View source for Wilfried Van Moer

{{Short description|Belgian footballer (1945–2021)}}
{{More citations needed|date=November 2021}}
{{family name hatnote|van Moer|Moer}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=August 2021}}
{{Infobox football biography
| name = Wilfried van Moer
| image = Training Belgisch nationale voetbalelftal in Mechelen voor de wedstrijd woensdag, Bestanddeelnr 931-1522.jpg
| caption = Van Moer in 1980
| full_name = 
| birth_date = {{birth date|df=yes|1945|3|1}}
| birth_place = [[Beveren]], Belgium
| death_date = {{death date and age|df=yes|2021|8|24|1945|3|1}}
| death_place = [[Leuven]], Belgium
| height = 1.68 m
| position = [[Midfielder]]
| youthyears1 =
| youthclubs1 =
| years1 = 1960–1965
| clubs1 = [[K.S.K. Beveren|Beveren]]
| caps1 = 121
| goals1 = 56
| years2 = 1965–1968
| clubs2 = [[Royal Antwerp F.C.|Antwerp]]
| caps2 = 77
| goals2 = 14
| years3 = 1968–1976
| clubs3 = [[Standard de Liège]]
| caps3 = 170
| goals3 = 24
| years4 = 1976–1980
| clubs4 = [[K. Beringen F.C.|Beringen]]
| caps4 = 110
| goals4 = 17
| years5 = 1980–1982
| clubs5 = [[K.S.K. Beveren|Beveren]]
| caps5 = 49
| goals5 = 6
| years6 = 1982–1984
| clubs6 = [[K. Sint-Truidense V.V.|Sint-Truiden]]
| caps6 = 26
| goals6 = 0
| totalcaps = 553
| totalgoals = 117
| nationalyears1 = 1966–1982
| nationalteam1 = [[Belgium national football team|Belgium]]
| nationalcaps1 = 57
| nationalgoals1 = 9
| manageryears1 = 1996
| managerclubs1 = [[Belgium national football team|Belgium]]
| medaltemplates = {{MedalCountry|{{fb|BEL}}}}
{{MedalCompetition|[[UEFA European Championship]]}}
{{Medal|RU|[[UEFA Euro 1980|1980 Italy]]|}}
}}

'''Wilfried van Moer''' (1 March 1945 – 24 August 2021) was a Belgian [[association football|footballer]] who won the [[Belgian Golden Shoe]] three times, first in 1966 while at [[R. Antwerp F.C.|Antwerp]] then in 1969 and in 1970 while at [[Standard Liège]].

Prior to 1966 Van Moer played with [[K.S.K. Beveren|Beveren]]. He returned to his first club after a spell at [[K. Beringen F.C.|Beringen]] in the early 1980s.

He played 57 times and scored nine goals for the [[Belgium national football team|Belgium national team]] between 1966 and 1982, starting in a 1–0 friendly win against [[Switzerland national football team|Switzerland]] on 22 October 1966. Van Moer was in the team for the [[Football World Cup 1970|1970]] and [[Football World Cup 1982|1982 World Cups]] and for the [[1980 European Football Championship|Euro 1980]] in which Belgium finished second.

==Club career==
Born in [[Beveren-Waas]], Van Moer began with home town club Beveren-Waas, then in the third tier of the Belgian League. A move to [[Royal Antwerp F.C.|Royal Antwerp]] in 1965 was influenced not only by a chance to play in the 1st Division, but by the fact he was already working in that city as an electrician. He made his debut for the club in August 1965 against Union Saint-Gilloise.<ref>[http://www.rafcmuseum.be/spelersarchief/spelersfiche.php?id=284 Profile] - FC Antwerp</ref> At the end of 1966 he won his first [[Belgian Golden Shoe|Golden Shoe Award]], having won his first international cap earlier that year.

It was during his three years at Antwerp under the guidance of coach Harry Game, that Van Moer, against his wishes, was moved from a wide right role to central midfield, preparing him to eventually succeed to another of Belgium's most celebrated players [[Jef Jurion]], in the national team.

Following relegation for Antwerp in 1968, a protracted move to [[Standard Liège]] ensued, Van Moer resisting the interest of [[1. FC Köln]] to remain in Belgium, and also [[Club Brugge KV|Club Brugge]], with whom he had made a personal agreement. The €150,000 fee for the now established international was at the time a Belgian record.

Wonderful domestic success followed at Standard, winning the championship in 1969, 1970 and 1971 and making it a hat-trick of Golden Shoes by winning the award in both 1969 and 1970.

