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The Country | The Road to FRANCE98 | The Team | Honours | Coach
Land area: 30 513 kmē Population: 10 200 000 Capital: Brussels Main cities: Brugge, Liege System of government: Constitutional Monarchy Head of state: Prime Minister : Jean-Luc Dehaens Currency: Belgian Franc Time difference: none
UEFA Zone, Group 7:
31 August 96 Belgium - Turkey 2-1 09 October 96 San Marin - Belgium 0-3 14 December 96 Belgium - Holland 0-3 29 March 97 Wales - Belgium 1-2 30 April 97 Turkey - Belgium 1-3 07 June 97 Belgium - San Marin 6-0 06 September 97 Holland - Belgium 3-1 11 October 97 Belgium - Wales 3-2
- 18 points
- 20 goals scored
- 11 goals conceded
Play Offs
29/10/97 Ireland - Belgium 1-1 15/11/97 Belgium - Ireland 2-1
Goalkeeper: DE WILDE (age 33, 18 caps) Defenders: DEFLANDRE (age 24, 3 caps)
DE ROOVER (age 30, 5 caps)
STAELENS (age 33, 44 caps)
VIDOVIC (age 29, 4 caps)Mid-field: BOFFIN (age 32, 31 caps)
VAN DER ELST (age 36, 77 caps)
VAN KERCKHOVEN (age 26, 11 caps)
WILMOTS (age 28, 28 caps)
SCIFO (age 31, 79 caps)Strikers: NILIS (age 30, 43 caps)
OLIVEIRA (age 28, 21 caps)Number of players used during the qualifying rounds: 38
National team colours: red
FIFA ranking (on 1 November 1997): 48th
- World Cup: 9 participations (1930, 1934, 1938, 1954, 1970, 1982, 1986, 1990 and 1994)
1986 : 4th (Belgium - France : 2-3)
- European Nations Championship: 3 partcipations (1972, 1980 et 1984)
George LEEKENS
This ex-Bruges defender, aged 47, coached seven different clubs (Anderlecht, Courtrai, Bruges, with whom he won the Belgian league, Malines, Trabzonspor, Charleroi and Mouscron) before taking charge of the national side in early 1997. Under his guidance the " Red Devils " fought their way out of a difficult group and through to FRANCE 98.
Photo Copyright Allsport, all reproduction rights retained