View source for Franky Vercauteren

{{short description|Belgian footballer}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=January 2021}}
{{Infobox football biography
| name = Franky Vercauteren
| image = Rostov-KS (5).jpg
| caption = Vercauteren with Krylia Sovetov
| fullname = Frank Vercauteren<ref>{{Cite web | title = Frank Vercauteren | work = worldfootball.net | access-date = 16 August 2018 | url = https://www.worldfootball.net/player_summary/frank-vercauteren/}}</ref>
| birth_date = {{birth date and age|df=yes|1956|10|28}}
| birth_place = [[Molenbeek-Saint-Jean]], Belgium
| height = 1.74 m
| currentclub = 
| position = [[Winger (association football)|Left winger]]
| youthyears1 = 1963–1975 | youthclubs1= [[R.S.C. Anderlecht|Anderlecht]]
| years1 = 1975–1987 | clubs1 = [[R.S.C. Anderlecht|Anderlecht]] | caps1 = 367 | goals1 = 93
| years2 = 1987–1990 | clubs2 = [[FC Nantes|Nantes]]             | caps2 =  78 | goals2 = 19
| years3 = 1987–1990 | clubs3 = [[FC Nantes|Nantes B]]           | caps3 =  13 | goals3 =  4
| years4 = 1990–1993 | clubs4 = [[R.W.D. Molenbeek (1909)|RWDM]] | caps4 =  50 | goals4 =  4
| totalcaps = 508 | totalgoals = 120
| nationalyears1 = 1977–1988 | nationalteam1  = [[Belgium national football team|Belgium]] | nationalcaps1 = 63 | nationalgoals1 = 9
| manageryears1  = 1993–1994 | managerclubs1  = C.S. Braine (youth)
| manageryears2  = 1994–1997 | managerclubs2  = [[KV Mechelen]] (youth)
| manageryears3  = 1997–1998 | managerclubs3  = KV Mechelen
| manageryears4  = 1998      | managerclubs4  = [[R.S.C. Anderlecht|Anderlecht]] (assistant)
| manageryears5  = 1998–1999 | managerclubs5  = Anderlecht ([[caretaker manager|caretaker]])
| manageryears6  = 1999–2005 | managerclubs6  = Anderlecht (assistant)
| manageryears7  = 2005–2007 | managerclubs7  = Anderlecht
| manageryears8  = 2009      | managerclubs8  = [[Belgium national football team|Belgium]]
| manageryears9  = 2009–2011 | managerclubs9  = [[K.R.C. Genk|Genk]]
| manageryears10 = 2011–2012 | managerclubs10 = [[Al Jazira Club|Al Jazira]]
| manageryears11 = 2012–2013 | managerclubs11 = [[Sporting Clube de Portugal|Sporting CP]]
| manageryears12 = 2014      | managerclubs12 = KV Mechelen
| manageryears13 = 2014–2016 | managerclubs13 = [[FC Krylia Sovetov Samara|Krylia Sovetov]]
| manageryears14 = 2017–2018 | managerclubs14 = [[Cercle Brugge K.S.V.|Cercle Brugge]]
| manageryears15 = 2018      | managerclubs15 = [[Al-Batin F.C.|Al-Batin]]
| manageryears16 = 2019      | managerclubs16 = [[Oud-Heverlee Leuven|OH Leuven]] (sports advisor)
| manageryears17 = 2019–2020 | managerclubs17 = Anderlecht
| manageryears18 = 2021      | managerclubs18 = [[Royal Antwerp F.C.|Antwerp]]
}}
'''François Vercauteren''' (born 28 October 1956), nicknamed "The Little Prince", is a Belgian former [[Association football|footballer]] who played as a left [[Winger (association football)|winger]]. He is currently the sports director of the [[Royal Belgian Football Association]].