As for his club career, he had left Standard in 1976 and played for the Limburg first division team FC Beringen for a few seasons (he owned a café in the Limburg capital Hasselt). In 1980, after his career had been rekindled, he made a transfer to his original team [[SK Beveren]] (which had become Belgian champion in 1979). He stayed there for two more seasons and concluded his career in Limburg again at Sint-Truiden, where he became trainer-player.

==International career==
[[File:Wilfried_Van_Moer.jpg|thumb|Van Moer with Belgium in 1970]]
Van Moer was a regular for the [[Belgium national football team|Belgium national team]], appearing in the [[1970 FIFA World Cup]] and scoring twice in a 3–0 defeat of [[El Salvador national football team|El Salvador]], Belgium's only win in the tournament. Two years later, he played a key role in helping his country qualify for the semi-finals of the [[UEFA Euro 1972]]. After Belgium had defended stubbornly in a goalless quarter final, first leg in Italy, he scored the opening goal midway through the first half in the return at [[R.S.C. Anderlecht|Anderlecht]]'s [[Constant Vanden Stock Stadium]]. But then something was to happen, putting the Belgian's career on hold. On the stroke of half-time, [[Mario Bertini]]'s lunge resulted in a broken leg for Van Moer, a bitter-sweet day for the home nation who ultimately celebrated a 2–1 victory.

Although he recovered, the leg-break and other injuries restricted his international appearances over the next three seasons. By October 1979, aged 34, without an appearance for The Red Devils for four and a half years, international football couldn't have been further from his thoughts. But wily Belgian coach [[Guy Thys]] had other ideas. Van Moer was an inspired choice for a Belgian side who had forgotten how to win, as they prepared to take on [[Portugal national football team|Portugal]] in a 'do or die' EC qualifier. Van Moer again came up trumps with the first goal in a 2–0 win. Van Moer also performed key roles in home and away victories over [[Scotland national football team|Scotland]], which propelled Belgium to qualification for the Finals tournament in [[Italy national football team|Italy]].

Striker [[Horst Hrubesch]] may have scored two goals to secure final victory for [[West Germany national football team|West Germany]], but for many the outstanding player of the tournament was the Belgian central midfielder with the seemingly boundless energy. He ran the show in most every game he played, scheming, prompting and holding the ball, never wasteful his performances were as dynamic as they were inspirational as Belgium went all the way to their only major Final. Van Moer was arguably the most influential player in the tournament and indeed at 35, his performances earned him fourth place (equalling the best ever showing by a Belgian) in the [[Ballon d'Or]] poll. [[Karl-Heinz Rummenigge]], [[Bernd Schuster]] and [[Michel Platini]] finished ahead of him.

Van Moer's international career went on for another two years, long enough to appear in another World Cup Finals series. Named captain in the absence of [[Eric Gerets]], for the second-phase game against [[Poland national football team|Poland]] his international career ended when replaced by [[François Van der Elst]] at half-time. Belgium trailed by two at the interval and went on to lose 3–0, Poland's inspiration coming from [[Zbigniew Boniek]] who was the only player to score.

==Managerial career==
After he stopped playing football, he became coach with Sint-Truiden, SK Beveren, Assent and FC Diest, before calling it a day, somewhat disappointed by the general professional level of the Belgian football players.

He was called by the Belgian Football Union to do some prospective work and became assistant coach to national coach [[Paul Van Himst]] in 1995 after a few heavy defeats of the Red Devils. He succeeded Van Himst as a head coach in 1996 for five games.

However, people in the Football Union and the press were not very delighted by his lack of communicative skills and at the beginning of 1997, he was, in his turn, replaced by [[Georges Leekens]]. He has not taken up any managerial tasks since.

==Death==
Van Moer suffered a cerebral haemorrhage and died in a hospital in [[Leuven]] on 24 August 2021.<ref>[https://www.hln.be/dossier-wilfried-van-moer-1945-2021/voetbalwereld-in-rouw-drievoudig-gouden-schoen-wilfried-van-moer-76-overleden~a5aa2591/ Voetbalwereld in rouw: drievoudig Gouden Schoen Wilfried Van Moer (76) overleden]</ref><ref>{{Cite web|title=WILFRIED VAN MOER HAS PASSED AWAY|url=https://www.rbfa.be/en/news/wilfried-van-moer-has-passed-away|access-date=2021-08-26|website=RBFA}}</ref>

