Famous Belgian Sportspersons

Belgian tennis legend Kim Clijsters is a former world number 1 in both singles and doubles. The 4-time Grand Slam winner retired thrice in her career, in 2007, in 2012, and eventually, for good, in 2020. She has also been associated with charitable initiatives and has founded Ten4Kim to help financially weak junior players.

Known as the Female Federer, Belgian tennis legend Justine Henin is a former world number 1 in singles. Apart from winning an Olympic gold medal, she also won Belgium its first Fed Cup title and won 7 Grand Slam titles. She was one of those rare female players who used a single-handed backhand.

Eddy Merckx is a Belgian former road and track bicycle racer. Widely regarded as the most successful rider in competitive cycling history, Merckx achieved several important victories, such as 11 Grand Tours, three World Championships, and all five Monuments. He is also considered the greatest cyclist of all time. After retiring, he coached his national cycling team for 11 years.

One of the best Belgian footballers of all time, Eden Hazard is also regarded as one of the best players of the current generation. Thanks to his ability to retain possession among other footballing skills, Hazard is often compared with players like Cristiano Ronaldo and Lionel Messi.

Romelu Lukaku, the Belgian football player, is known for his goal-scoring abilities. He plays in the forward position and can also play as a winger. He has scored more than 50 international goals while playing for the men’s national team of Belgium. Inter Milan, Chelsea, West Bromwich Albion, Everton and Manchester United are some of the clubs he has played for.

Belgian footballer Thibaut Courtois who is a goalkeeper for the Spanish club Real Madrid is considered one of the best of his time. Starting his career with Genk, he later also played for Chelsea. He was also part of the FIFA World Cup third place-holding Belgian squad in 2018.

Considered one of the fittest central defenders of the world, retired Belgian footballer Vincent Kompany had a successful stint with Manchester City, winning 4 Premier League titles, among other championships, with them. Post-retirement, the star footballer had turned to coaching and now manages the English club Burnley.

Belgian professional football-forward Divock Origi plays for Belgium and AC Milan. During his eight-year tenure with Liverpool, he achieved several feats with the club including winning 2019–20 Premier League and the club’s first FIFA Club World Cup title (2019). He played for Belgium during 2014 FIFA World Cup, and became the youngest goal-scorer in the country’s World Cup history.

Jacky Ickx is a Belgian retired racing driver best known for winning the 24 Hours of Le Mans on six occasions. He also achieved 25 podium finishes and eight wins in F1. Jacky Ickx is also known for his association with Scuderia Ferrari as he was the leading driver for the team for several seasons in the 1960s and 1970s.

Belgian footballer Jan Vertonghen is best known as a central defender for the club Anderlecht. Starting his senior career with the club Ajax, he has also had successful stints with Tottenham Hotspur and Benfica. He was part of the FIFA World Cup third-place-winning Belgian team in 2018.

Belgian footballer Toby Alderweireld is best known as a defender for Royal Antwerp. Starting his senior career with Ajax, he later also had successful stints with clubs such as Atlético Madrid and Tottenham Hotspur. He was also part of the Belgian squads that played at the 2014 and 2018 FIFA World Cup games.

Often described as a complete football player, Kevin De Bruyne is also widely regarded as one of the best players of his generation. Over the years, he has had a major impact on the Manchester City Football Club, helping his team win several games. He is also a key player for the Belgian national football team.

Belgian footballer Dries Mertens, also known as Ciro, is a striker/winger for the Turkish club Galatasaray. Starting his senior career with Gent, he has also represented the Italian club Napoli and the Dutch club Utrecht. He was also part of the FIFA World Cup third-place-winning Belgian squad of 2018.

Adnan Januzaj is a Belgian football player who plays for the Belgium national team as a midfielder. In 2018, he helped his national team win the bronze medal at the 2018 FIFA World Cup in Russia. Adnan Januzaj is also currently a part of the Sevilla Fútbol Club.

Belgian professional football-midfielder Youri Tielemans plays for the Belgium national team and Leicester City. His achievements so far include winning Belgian First Division A (2013–14, 2016–17) with Anderlecht and FA Cup (2020–21) with Leicester City; and becoming Belgian Professional Footballer of the Year (2016–17). He represented Belgium during 2018 FIFA World Cup and UEFA Euro 2020.

Belgian footballer Radja Nainggolan, who plays as a midfielder for Antwerp, has also played for teams such as Cagliari and Piacenza. He began his football career with Tubantia Borgerhout at age 5. A diverse player, he won the Serie A in 2020-2021 with Inter Milan.