== Club career ==
Vercauteren made his first team debut for [[R.S.C. Anderlecht|Anderlecht]] in 1975 against [[K.R.C. Mechelen|Racing Mechelen]], replacing [[Gilbert Van Binst]]. A double surgery in October 1975 and January 1976, however, later slowed down his development. Vercauteren won the five European titles with Anderlecht (two [[UEFA Cup Winners' Cup|European Cup Winners' Cup]]s, one [[UEFA Europa League|UEFA Cup]] and two [[UEFA Super Cup|European Supercups]]). He also won two [[Belgian Cup]]s, four [[Belgian First Division|Belgian Championship]] titles and won the [[Belgian Supercup]] twice. In 1987, he joined [[FC Nantes|Nantes]] in [[France]] and came back to Belgium three years later to play with [[R.W.D. Molenbeek (1909)|Molenbeek]] until 1993. While at Nantes, Vercauteren finished twice the [[Ligue 1|championship]] with the most assists.

== International career ==
Vercauteren played 63 times with the [[Belgium national football team|Belgium national team]]. He was part of the squad that finished fourth at the [[1986 FIFA World Cup]], and also featured in the [[1982 FIFA World Cup|1982 World Cup]] and at [[UEFA Euro 1984]]. Though he made his national team debut on 16 November 1977 (a 3–0 defeat to [[Northern Ireland national football team]]), he was not selected for the [[UEFA Euro 1980|Euro 1980]], where Belgium finished runner-up to [[Germany national football team|West Germany]].<ref>{{in lang|nl}} [http://users.skynet.be/Crystal/team-info/HSfrankyvercauteren.htm Interview/biography] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160303165746/http://users.skynet.be/Crystal/team-info/HSfrankyvercauteren.htm |date=3 March 2016 }}</ref>

== Coaching career ==
At the end of his playing career, Vercauteren became the trainer of the youth team from [[C.S. Braine]], a small club in [[Walloon Brabant]].  A year after, he moved to [[KV Mechelen]], where he first trained the youth team, then the first team, beginning in [[1997–98 Belgian First Division|1997–98]]. At the end of this season, he signed as an assistant manager at his first club as a player, Anderlecht.  He was briefly named manager along with his fellow [[Jean Dockx]] in the [[1998–99 Belgian First Division|1998–99 season]] after a disappointing start by manager [[Arie Haan]] (Anderlecht fell to the 18th and last place in the beginning of the season). The two men secured among others a nice 0–6 win at Sclessin against old rival [[Standard Liège]] and a 2–5 win at [[K.R.C. Genk|Genk]], to come back in the European places.

Anderlecht then hired [[Aimé Anthuenis]] as a manager, and Vercauteren became assistant once again. After coach [[Hugo Broos]] (the successor of Anthuenis) was dismissed in February 2005, Vercauteren signed as the new manager and won twice the [[Belgian First Division A|Belgian Championship]]. On 12 November 2007, after a string of poor and indifferent results, Vercauteren and Anderlecht parted company, with assistant coach Ariel Jacobs taking over until the end of the season.

From 9 April 2009 to 10 September 2009, Vercauteren served as caretaker manager for the Belgium national team, resigning after Belgium's defeat to [[Armenia national football team|Armenia]] on 9 September 2009; he was replaced by the Dutchman [[Dick Advocaat]]. On 3 December 2009, Vercauteren signed a contract as head coach for Genk. On 17 May 2011, he celebrated winning the [[2010–11 Belgian Pro League]] championship with Genk after a 1–1 home draw against Standard Liège.<ref>[https://www.uefa.com/news/01f1-0e78734e6e7c-69c017afc020-1000--genk-pip-standard-to-belgian-title/ Genk pip Standard to Belgian title by Berend Scholten on UEFA.com]</ref> He also won the [[2011 Belgian Super Cup]] over Standard, and led his club into the [[2011–12 UEFA Champions League qualifying phase and play-off round|qualifying play-off]] for the [[2011–12 UEFA Champions League]].

On 8 August 2011, Vercauteren signed a contract as head coach of Emirati side [[Al Jazira Club]]. On 11 March 2012, Al Jazira announced that they had parted company with Vercauteren. They stated the reason behind the controversial exit of Vercauteren was because he was not getting on with the players. On the same day, he was replaced by [[Caio Júnior]].

