joined Real Madrid in the summer of 2019 in a transfer worth up to €146.1 million, making it one of the highest transfer fees ever. However, injury woes, subpar performances, and a lack of fitness led to him only playing a limited number of games, departing the club in June 2023 and retiring from professional football four months later. Having represented his country at various youth levels, Hazard made his senior debut for the Belgium national team in November 2008, aged 17. He has since earned over 126 caps, and was a member of the Belgian squad which reached the quarter-finals of the 2014 FIFA World Cup, UEFA Euro 2016, and Euro 2020. At the 2018 World Cup, he captained Belgium to third place which was their best finish in history, receiving the Silver Ball as the second-best player of the tournament. From 2015 to 2022, he served as the captain of the team, including the time Belgium topped the FIFA men's ranking for the first time, which became the longest continuous reign of any European team.

9. Vincent Kompany (b. 1986)

With an HPI of 63.48, Vincent Kompany is the 9th most famous Belgian Soccer Player. His biography has been translated into 64 different languages.

Vincent Jean Mpoy Kompany (born 10 April 1986) is a Belgian professional football manager and former player who played as a centre-back. He is currently the head coach of Bundesliga club Bayern Munich. He is best known for his eleven seasons at Manchester City, eight of which he served as captain. Kompany also represented the Belgium national team for fifteen years, and served as captain. Kompany began his professional career at Anderlecht; having graduated from their youth system, he was with the club for three seasons as a first-team player before moving to Bundesliga club Hamburg in 2006. In the summer of 2008, he completed a transfer to Premier League club Manchester City, where he was an integral part of the squad and regarded as one of the bargain buys of the revolutionised City era, blossoming into one of the league's best centre-backs. In the 2011–12 season, he was awarded the captaincy of City, leading his club to win the Premier League that season, their first league title in 44 years. Kompany was included in the Premier League Team of the Year in 2011, 2012, and 2014, and won the Premier League Player of the Season in 2012. Kompany won eleven more trophies at City and made 360 total appearances. Kompany earned 89 caps for Belgium in a 15-year international career, having made his debut in 2004 at age 17. He was part of their squad that came fourth at the 2008 Olympics and went to the FIFA World Cup in 2014 and 2018, coming a best-ever third at the latter. He served as captain from 2010. In 2019, when his contract expired after eleven years at City, Kompany returned to Anderlecht as player-manager. A year later, he announced his retirement from professional football and became the first-team manager. In 2022, he was hired by Burnley, winning the EFL Championship in his first season, before being relegated from the Premier League the following season. He was appointed by Bayern Munich in 2024 following the departure of Thomas Tuchel and won the 2024–25 Bundesliga in his first season at the club.

10. Enzo Scifo (b. 1966)

With an HPI of 62.82, Enzo Scifo is the 10th most famous Belgian Soccer Player. His biography has been translated into 37 different languages.

Vincenzo "Enzo" Daniele Scifo (Italian pronunciation: [ˈɛntso ʃˈʃiːfo]; born 19 February 1966) is a retired Belgian football midfielder. He has also managed the Belgium national under-21 football team and several Belgian club sides. He played for clubs in Belgium, France and Italy, where he won several domestic titles. At international level, he was a member of the Belgium national team, for which he appeared in four FIFA World Cups, being one of three Belgian players ever to do so.

People

Pantheon has 276 people classified as Belgian soccer players born between 1886 and 2005. Of these 276, 220 (79.71%) of them are still alive today. The most famous living Belgian soccer players include Jean-Marie Pfaff, Kevin De Bruyne, and Michel Preud'homme. The most famous deceased Belgian soccer players include Bernard Voorhoof, Wilfried Van Moer, and Raymond Braine. As of April 2024, 276 new Belgian soccer players have been added to Pantheon including Jean-Marie Pfaff, Kevin De Bruyne, and Michel Preud'homme.