Top 10 Best Belgian Players Of All Time | Ranked

Football has had legendary players from Brazil, England, Spain, and many other countries. However, there have been many Belgian players as well who often go under the radar. Belgium has often had “golden ages” over the years despite not winning any major tournament. The country’s international team has often even been ranked first in FIFA’s rankings despite not winning any trophies.

However, it is undeniable that Belgian football has provided some legendary players whose names have gone down in the history of football. Let’s take a look at the top ten best Belgian players of all time.

Ranking Factors

Longevity: The primary ranking aspect that we are looking for is their tenure. It reflects the longevity and durability of their career.

Impact: Any player’s impact in bringing triumph to the team with their individual brilliance and key performances on the pitch. Statistics like goals, assists, clean sheets, and appearances are also taken into account.

Achievements: The number of trophies, titles, and honors a player has earned during their career. Trophy count and personal accolades are also vital factors in defining the rankings of these phenomenal players.

List of the Best Belgian Football Players Of All Time

10) Enzo Scifo

Scifo is one of the lesser-known Belgian legends in today’s generation, but he was one of the most thriving talents back in the 1980s. Enzo Scifo debuted for Anderlecht at the age of 17 years old in 1983, after which he made over 100 appearances for them across four seasons, helping them win three league titles. After this, he had great spells at Inter Milan, AS Monaco, AJ Auxerre, and Torino, ultimately leading to a great goal tally in his career. At the end of his club career, he had amassed 632 appearances, scoring 150 goals and having 35 assists to his name which was truly remarkable.

As for the Belgian squad, he made his debut at the age of 18 and he went on to make 84 appearances, scoring 18 goals. Enzo has been a four-time Ballon d’Or nominee due to his impressive performances. Scifo is truly one of the most underrated footballers out there, let alone an underrated Belgian legend. Another unique fact about him is that he was an attacking midfielder who often played as a central midfielder, right midfielder, and defensive midfielder, and was great in each position, signifying his impressive consistency and versatility.

Key Stats	Club Career	International Career
Appearances	632	84
Goals	150	18
Assists	35	14

9) Toby Alderweireld

Alderweireld is one of Ajax’s famous youth talents who sprang into action as a 19-year-old and is arguably one of the most underrated centre-backs of our generation. Toby Alderweireld did well to break into Ajax’s first team and made over 100 appearances for them, which earned him a move to a team from one of the best leagues in Europe, namely Atletico Madrid. However, Toby was unable to break into the first team, following which Atletico Madrid loaned him out to Southampton, where his stellar performances earned him a move to Tottenham Hotspur. Alderweireld became one of the best centre-backs of Tottenham Hotspur.

In 2019, which was the best season of his career and arguably Tottenham’s best performance in recent years, Alderweireld played a crucial role alongside Jan Vertonghen in helping Tottenham reach the UEFA Champions League finals but ultimately lost to Liverpool. He was definitely one of the best centre-backs in the world during his time at Tottenham Hotspur, despite not winning any trophies. As of now, Alderweireld is playing at Royal Antwerp at the age of 36 and is nearing retirement.

Toby Alderweireld also featured for the Belgium national team, earning a staggering 127 caps and scoring five goals as well. Alderweireld is one of the best Belgian centre-backs who sprang into action during a golden era for Belgium alongside fellow centre-backs like Jan Vertonghen and Vincent Kompany.

Key Stats	Club Career	International Career
Appearances	633	127
Goals	42	5
Assists	28	12

8) Paul Van Himst

Yet another Anderlecht legend has made it to the list. Paul Van Himst is like Francesco Totti since he has stayed loyal to only one club throughout his career as well. Van Himst is a legend in Anderlecht’s history, spending the majority of his career there, scoring 257 goals for them in 446 appearances. Paul was a very proficient goalscorer who recorded double-digit campaigns for ten seasons in a row, alongside holding the record for most appearances for Anderlecht. Van Himst was not just a traditional goalscorer, but also a playmaker at times who used his creativity to help set up chances for his team.

Paul Van Himst would have become quite famous, but he chose not to join any European club and stayed loyal to Anderlecht. As for the Belgian national team, Paul Van Himst earned 81 caps, scoring 30 goals, which made him the second top scorer in Belgium’s history until Eden Hazard overtook him in the list. Paul Van Himst is arguably one of the best Belgian players of all time, who deserves more recognition considering the fact that he was voted the best Belgian footballer of the 20th century.