Vercauteren joined [[Sporting CP]] in November 2012, but was sacked after two months, with the club winning just two games during his tenure.<ref>{{Cite web | title = Sporting Lisbon sack manager Vercauteren | publisher = ESPN | date = 8 January 2013 | access-date = 16 August 2018 | url = http://www.espn.co.uk/football/news/story/_/id/1292573/sporting-lisbon-sack-manager-franky-vercauteren}}</ref>

Vercauteren then took over Russian club [[PFC Krylia Sovetov Samara|Krylia Sovetov Samara]] in the summer of 2014 following the club's relegation from the [[Russian Premier League]].<ref>{{cite web|publisher=[[FC Krylia Sovetov Samara]]|url=http://www.kc-camapa.ru/cgi-bin/newsprn.cgi?10710|script-title=ru:Франк Веркотерен – новый главный тренер "Крыльев Советов"|date=10 June 2014|language=ru}}</ref> Krylia had spent every one of its 22 previous seasons on the top level. Under Vercauteren's management, Krylia Sovetov won the [[2014–15 Russian Football National League]] and were promoted back to the Premier League.

In 2018, Vercauteren won promotion to the [[Belgian First Division A]] with his club [[Cercle Brugge K.S.V.|Cercle Brugge]]. He then signed a contract with Saudi club [[Al-Batin F.C.|Al-Batin]].<ref>{{Cite web | title = Franky Vercauteren: 'Le Standard doit avoir pour objectif chaque année de remporter le titre' | first = Alexander | last = Fiammetti | work = Walfoot.be | date = 11 August 2018 | access-date = 16 August 2018 | url = https://www.walfoot.be/fra/news/lis/2018-08-11/franky-vercauteren-le-standard-doit-avoir-pour-objectif-chaque-annee-de-remporter-le-titre}}</ref>

On 3 October 2019, Vercauteren rejoined Anderlecht.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.france24.com/en/20191003-struggling-anderlecht-turn-to-vercauteren-to-help-kompany-s-project|title=Struggling Anderlecht turn to Vercauteren to help Kompany's 'project'|website=France24|date=3 October 2019}}</ref> On 17 August 2020, Vercauteren left the club after Anderlecht player [[Vincent Kompany]] decided to end his playing career and become a trainer.<ref>{{Cite news|date=17 August 2020|title=[BREAKING: Vincent Kompany stops as footballer and becomes manager of Anderlecht] (in Dutch)|work=sporza.be|url=https://sporza.be/nl/2020/08/17/vincent-kompany-stopt-met-voetballen-en-wordt-trainer-van-anderl/|access-date=20 January 2022}}</ref>

The [[Royal Belgian Football Association|RBFA]] announced the appointment of Vercauteren as sports director on 8 February 2023.<ref>{{Cite web |date=8 February 2023 |title=Frank Vercauteren wordt sports director football |url=https://www.rbfa.be/nl/nieuws/frank-vercauteren-wordt-sports-director-football |website=rbfa.be |language=nl}}</ref>

==Managerial statistics==
{{updated|match played 27 December 2019}}

{| class=wikitable style=text-align:center
|+ Managerial record by team and tenure
|-
!rowspan=2|Team
!rowspan=2|From
!rowspan=2|To
!colspan=5|Record
|-
!{{abbr|P|Matches played}}!!{{abbr|W|Matches won}}!!{{abbr|D|Matches drawn}}!!{{abbr|L|Matches lost}}!!{{abbr|Win %|Win percentage}}
|-
|align=left|[[R.S.C. Anderlecht|Anderlecht]]
|align=left|3 October 2019
|align=left|17 August 2020
{{WDL|13|5|6|2|decimals=1}}
|}