Belgian football winger and wing-back Yannick Ferreira Carrasco plays for the Belgium national team and Atlético Madrid. His achievements so far include winning Ligue 2 (2012–13) with Monaco; and La Liga (2020–21) and UEFA Europa League (2017–18) with Atlético Madrid. He played for Belgium national team during UEFA European Championship (2016, 2020) and 2018 FIFA World Cup.

Belgian footballer Michy Batshuayi now plays as a striker for the Turkish club Fenerbahçe. Starting his career with Standard Liège, he later had successful stints with clubs such as Marseille and Chelsea, winning a Premier League and 2 FA Cups with the latter. He also won the Ebony Shoe Award in 2013-14.

Retired Belgian footballer Thomas Vermaelen was a prominent defender and had successful stints with clubs such as Ajax, Arsenal, and Barcelona. He won 4 La Liga titles, among other championships, with Barcelona. An Olympian, he was also part of the Belgian squads that played in the 2014 and 2018 FIFA World Cups.

Retired Belgian footballer Mousa Dembélé was best known as a central midfielder for clubs such as Fulham, AZ, and Tottenham Hotspur. He has also played for the Chinese club Guangzhou City and been part of the FIFA World Cup third-place-winning Belgian team in 2018.

Nacer Chadli is a Belgian football player who plays as a midfielder for the Belgium national team. In 2018, he helped his nation win the bronze medal at the FIFA World Cup in Russia. Nacer Chadli also represented Belgium at the 2020 UEFA European Football Championship. A versatile midfielder, Nacer Chadli has also played for popular clubs like Tottenham Hotspur.

Moroccan-origin Belgian midfielder Marouane Fellaini is a midfielder for the Chinese Super League club Shandong Taishan. Starting his senior career with Standard Liège, he has also played for Everton and Manchester United. He is the son of a footballer who had to become a bus driver due to lack of paperwork.

A 3-time Olympian, Belgian cyclist Philippe Gilbert is best known for winning the 2012 World Road Race Championships. He is also one of only 2 cyclists who have won 3 Ardennes classics. After representing teams such as the BMC Racing Team and Quick-Step Floors, he switched to Lotto–Soudal.

Belgian footballer Axel Witsel plays as a midfielder for the Spanish club Atlético Madrid. Starting his senior career with Standard Liège, he later had successful stints with teams such as the Russian club Zenit Saint Petersburg and the German club Borussia Dortmund. He also played in the 2014 and 2018 FIFA World Cups.

Belgian cyclist Greg Van Avermaet was born into a family of cyclists, with both his father and grandfather being cyclists. The Olympic gold medalist has represented Predictor–Lotto and the BMC Racing Team, before switching to the French cycling team AG2R Citroën Team. He specializes in classic cycle races.

Tom Boonen is a Belgian retired road bicycle racer who competed for Quick-Step Floors teams and the U.S. Postal Service between 2002 and 2017. He is best known for winning a gold medal at the 2005 UCI Road World Championships in Madrid. Tom Boonen was named Belgian Sportsman of the Year on three occasions during his career.

Belgian tennis player Elise Mertens has been a world number 1 in doubles and number 12 in singles. A 3-time Grand Slam winner in doubles, she was also the 3rd Belgian female player to reach the last 4 of the Australian Open. She is an animal lover and is fond of learning languages, too.

The son of retired Belgian cyclist Patrick Evenepoel, Remco Evenepoel too is a skilled cyclist in his own right and an Olympian. While he began his sports career as a footballer with Anderlecht, he later switched to cycling. He now represents the Quick-Step Alpha Vinyl Team.

The son of Brazilian footballer Marcos Pereira, Andreas Pereira is a fine midfielder in his own right and plays for Fulham. The Belgian-born footballer started his senior career with the club Manchester United. While he initially represented the youth teams of both Belgium and Brazil, he later joined the Brazilian senior national team.

Kevin Mirallas is a Belgian football player who plays as a midfielder. Mirallas represented the Belgium national football team from 2007 to 2018, during which he competed in important tournaments including the 2008 Summer Olympics and the 2014 FIFA World Cup. Renowned for his passing ability and pace, Kevin Mirallas has also played for popular clubs like Olympiacos and Everton.

Belgian footballer Simon Mignolet is best known as a goalkeeper for Club Brugge. Starting his senior career with the club Sint-Truiden, he has also later had a successful stint with Liverpool, winning a UEFA Champions League with the latter. He was also part of the FIFA World Cup third-place-winning Belgian team in 2018.

The son of a former Congolese footballer, Belgian-born Dedryck Boyata is a well-known defender in his own right. Starting his senior football career with Manchester City, he later has successful stints with clubs such as Celtic, before switching to Club Brugge. He was part of the 2018 FIFA World Cup third-place-winning squad.