== Career statistics ==
{| class="wikitable" style="text-align:center"
|+Appearances and goals by club, season and competition<ref>{{cite web |date=3 December 2025 |title=General Information about the player Wilfried Van Moer |url=https://www.national-football-teams.com/player/18339/Wilfried_Van_Moer.html}}</ref>
! rowspan="2" |Club
! rowspan="2" |Season
! colspan="3" |League
! colspan="2" |National cup
! colspan="2" |League cup
! colspan="2" |Europe
! colspan="2" |Total
|-
!Division
!Apps
!Goals
!Apps
!Goals
!Apps
!Goals
!Apps
!Goals
!Apps
!Goals
|-
| rowspan="6" |[[S.K. Beveren|Beveren]]
|1960–61
| rowspan="3" |[[Belgian Fourth Division|Fourth Division]]
|4
|2
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|-
|1961–62
|28
|12
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|-
|1962–63
|30
|23
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|-
|1963–64
| rowspan="2" |[[Belgian Third Division|Third Division]]
|30
|9
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|-
|1964–65
|29
|9
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|-
! colspan="2" |Total
!121
!56
!
!
!
!
!
!
!
!
|-
| rowspan="4" |[[Royal Antwerp F.C.|Antwerp]]
|[[1965–66 Belgian First Division|1965–66]]
| rowspan="3" |[[Belgian First Division|First Division]]
|26
|8
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|-
|[[1966–67 Belgian First Division|1966–67]]
|26
|3
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|-
|[[1967–68 Belgian First Division|1967–68]]
|25
|2
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|-
! colspan="2" |Total
!77
!14
!
!
!
!
!
!
!
!
|-
| rowspan="9" |[[Standard Liège]]
|[[1968–69 Belgian First Division|1968–69]]
| rowspan="8" |[[Belgian First Division|First Division]]
|25
|1
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|-
|[[1969–70 Belgian First Division|1969–70]]
|26
|6
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|-
|[[1970–71 Belgian First Division|1970–71]]
|28
|6
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|-
|[[1971–72 Belgian First Division|1971–72]]
|21
|1
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|-
|[[1972–73 Belgian First Division|1972–73]]
|18
|2
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|-
|[[1973–74 Belgian First Division|1973–74]]
|13
|2
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|-
|[[1974–75 Belgian First Division|1974–75]]
|20
|4
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|-
|[[1975–76 Belgian First Division|1975–76]]
|19
|3
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|-
! colspan="2" |Total
!170
!24
!
!
!
!
!
!
!
!
|-
| rowspan="5" |[[K. Beringen F.C.|Beringen]]
|[[1976–77 Belgian First Division|1976–77]]
| rowspan="4" |[[Belgian First Division|First Division]]
|30
|5
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|-
|[[1977–78 Belgian First Division|1977–78]]
|28
|5
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|-
|[[1978–79 Belgian First Division|1978–79]]
|23
|5
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|-
|[[1979–80 Belgian First Division|1979–80]]
|29
|2
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|-
! colspan="2" |Total
!110
!17
!
!
!
!
!
!
!
!
|-
| rowspan="3" |[[S.K. Beveren|Beveren]]
|[[1980–81 Belgian First Division|1980–81]]
| rowspan="2" |[[Belgian First Division|First Division]]
|21
|2
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|-
|[[1981–82 Belgian First Division|1981–82]]
|28
|4
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|-
! colspan="2" |Total
!49
!6
!
!
!
!
!
!
!
!
|-
| rowspan="3" |[[Sint-Truidense V.V.|Sint-Truiden]]
|1982–83
| rowspan="2" |[[Belgian Second Division|Second Division]]
|18
|0
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|-
|1983–84
|8
|0
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|-
! colspan="2" |Total
!26
!0
!
!
!
!
!
!
!
!
|-
! colspan="3" |Career total
!553
!117
!
!
!
!
!
!
!
!
|}