== Honours ==

=== Player ===
'''Anderlecht'''<ref name="eurosport32">{{cite web|title=RSC Anderlecht {{!}} Palmares|url=https://www.rsca.be/nl/club/palmares}}</ref>
* [[Belgian First Division]]: [[1980–81 Belgian First Division|1980–81]], [[1984–85 Belgian First Division|1984–85]], [[1985–86 Belgian First Division|1985–86]], [[1986–87 Belgian First Division|1986–87]]
* [[Belgian Cup]]: [[List of Belgian Cup finals|1975–76]]
* [[Belgian Supercup]]: 1985, 1987
* [[UEFA Cup Winners' Cup|European Cup Winners' Cup]]: [[1975–76 European Cup Winners' Cup|1975–76]], [[1977–78 European Cup Winners' Cup|1977–78]]; runners-up [[1976–77 European Cup Winners' Cup|1976–77]]<ref name="eurosport222">{{cite web|title=Tijdperk-Vanden Stock: 20 landstitels, 8 bekers en 3 Europabekers|date=20 December 2017 |url=https://sporza.be/nl/2017/12/20/tijdperk-vanden-stock-20-landstitels-8-bekers-en-3-europabekers-1-3117040/}}</ref>
* [[UEFA Super Cup|European Super Cup]]: [[1976 European Super Cup|1976]], [[1978 European Super Cup|1978]]
* [[UEFA Europa League|UEFA Cup]]: [[1982–83 UEFA Cup|1982–83]]; runners-up [[1983–84 UEFA Cup|1983–84]]<ref name="eurosport222" />
* [[Amsterdam Tournament]]: 1976<ref name="eurosport">{{cite web|title=Amsterdam Tournament|url=http://users.skynet.be/Crystal/specials/SP1.htm|access-date=15 October 2020|archive-date=31 August 2004|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20040831220642/http://users.skynet.be/Crystal/specials/SP1.htm|url-status=dead}}</ref>
*[[Tournoi de Paris]]: 1977<ref>{{Cite web|title=Tournois de Paris : une compétition opposant 4 clubs|url=http://www.psgweb.fr/tournoi-de-paris/|access-date=2020-11-08|language=fr-FR}}</ref>
* [[Jules Pappaert Cup]]: 1977, 1983, 1985<ref name="eurosport2">{{cite web|title=Jules Pappaert Cup|url=https://www.dhnet.be/sports/football/le-trophee-pappaert-c-est-reparti-5bb21893cd70a16d8128c4d6}}</ref>
* [[Belgian National Sports Merit Award|Belgian Sports Merit Award]]: 1978<ref name="eurosport42">{{cite web|title=Nationale Trofee voor Sportverdienste|url=https://www.standaard.be/cnt/dmf20191107_04705232}}</ref>
* [[Bruges Matins (football)|Bruges Matins]]: 1985'''<ref name="eurosport323">{{cite web|title=Winnaars Brugse Metten|url=http://users.skynet.be/rfcb-web/va-brmetten.htm}}</ref>'''

'''Belgium'''
* [[FIFA World Cup]]: [[1986 FIFA World Cup|1986]] ([[1986 FIFA World Cup knockout stage#Third place play-off|fourth place]])<ref name="eurosport22">{{cite web|title=FIFA 1986 World Cup|url=https://www.fifa.com/worldcup/archive/mexico1986/|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160605153554/http://www.fifa.com/worldcup/archive/mexico1986/|url-status=dead|archive-date=5 June 2016}}</ref>

=== Manager ===
'''Anderlecht'''<ref name="eurosport32" />
* [[Belgian First Division]]: [[2005–06 Belgian First Division|2005–06]], [[2006–07 Belgian First Division|2006–07]]
* [[Belgian Supercup]]: [[2006 Belgian Super Cup|2006]], [[2007 Belgian Super Cup|2007]]

'''Genk'''<ref name="eurosport6">{{cite web|title=Racing Genk {{!}} Palmares|url=https://www.krcgenk.be/nl/club/algemene-info}}</ref>
* [[Belgian First Division]]: [[2010–11 Belgian Pro League|2010–11]]
* [[Belgian Supercup]]: [[2011 Belgian Super Cup|2011]]

'''Krylia Sovetov'''{{citation needed|date=December 2024}}
* [[Russian Football National League|National Football League]]: [[2014–15 Russian Football National League|2014–15]]

'''Cercle Brugge'''{{citation needed|date=December 2024}}
* Promotion to [[Belgian First Division A]]: 2017–18