Key Stats	Club Career	International Career
Appearances	446	81
Goals	257	30
Assists	N/A	8

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7) Jean-Marie Pfaff

Pfaff is the lesser-known and underrated Belgian goalkeeper in this list, but he is also one of the best goalkeepers. Belgium’s semi-final run in the 1986 FIFA World Cup was impressive, and Pfaff played a crucial role in it and was named the goalkeeper of the tournament. Pfaff is not as tall as Thibaut Courtois or Ederson and is just 5’11, which is a bit short for a goalkeeper. However, he never let his height get in his way and was a very commanding and confident goalkeeper who had a great shot-stopping ability as well as composure with the ball.

Jean-Marie Pfaff made 328 appearances at his home club SK Beveren-Waes, which earned him a move to Bundesliga giants Bayern Munich, where he further made 215 appearances, and his exposure in the Bundesliga led to him becoming one of the best goalkeepers of his time. Overall, Pfaff made over 595 appearances in his club career across SK Beveren-Waes, Bayern Munich, Trabzonspor, and Lierse SK. Pfaff earned 64 appearances for his country, making him one of the best goalkeepers in Belgium’s history.

Key Stats	Club Career	International Career
Appearances	595	64
Clean Sheets	239	21

6) Jan Vertonghen

Vertonghen was a long-term centre back partner of Toby Alderweireld and is arguably as underrated as him. Jan Vertonghen also made his way through Ajax, becoming one of the best centre-backs in the world in 2012, attracting attention from various elite clubs. This led to him signing for Tottenham Hotspur, where he was united with fellow Belgian centre-back Toby Alderweireld. Just like Toby, Jan’s best part of his career was playing a crucial role in Tottenham’s road to the UEFA Champions League final in 2019.

Jan Vertonghen is a great example of a modern centre-back who is a ball-playing defender, comfortable and calm on the ball, and helps build attacks as well. Vertonghen has amassed a staggering 722 appearances in his club career, scoring 53 goals and having 22 assists to his name despite being a centre-back.

As for the national team, Jan Vertonghen is the most capped Belgian player of all time, earning an impressive 157 caps and scoring ten goals as well. He is one of the best centre-backs of our generation, despite not bringing home any trophies in his club career or country.

Key Stats	Club Career	International Career
Appearances	722	157
Goals	52	10
Assists	22	6

5) Vincent Kompany

There are many things that come to mind when one hears the name Vincent Kompany. One might think of the absolute belter of a goal that he scored against Leicester City during his Man City days, which helped them secure the Premier League title. One might think of his great managerial debut season as Burnley manager, winning the EFL Championship easily and then earning a move to Bayern Munich as their new manager. There are many more memorable and iconic moments in Kompany’s career that sum up his ability and impact.

Vincent Kompany is the poster boy of the most iconic defender in Belgium’s golden era. Kompany had his fair share of injuries, often hindering him, but he led Manchester City to four Premier League titles, four League Cups, and two FA Cups. He has played as a centre-back and even a central defensive midfielder on some occasions and has amassed 533 appearances, even scoring 31 goals and assisting 20 times in his club career. Kompany has played at Hamburger SV, RSC Anderlecht during his career, but is most renowned for his Manchester City days.

As for his country, Vincent Kompany has earned 89 caps, scoring four goals. Although this list is regarding the best Belgian players, let’s not forget that Kompany has now become the manager at Bayern Munich and recently won this season’s Bundesliga title as well. This signifies his immense knowledge and leadership skills, which he displayed during his playing days as well as now during his managerial days.

Key Stats	Club Career	International Career
Appearances	533	89
Goals	31	4
Assists	20	6

4) Thibaut Courtois

Courtois is not only one of the best goalkeepers of this season but also one of the most decorated as well. Thibaut Courtois has mainly honed his skills and impact at the best clubs in the world, namely Chelsea, Atletico Madrid, and especially Real Madrid. He has won numerous trophies, amongst which the most impressive are six La Liga titles and two UEFA Champions League titles. Thibaut Courtois has a tall frame and is an excellent shot stopper, often making numerous crucial saves in a single game.

This was portrayed well during the UEFA Champions League final against Liverpool in the 2021-2022 season, where he made multiple saves which ultimately decided the final as Real Madrid won 1-0. Courtois has garnered a staggering 628 appearances in his club career, and it is no surprise that he has earned 103 caps for Belgium as well. Thibaut Courtois is still playing for Real Madrid, and despite an injury-ridden season, he is showing no signs of stopping and can potentially end up being one of the best goalkeepers of our generation as well at this rate.

