Belgian

People who have never been to Belgium will joke that nobody can name even five famous Belgians. Or quip how trite the Belgians are? That besides beer and mussels, there is nothing more to add to Belgium’s portfolio. But the truth is that Belgium, with its remarkable history of art, over 60 UNESCO sites, world-famous carnival celebrations and a wad of peerless men and women, is not half as lackluster and lacking in talent as the world deems. Not the one to blow its own trumpet, Belgium has never ever overplayed its greatness. No wonder most of us did not know that distinguished talents like Hollywood heartthrobs Audrey Hepburn and Jean Claude van Damme, world famous baroque painter Peter Paul Rubens, Tin Tin's creator Georges Remi, tennis star Kim Clijsters, bacteriologist Jules Bordet, and noted fashion designer Liz Claiborne are all Belgians. Surprised? Join us as we dig deep into the lives and deeds of many such famous Belgians in the biographies presented below, exploring their timeline, trivia and lesser-known facts on the way.
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 1 
Max Verstappen
(Belgian-Dutch Motorsports Racing Driver)
Max Verstappen
64
Listed In: Sportspersons
Birthdate: September 30, 1997
Sun Sign: Libra
Birthplace: Hasselt, Flanders, Belgium
 2 
Gotye
(Founding Member of The Melbourne Indie-Pop Trio 'The Basics')
Gotye
21
Listed In: Singers
Birthdate: May 21, 1980
Sun Sign: Gemini
Birthplace: Bruges, Belgium
Height: 6'4" (193 cm)
 3 
Lance Stroll
(Canadian-Belgian Motorsport Racer Who Competes for Canada in Formula One)
Lance Stroll
15
Listed In: Sportspersons
Birthdate: October 29, 1998
Sun Sign: Scorpio
Birthplace: Montreal, Quebec, Canada
Height: 6'0" (183 cm)
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 4 
Rene Magritte
(Belgian Surrealist Artist, Who Became Well Known for Creating a Number of Witty and Thought-Provoking Images)
Rene Magritte
12
Listed In: Miscellaneous
Birthdate: November 21, 1898
Sun Sign: Scorpio
Birthplace: Lessines, Belgium
Died: August 15, 1967
 5 
Peter Paul Rubens
(One of the Most Influential Artists of the Flemish Baroque Tradition)
Peter Paul Rubens
9
Birthdate: June 28, 1577
Sun Sign: Cancer
Birthplace: Siegen, Germany
Died: May 30, 1640
 6 
Romelu Lukaku
(Belgian Professional Football Player Who Plays as a Striker)
Romelu Lukaku
71
Listed In: Sportspersons
Birthdate: May 13, 1993
Sun Sign: Taurus
Birthplace: Antwerp, Belgium
Height: 6'3" (190 cm)
 7 
Jean-Claude Van Damme
(Actor Who is Best Known for His Martial Arts Action Movies ‘Bloodsport’, ‘Cyborg’ and ‘Kickboxer’)
Jean-Claude Van Damme
67
Listed In: Sportspersons
Birthdate: October 18, 1960
Sun Sign: Libra
Birthplace: Sint-Agatha-Berchem, Belgium
Height: 5'10" (178 cm)
 8 
Eden Hazard
(Belgian Professional Football Player Who Plays as a Winger /Attacking Midfielder)
Eden Hazard
57
Listed In: Sportspersons
Birthdate: 1991
Sun Sign: Capricorn
Birthplace: La Louvière, Belgium
Height: 5'8" (173 cm)
 9 
Kevin De Bruyne
(Belgian Professional Footballer Who Plays as a Midfielder)
Kevin De Bruyne
42
Listed In: Sportspersons
Birthdate: June 28, 1991
Sun Sign: Cancer
Birthplace: Drongen, Ghent, Belgium
Height: 5'11" (180 cm)
 10 
Thibaut Courtois
(Belgian Football Goalkeeper)
Thibaut Courtois
21
Listed In: Sportspersons
Birthdate: May 11, 1992
Sun Sign: Taurus
Birthplace: Bree, Belgium
Height: 6'7" (201 cm)
 11 
Leopold II of Belgium
(Former King of the Belgians (1865 - 1909))
Leopold II of Belgium
29
Birthdate: April 9, 1835
Sun Sign: Aries
Birthplace: Brussels, Belgium
Died: December 17, 1909
 12 
Stromae
(Rapper)
Stromae
21
Listed In: Singers
Birthdate: March 12, 1985
Sun Sign: Pisces
Birthplace: Etterbeek, Brussels, Belgium
Height: 6'3" (190 cm)
 13 
Justine Henin