Retired Belgian racing driver Thierry Boutsen had a decade-long, illustrious career with 164 races and 3 Grand Prix wins. His career also witnessed him play for teams such as Arrows, Benetton, and Jordan. He was also placed second twice in the 24 Hours of Le Mans.

Frank Ntilikina is a French basketball player best known for winning the silver medal as part of the men's national basketball team at the 2020 Summer Olympics in Tokyo, Japan. He also helped his country win the bronze medal at the FIBA Basketball World Cup in 2019. Frank Ntilikina is currently a part of the Dallas Mavericks of the NBA. 

Nafissatou Thiam is a Belgian athlete who achieved popularity in 2016 when she won the gold medal in Heptathlon at the Olympic Games in Rio de Janeiro. Nafissatou Thiam went on to win another gold medal at the 2020 Summer Olympics in Tokyo, becoming only the second woman to win consecutive Olympic titles in Heptathlon after America's Jackie Joyner-Kersee. 

Nina Derwael is a Belgian artistic gymnast who won a gold medal at the 2020 Olympic Games, becoming the first Belgian female gymnast to win an Olympic medal. She has also won gold medals at the World Championships, European Games, and European Championships. Nina Derwael is the first gymnast from Belgium to become a World champion and European champion.

Belgian football manager Marc Wilmots has previously been a player with teams such as Standard Liège and Schalke 04 and has even won a UEFA Cup with the latter. He was also later elected to the Belgian senate, as a Reformist Movement member but later announced his decision to resign.

Jamal Ben Saddik is a Moroccan-Belgian kickboxer best known for his association with his current promotion Glory, where he competes in the heavyweight division. He achieved popularity in 2018, when he won the Glory Heavyweight Grand Prix tournament. In August 2022, Jamal Ben Saddik was ranked second in the official heavyweight rankings of the promotion.  

Tarec Saffiedine is a Belgian retired mixed martial artist best known for his association with the Ultimate Fighting Championship (UFC), where he competed in the Welterweight division. Over the course of his career, Tarec Saffiedine was also part of other promotions like Dream and Strikeforce; he was the last fighter to win the Strikeforce Welterweight Championship title.

The Belgian professional snooker player Luca Brecel became the first player from mainland Europe to win a ranking event when he won the China Championship (2017). In 2021, he claimed his second ranking title at the Scottish Open. Earlier, he broke the record of Stephen Hendry by becoming the youngest player ever to compete at the World Snooker Championship (2012).

Nicknamed Little Pele during his youth football days, Italian-origin Belgian footballer Enzo Scifo was a well-known midfielder. He scripted history as one of the 3 Belgian players to be part of 4 FIFA World Cups. He also had a successful stint with Anderlecht, winning 4 Belgian First Division titles with them.

Moroccan footballer Nabil Dirar, who plays as a winger, moved to Belgium as a teenager and started his senior football career with the Belgian club Diegem Sport. Though he wished to represent the Belgian national team, he was ineligible due to his participation in the Morocco U23 team.

Michel Preud'homme is a Belgian former footballer. He played as a goalkeeper for the Belgium national football team from 1979 to 1994. In 1994, he was adjudged IFFHS World's Best Goalkeeper of the Year. The same year, he was also named Best European Goalkeeper of the Year. Michel Preud'homme was also named Belgian Goalkeeper of the Year on four occasions.

Roger De Vlaeminck is a Belgian retired racing cyclist. One of the most talented racing cyclists of his generation, De Vlaeminck is best known for winning a gold medal for his country at the 1975 World Championships. He also won a silver medal in the same tournament. He was inducted into the Union Cycliste Internationale Hall of Fame in 2002.

Belgian footballer Richie de Laet, who is a well-known defender, started his senior career with Royal Antwerp. He later had successful stints with clubs such as Leicester City and Middlesbrough, winning a Premier League with the former. He was also named the 2009-10 Denzil Haroun Reserve Team Player of the Year.

Belgian bicycle racer Wout van Aert, who specializes in road bicycling and cyclo-cross racing, is an Olympic silver medalist and the 2021 UCI Cyclocross World Cup series title winner. He has also recorded multiple Tour de France stage wins. He is the nephew of retired Dutch cyclist Jos van Aert.

Daniel Van Buyten is a Belgian retired football player who played for the Belgium national football team from 2001 to 2014. Van Buyten exploited his aerial ability and physical strength to achieve good results for his team. Daniel Van Buyten was also a part of Bayern Munich and became the first Belgian to win the UEFA Champions League in 2013.