Key Stats	Club Career	International Career
Appearances	628	103
Clean Sheets	259	51

3) Romelu Lukaku

Lukaku is one of the most over-hated players of our generation, who has faced some undeserved criticism, especially during his years at Manchester United and Chelsea in the Premier League. Romelu Lukaku has been inconsistent at times, but the quality and potential have always been there. The Belgian initially burst onto the scene scoring 25 goals for Everton in the 2016-2017 Premier League season, after which he joined Manchester United, where he scored 42 goals and assisted 12 times. However, that was not deemed enough by the Manchester United board and the fans.

He redeemed his so-called wasted efforts in the Premier League by performing brilliantly in Serie A for Inter Milan, Roma, and Napoli. Lukaku scored 82 goals and had 30 assists in 159 Serie A appearances. Overall, he has garnered 679 appearances, scoring 321 goals and having 98 assists, which is very impressive. Lukaku is Belgium’s top scorer, registering 88 goals in 122 caps. Such an impressive goal record cannot go unnoticed because of some poor performances and inconsistency. Lukaku’s impressive goal record will always put him on the list of the best Belgian players of all time.

Key Stats	Club Career	International Career
Appearances	679	122
Goals	321	88
Assists	98	18

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2) Eden Hazard

The Belgian “Messi” was one of the best players of our generation and undoubtedly one of the best Belgian football players of all time. Eden Hazard had the potential to be the best player of our generation, but his work ethic and injuries often hindered him. The legacy he left behind is very impressive. Eden Hazard is a proper example of a winger with so much flair and creativity that even opposition fans would love watching him play. Hazard was a winger and even an attacking midfielder on some occasions, who helped create a lot of attacking plays throughout his career and build up goals as well. However, the most unique part about him was that on numerous occasions, he would not build plays but take on opposition players on his own, and that too effortlessly, having scored a lot of memorable goals, especially in the Premier League.

Eden Hazard first popped up on the radar of many elite clubs during his spell at LOSC Lille in Ligue 1, where he scored 50 goals and assisted 53 times in 194 appearances. This impressive record earned him a move to Chelsea, where he cemented his name as one of the best players in the league as well as one of the best Belgian players of all time. He won numerous titles when he was at Chelsea, but individually, his best season was the 2018-2019 season in the Premier League when he scored 16 goals and provided 15 assists in 37 appearances. This is considered one of the best ever individual seasons in the history of the Premier League.

He even won the playmaker of the year award in that season and the goal of the season for his ecstatic solo goal against West Ham. Overall, he has amassed 167 goals and 150 assists in 623 appearances in his club career and 33 goals in 126 caps for Belgium. Hazard could have been the best player, but unfortunately, a dream move to Real Madrid turned into a nightmare since his injuries just kept on piling up and ultimately forced him to retire in 2023 at the age of 31. Nevertheless, Eden Hazard is still one of the best football players of our generation and definitely one of the best Belgian players of all time.

Key Stats	Club Career	International Career
Appearances	623	126
Goals	167	33
Assists	150	36

1)Kevin De Bruyne

De Bruyne did not get much game time at Chelsea under Jose Mourinho, after which he chose to join VFL Wolfsburg in the Bundesliga. After an incredible breakthrough season at Wolfsburg, Manchester City chose to sign him, and the rest is history. Kevin De Bruyne has won a staggering 16 titles since joining Manchester City in 2015, which includes six Premier League titles and a UEFA Champions League title.

Overall, Kevin De Bruyne has scored 107 goals and has 177 assists in 415 appearances for Manchester City since joining. De Bruyne’s impact in the Premier League has been electric and consistent since joining in 2015. He ranks ninth in the top ten Premier League midfielders with the most goals, scoring 70 goals. He is second in the top ten Premier League midfielders with the most assists, registering 116 assists. Many Premier League fans and even rival teams’ fans consider De Bruyne as one of the best Premier League attacking midfielders, and his impact is truly a testament to that statement.

Kevin De Bruyne is arguably the best Belgian player of all time and can even go down as the best midfielder in the Premier League as well. As for Belgium, KDB has earned 109 caps, scoring 30 goals. KDB is mainly known for his impact during his Manchester City and Belgium days, where he was a creative playmaker who had the vision that many players did not and provided line-breaking passes effortlessly.

Key Stats	Club Career	International Career
Appearances	644	109
Goals	154	30
Assists	261	52

List Of Top 10 Best Belgian Players Of All Time

Rank	Player	Position
1	Kevin De Bruyne	Midfielder
2	Romelu Lukaku	Forward
3	Thibaut Courtois	Goalkeeper
4	Eden Hazard	Forward
5	Vincent Kompany	Defender
6	Jan Vertonghen	Defender
7	Jean Marie-Pfaff	Goalkeeper
8	Paul Van Himst	Forward
9	Toby Alderweireld	Defender
10	Enzo Scifo	Midfielder

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