{| class="wikitable" style="text-align:center"
|+Appearances and goals by national team and year'''<ref name="eurosport3223">{{cite web |date=11 January 2024 |title=WILFRIED VAN MOER - Footballer stats by year |url=https://eu-football.info/_player.php?id=21832 |publisher=eu-football.info |language= |publication-date=}}</ref>'''
!National team
!Year
!Apps
!Goals
|-
| rowspan="14" |[[Belgium national football team|Belgium]]
|1966
|2
|0
|-
|1967
|2
|0
|-
|1968
|6
|0
|-
|1969
|4
|0
|-
|1970
|6
|3
|-
|1971
|5
|1
|-
|1972
|3
|1
|-
|1973
|1
|0
|-
|1974
|6
|2
|-
|1975
|1
|0
|-
|1979
|3
|1
|-
|1980
|9
|0
|-
|1981
|3
|0
|-
|1982
|6
|1
|-
! colspan="2" |Total
!57
!9
|}
{| class="wikitable sortable"
|+List of international goals scored by Wilfried Van Moer
! scope="col" |{{Abbr|No.|Number}}
! scope="col" |[[Cap (sport)|Cap]]
! scope="col" |Date
! scope="col" |Venue
! scope="col" |Opponent
! scope="col" |Score
! scope="col" |Result
! scope="col" |Competition
|-
| align="center" | 1 || rowspan="2" align="center"| 16 || rowspan="2"|3 June 1970 || rowspan="2" | [[Estadio Azteca]], [[Mexico City]], Mexico ||  rowspan="2"| {{fb|SLV}} || align="center"  | 1–0 || rowspan="2" style="text-align:center;" {{won|3–0}} ||  rowspan="2"|[[1970 FIFA World Cup]] Group stage
|-
| align="center" | 2 || align="center" | 2–0
|-
| align="center" |3
| align="center" |19
|15 November 1970
|[[King Baudouin Stadium|Heysel Stadium]], [[Brussels]], Belgium
|{{fb|FRA}}
| align="center" |1–1|| {{lost|1–2}} 
|[[Exhibition game|Friendly]]
|-
| align="center" |4
| align="center" |23
|20 May 1971
|[[Stade Josy Barthel|Stade Municipal]], [[Luxembourg City]], Luxembourg
|{{fb|LUX}}
| align="center" |4–0|| {{won|4–0}} 
|[[Exhibition game|Friendly]]
|-
| align="center" |5
| align="center" |27
|13 May 1972
|[[Constant Vanden Stock Stadium|Stade Émile Versé]], [[Anderlecht]], Belgium
|{{fb|ITA}}
| align="center" |1–0|| {{won|2–1}} 
|[[1982 FIFA World Cup qualification|1982 World Cup qualification]]
|-
| align="center" |6
| align="center" |31
|17 April 1974
|[[Stade Maurice Dufrasne|Stade de Sclessin]], [[Liège]], Belgium
|{{fb|POL}}
| align="center" |1–0|| {{draw|1–1}} 
|[[Exhibition game|Friendly]]
|-
| align="center" |7
| align="center" |34
|8 September 1974
|[[Laugardalsvöllur]], [[Reykjavík]], Iceland
|{{fb|ISL}}
| align="center" |1–0|| {{won|2–0}} 
|[[UEFA Euro 1976 qualifying|Euro 1984 qualification]]
|-
| align="center" |8
| align="center" |38
|17 October 1979
|[[King Baudouin Stadium|Heysel Stadium]], [[Brussels]], Belgium
|{{fb|POR}}
| align="center" |1–0|| {{won|2–0}} 
|[[UEFA Euro 1980 qualifying|Euro 1984 qualification]]
|-
| align="center" |9
| align="center" |53
|24 April 1982
|[[King Baudouin Stadium|Heysel Stadium]], [[Brussels]], Belgium
|{{fb|BUL}}
| align="center" |2–1|| {{won|2–1}} 
|[[Exhibition game|Friendly]]
|}

== Honours ==
[[File:Farewell_Wilfried_Van_Moer_Sclessin.jpg|thumb|260px|Farewell to Wilfried Van Moer in the stadium of [[Standard Liège]], September 2021]]
'''Standard Liège'''<ref name="eurosport">{{cite web|title=Standard de Liège {{!}} Palmares|url=https://standard.be/fr/palmares|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160206084928/http://www.eurosport.co.uk/football/michel-preud-homme_prs89281/person.shtml|archive-date=6 February 2016|access-date=6 February 2016|publisher=[[Eurosport]]}}</ref>
* [[Belgian League|Belgian First Division]]: [[1968–69 Belgian First Division|1968–69]], [[1969–70 Belgian First Division|1969–70]], [[1970–71 Belgian First Division|1970–71]]
* [[Belgian League Cup]]: 1975

'''Belgium'''
* [[UEFA European Championship]]: runners-up [[UEFA Euro 1980|1980]]<ref name="eurosport2">{{cite web|title=UEFA Euro 1980|url=https://www.uefa.com/uefaeuro/history/seasons/1980/matches/}}</ref>
* [[Belgian National Sports Merit Award|Belgian Sports Merit Award]]: 1980<ref name="eurosport4">{{cite web|title=Nationale Trofee voor Sportverdienste|url=https://www.standaard.be/cnt/dmf20191107_04705232}}</ref>

