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List of Belgium national football team captains

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Kevin De Bruyne is the captain of the national side.

As of March 2016, the Belgium national team has been led by at least 89 different captains;[1] 86 different players started an international game as captain,[2] but due to substitutions the total number is higher. At least 15 pure forwards and eight goalkeepers have fulfilled this role but most often Red Devils in defensive positions and midfielders were assigned as captain, as is usually the case in association football. Until 2011 under Dick Advocaat and Georges Leekens the former Belgium U-23 captain Thomas Vermaelen was chosen as national squad's leader, but during an injury period he left the captaincy to Vincent Kompany, who became the new permanent captain.[3] After several periods of injuries and missing out UEFA Euro 2016, Kompany gradually lost his position as captain to Eden Hazard by 2017.[4] Following Hazard's retirement from international duty in 2022, Kevin De Bruyne was appointed as captain.[5]

All-time captain list

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See also: Belgium national football team records § Captains

The following table shows which Belgian footballers started international games as captain, and during which period. Players that received the captain's armband because of a substitution or expulsion during a match are not counted.

  Players still active for Belgium are highlighted

Last updated: Brazil vs. Belgium, 6 July 2018. Statistics include official FIFA-recognised matches only.

List of captains of the Belgium national football team[2]
# Name Period Position Times Active
1 Camille Van Hoorden 1904–11 MF 12
2 Ernest Moreau de Melen 1905 DF 1
3 Edgard Poelmans 1906–11 DF 4
4 René Feye 1907 MF 1
5 Charles Cambier 1907–10 MF 6
6 Max Tobias 1908 MF 1
7 Marcel Feye 1910 GK 4
8 Émile Andrieu 1912 DF 5
9 Oscar Bossaert 1912–13 DF 7
10 Gaston Hubin 1913 DF 1
11 Henri Leroy 1914 GK 1
12 Joseph Thys 1914 MF 1
13 Armand Swartenbroeks 1914–28 DF 37
14 Jules Suetens 1914 MF 1
15 Georgy Hebdin 1919–20 FW 3
16 Fernand Nisot 1920 FW 1
17 Émile Hanse 1920–22 MF 4
18 Joseph Musch 1921 DF/MF 3
19 Oscar Verbeeck 1924 DF 1
20 Florimond Vanhalme 1926–30 MF 14
21 Pierre Braine 1928–30 MF 9
22 Nic Hoydonckx 1930–33 DF 13
23 Jacques Moeschal 1931 MF/FW 2
24 Gust Hellemans 1932–34 CH 5
25 Jules Lavigne 1932 DF 3
26 Jules Pappaert 1934 DF 3
27 Félix Welkenhuysen 1934 DF 1
28 Philly Smellinckx 1935–38 DF 13
29 Émile Stijnen 1936–39 MF 18
30 Ray Braine 1938 FW 1
31 Bob Paverick 1939–46 DF 9
32 John Van Alphen 1944 DF/MF 1
33 Nand Buyle 1945 FW 1
34 Bert De Cleyn 1947 FW 5
35 Marcel Vercammen 1947 MF 1
36 Jules Henriet 1948–49 DF/MF 8
37 François Daenen 1948–53 GK 3
38 Freddy Chaves 1949–51 MF/FW 11
39 Jef Mermans 1949–56 FW 30
40 Henri Meert 1952–55 GK 4
41 Victor Lemberechts 1953 FW 1
42 Pol Anoul 1953 FW 2
43 Louis Carré 1955–58 DF 5
44 Vic Mees 1956–60 MF 16
45 Marcel Dries 1958 DF 2
46 Denis Houf 1958–61 FW 3
47 Rik Coppens 1959 FW 4
48 Henri Diricx 1960 DF 2
49 Martin Lippens 1960–63 MF 3
50 Jef Jurion 1960–67 MF 39
51 Paul Van Himst 1964–74 FW 38
52 Jean Nicolay 1965 GK 1
53 Pierre Hanon 1966–68 DF/MF 6
54 Georges Heylens 1968–70 DF 4
55 Léon Semmeling 1970 FW 1
56 Wilfried Van Moer 1975–82 DF/MF 10
57 Christian Piot 1975–77 GK 8
58 Maurice Martens 1976 DF 1
59 Raoul Lambert 1977 FW 2
60 Julien Cools 1977–80 DF/MF 20
61 François Van der Elst 1980 FW 1
62 Eric Gerets 1980–91 DF 26
63 Walter Meeuws 1982–84 DF 2
64 Jean-Marie Pfaff 1984–87 GK 3
65 Ludo Coeck 1984 DF/MF 1
66 Jan Ceulemans 1984–91 MF/FW 48
67 René Vandereycken 1984 MF 1
68 Georges Grün 1989–95 DF 25
69 Franky Van der Elst 1992–98 MF 18
70 Michel Preud'homme 1993–94 GK 3
71 Enzo Scifo 1993–98 MF 11
72 Lorenzo Staelens 1995–00 DF/MF 19
73 Marc Degryse 1995–96 MF 3
74 Nico Van Kerckhoven 1998 DF/MF 1
75 Marc Wilmots 1999–02 MF 23
76 Gert Verheyen 2001–02 MF/FW 3
77 Bart Goor 2002–05 MF 20
78 Eric Deflandre 2004 DF 2
79 Timmy Simons 2004–09 DF/MF 36
80 Émile Mpenza 2005 FW 1
81 Daniel Van Buyten 2007–11 DF 10
82 Thomas Vermaelen 2009–13 DF 14
83 Vincent Kompany 2010–17 DF 36[A]
84 Jan Vertonghen 2012–21 DF 13 Active
85 Eden Hazard 2015–22 MF/FW 45
86 Axel Witsel 2016 MF 1 Active
87 Thibaut Courtois 2018 GK 1 Active
88 Kevin De Bruyne 2018–Present MF 7 Active
89 Romelu Lukaku 2020–Present FW 6 Active

Footnotes

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  1. ^ Note that the friendlies against Romania on 14 November 2012 and against Luxembourg on 26 May 2014 are not FIFA-recognised due to an excessive number of substitutions.[6]

References

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  1. ^ H., Cl. (17 Nov 2004). "Le 82e capitaine". La Dernière Heure (in French).
  2. ^ a b "Belgium national football team match results". eu-football.info. Retrieved 5 Sep 2013.
  3. ^ Ankers, George (10 Nov 2011). "Arsenal defender Thomas Vermaelen disappointed to lose Belgium captaincy to Manchester City's Vincent Kompany". Goal.com. Retrieved 5 May 2015.
  4. ^ "Vincent Kompany is weer Rode Duivel, Eden Hazard blijft aanvoerder". Goal.com. 30 May 2017. Retrieved 1 Jun 2017.
  5. ^ "Royal Belgian FA". www.rbfa.be. Retrieved 2024-05-30.
  6. ^ "Rules & Governance - Law 3: The number of players". The FA. Retrieved 25 Oct 2014.
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