=== Individual ===
* [[Belgian Golden Shoe]]: 1983<ref name="Yashin Award2">{{cite web|title=Winnaars Gouden Schoen|url=https://www.nieuwsblad.be/cnt/dmf20120111_213}}</ref>
* [[Ballon d'Or]] nomination: [[1983 Ballon d'Or|1983]]<ref name="Yashin Award3">{{cite web|title=Ballon d'Or 1983|url=https://www.francefootball.fr/news/1983-michel-platini/423425}}</ref>
* [[Belgian professional football awards#Professional Manager of the Year|Belgian Professional Manager of the Year]]: [[2010–11 Belgian First Division|2010–11]]{{citation needed|date=December 2024}}
* Meritorious resident of [[Dilbeek]]: 2011<ref>{{Cite web |date=21 June 2011 |title=Frankie Vercauteren is verdienstelijk inwoner |url=https://www.nieuwsblad.be/cnt/eh3blk19 |website=[[Het Nieuwsblad]] |language=nl}}</ref>

==References==
{{reflist}}

==External links==
{{Commons category}}
* {{RBFA player}}

{{Navboxes
|title=Belgium squads
|bg=#d4071a
|fg=#ffce4a
|bordercolor=black
|list1=
{{Belgium Squad 1982 World Cup}}
{{Belgium Squad Euro 1984}}
{{Belgium Squad 1986 World Cup}}
}}
{{Navboxes
|title= Franky Vercauteren – Managerial positions
|list1=
{{KV Mechelen managers}}
{{R.S.C. Anderlecht managers}}
{{Belgium national football team managers}}
{{K.R.C. Genk managers}}
{{Al Jazira Club managers}}
{{Sporting Clube de Portugal managers}}
{{FC Krylia Sovetov Samara managers}}
{{Cercle Brugge K.S.V. managers}}
{{Royal Antwerp F.C. managers}}
}}
{{Navboxes |title=Awards |titlestyle=background: gold |list1=
{{Belgian Golden Shoe}}
{{Belgian Professional Manager of the Year}}
{{UEFA Europa League winning captains}}
}}

{{DEFAULTSORT:Vercauteren, Franky}}
[[Category:1956 births]]
[[Category:People from Molenbeek-Saint-Jean]]
[[Category:Footballers from Brussels]]
[[Category:Living people]]
[[Category:Belgian men's footballers]]
[[Category:Belgium men's international footballers]]
[[Category:Men's association football wingers]]
[[Category:R.S.C. Anderlecht players]]
[[Category:FC Nantes players]]
[[Category:R.W.D. Molenbeek (1909) players]]
[[Category:Belgian Pro League players]]
[[Category:Ligue 1 players]]
[[Category:UEFA Europa League–winning players]]
[[Category:1982 FIFA World Cup players]]
[[Category:UEFA Euro 1984 players]]
[[Category:1986 FIFA World Cup players]]
[[Category:Belgian expatriate men's footballers]]
[[Category:Expatriate men's footballers in France]]
[[Category:Belgian expatriate sportspeople in France]]
[[Category:Belgian football managers]]
[[Category:K.V. Mechelen managers]]
[[Category:R.S.C. Anderlecht managers]]
[[Category:Belgium national football team managers]]
[[Category:K.R.C. Genk managers]]
[[Category:Al Jazira Club managers]]
[[Category:Sporting CP managers]]
[[Category:PFC Krylia Sovetov Samara managers]]
[[Category:Cercle Brugge K.S.V. managers]]
[[Category:Al Batin FC managers]]
[[Category:Oud-Heverlee Leuven non-playing staff]]
[[Category:Royal Antwerp F.C. managers]]
[[Category:Challenger Pro League managers]]
[[Category:Belgian Pro League managers]]
[[Category:UAE Pro League managers]]
[[Category:Primeira Liga managers]]
[[Category:Russian First League managers]]
[[Category:Russian Premier League managers]]
[[Category:Saudi Pro League managers]]
[[Category:Belgian expatriate football managers]]
[[Category:Expatriate football managers in the United Arab Emirates]]
[[Category:Belgian expatriate sportspeople in the United Arab Emirates]]
[[Category:Expatriate football managers in Portugal]]
[[Category:Belgian expatriate sportspeople in Portugal]]
[[Category:Expatriate football managers in Russia]]
[[Category:Belgian expatriate sportspeople in Russia]]
[[Category:Expatriate football managers in Saudi Arabia]]
[[Category:Belgian expatriate sportspeople in Saudi Arabia]]
[[Category:20th-century Belgian sportsmen]]