'''Individual'''
* [[Belgian Golden Shoe]]: 1966, 1969, 1970<ref name="Yashin Award2">{{cite web|title=Winnaars Gouden Schoen|url=https://www.nieuwsblad.be/cnt/dmf20120111_213}}</ref>
*''Sport Ideal European XI'': 1972<ref>{{cite web|url=http://hemeroteca.mundodeportivo.com/preview/1972/12/31/pagina-15/972425/pdf.html |website=Mundo Deportivo|title=Sport 1972|access-date=4 June 2024 }}</ref>
* [[Ballon d'Or]] fourth place: [[1980 Ballon d'Or|1980]]<ref name="Yashin Award3">{{cite web|title=Ballon d'Or 1980|url=https://www.francefootball.fr/news/1980-k-h-rummenigge/423420}}</ref> 
* [[Ballon d'Or]] nominations: [[1971 Ballon d'Or|1971]],<ref name="Yashin Award32">{{cite web|title=Ballon d'Or 1971|url=https://www.francefootball.fr/news/1971-johan-cruyff/423389}}</ref> [[1981 Ballon d'Or|1981]]<ref name="Yashin Award332">{{cite web|title=Ballon d'Or 1981|url=https://www.francefootball.fr/news/1981-k-h-rummenigge/423423}}</ref>
* [[Belgian Golden Shoe#Golden Shoe of the 20th Century|Belgian Golden Shoe of the 20th Century]] (1995): third place<ref>{{cite web|title=Soulier d'or belge du 20ème siècle|url=https://www.football-the-story.com/blog/soulier-d-or-belge}}</ref>
*[[:nl:Belgische Gouden Schoen 2003|Platina Eleven]] (Best Team in 50 Years of Golden Shoe Winners) (2003)<ref>{{Cite web|last=UEFA.com|date=15 January 2004|title=Aruna voted Belgium's finest|url=https://www.uefa.com/insideuefa/member-associations/BEL/news/0199-0f8452c4cff9-ecec98bb3aad-1000--aruna-voted-belgium-s-finest/|access-date=8 November 2020|website=[[UEFA]]|language=en}}{{dead link|date=March 2025|bot=medic}}{{cbignore|bot=medic}}</ref>
* The Best Golden Shoe Team Ever (2011)<ref>{{cite web|title=Het beste Gouden Schoen-elftal ooit|url=https://www.nieuwsblad.be/cnt/go6356m2g}}</ref>
* [[International Federation of Football History & Statistics|IFFHS]] All Time Belgium XI (2021)<ref>{{Cite web |title=IFFHS |url=https://www.iffhs.com/posts/1260 |access-date=2022-01-16 |website=www.iffhs.com}}</ref>
* Standard Liège ''Hall of Fame'': 2024<ref>{{Cite web |date=1 December 2024 |title=R. Standard Liège Hall of Fame: Our legends |url=https://halloffame.standardliege.be/en/legends/ |website=halloffame.standardliege.be |language=}}</ref>

==References==
{{Reflist}}

==External links==
*{{WorldFootball.net|wilfried-van-moer}}
*[https://www.rsssf.org/miscellaneous/belg-recintlp.html Belgium - Record International Players] - RSSSF
*[http://www.xtratime.org/forum/showthread.php?t=248787 xtratime.org] - Xtratime

{{Belgian Golden Shoe}}
{{Navboxes
|title = Belgium squads
|bg = #D4071A
|fg = #FFCE4A
|bordercolor = Black
|list1 =
{{Belgium Squad 1970 World Cup}}
{{Belgium Squad Euro 1980}}
{{Belgium Squad 1982 World Cup}}
}}
{{K. Sint-Truidense V.V. managers}}
{{Belgium national football team managers}}

{{DEFAULTSORT:Van Moer, Wilfried}}
[[Category:1945 births]]
[[Category:2021 deaths]]
[[Category:Belgian men's footballers]]
[[Category:Men's association football midfielders]]
[[Category:Belgium men's international footballers]]
[[Category:Belgian Pro League players]]
[[Category:Challenger Pro League players]]
[[Category:K.S.K. Beveren players]]
[[Category:Royal Antwerp F.C. players]]
[[Category:Standard Liège players]]
[[Category:Sint-Truidense V.V. players]]
[[Category:Belgian football managers]]
[[Category:Sint-Truidense V.V. managers]]
[[Category:1970 FIFA World Cup players]]
[[Category:UEFA Euro 1980 players]]
[[Category:1982 FIFA World Cup players]]
[[Category:Belgium national football team managers]]
[[Category:K. Beringen F.C. players]]
[[Category:Sportspeople from Beveren]]
[[Category:Footballers from East Flanders]]
[[Category:20th-century Belgian sportsmen]]