(Retired Belgian Tennis Legend Who Was a World Number 1 in Singles)
Justine Henin
1
Listed In: Sportspersons
Birthdate: June 1, 1982
Sun Sign: Gemini
Birthplace: Liège, Belgium
Height: 5'6" (168 cm)
 14 
Vincent Kompany
(Retired Belgian Football Centre-Back)
Vincent Kompany
10
Listed In: Sportspersons
Birthdate: April 10, 1986
Sun Sign: Aries
Birthplace: Uccle, Belgium
Height: 6'4" (193 cm)
 15 
Diane von Fürstenberg
(Fashion designer)
Diane von Fürstenberg
6
Listed In: Fashion
Birthdate: December 31, 1946
Sun Sign: Capricorn
Birthplace: Brussels, Belgium
 16 
Kim Clijsters
(Belgian Tennis Legend and a Former World Number One in Both Singles and Doubles)
Kim Clijsters
3
Listed In: Sportspersons
Birthdate: June 8, 1983
Sun Sign: Gemini
Birthplace: Bilzen, Belgium
Height: 5'9" (175 cm)
 17 
Eddy Merckx
(Belgian Former Professional Road and Track Bicycle Racer)
Eddy Merckx
7
Listed In: Sportspersons
Birthdate: June 17, 1945
Sun Sign: Gemini
Birthplace: Meensel-Kiezegem, Belgium
Height: 6'0" (183 cm)
 18 
Divock Origi
(Belgian Professional Football Forward)
Divock Origi
8
Listed In: Sportspersons
Birthdate: April 18, 1995
Sun Sign: Aries
Birthplace: Ostend, Belgium
Height: 6'2" (188 cm)
 19 
Jacques Brel
(Actor & One of the Best-Selling Belgian Recording Artists of All Time)
Jacques Brel
12
Birthdate: April 8, 1929
Sun Sign: Aries
Birthplace: Schaerbeek, Belgium
Died: October 9, 1978
 20 
Charles Martel
(Military Leader)
Charles Martel
13
Listed In: Leaders
Birthdate: 0686 AD
Birthplace: Herstal
Died: October 22, 0741
 21 
Matthias Schoenaerts
(Belgian Actor Best Known for His Role as ‘Jacky Vanmarsenille’ in the Film ‘Bullhead')
Matthias Schoenaerts
5
Birthdate: December 8, 1977
Sun Sign: Sagittarius
Birthplace: Antwerp, Belgium
Height: 6'2" (188 cm)
 22 
Hergé
(Cartoonist (Creator of Tintin))
Hergé
4
Birthdate: May 22, 1907
Sun Sign: Gemini
Birthplace: Etterbeek, Belgium
Died: March 3, 1983
Height: 5'10" (178 cm)
 23 
Joanna of Castile
(Former Queen of Castile (1504 - 1555))
Joanna of Castile
5
Birthdate: November 6, 1479
Sun Sign: Scorpio
Birthplace: Toledo, Spain
Died: April 12, 1555
 24 
Toby Alderweireld
(Belgian Football Defender)
Toby Alderweireld
9
Listed In: Sportspersons
Birthdate: March 2, 1989
Sun Sign: Pisces
Birthplace: Antwerp, Belgium
Height: 6'2" (188 cm)
 25 
Adnan Januzaj
(Belgian Footballer Who Plays as a Winger)
Adnan Januzaj
10
Listed In: Sportspersons
Birthdate: February 5, 1995
Sun Sign: Aquarius
Birthplace: Brussels, Belgium
Height: 6'1" (185 cm)
 26 
Jan Vertonghen
(Belgian Football Central Defender)
Jan Vertonghen
5
Listed In: Sportspersons
Birthdate: April 24, 1987
Sun Sign: Taurus
Birthplace: Sint-Niklaas, Belgium
Height: 6'2" (188 cm)
 27 
Youri Tielemans
(Belgian Professional Football Midfielder)
Youri Tielemans
20
Listed In: Sportspersons
Birthdate: May 7, 1997
Sun Sign: Taurus
Birthplace: Sint-Pieters-Leeuw, Belgium
Height: 5'9" (175 cm)
 28 
Andreas Pereira
(Belgian-Born Footballer Who Plays as a Midfielder for Brazil)
Andreas Pereira
1
Listed In: Sportspersons
Birthdate: January 1, 1996
Sun Sign: Capricorn
Birthplace: Duffel, Belgium
Height: 5'10" (178 cm)
 29 
Andreas Vesalius
(Founding Father of the Modern Human Anatomy)
Andreas Vesalius
5
Listed In: Physicians
Birthdate: December 31, 1514
Sun Sign: Capricorn
Birthplace: Brussels, Belgium
Died: October 15, 1564
 30 
Leopold I of Belgium
(First King of the Belgians (1831 - 1865))
Leopold I of Belgium
7
Birthdate: December 16, 1790
Sun Sign: Sagittarius
Birthplace: Coburg, Germany
Died: December 10, 1865
 31 
Georges Lemaître
(Scientist & Priest)
Georges Lemaître
4
Listed In: Miscellaneous
Birthdate: July 17, 1894
Sun Sign: Cancer
Birthplace: Charleroi, Belgium
Died: June 20, 1966
 32 
Adolphe Sax
(Inventor of Saxophone)
Adolphe Sax
5
Birthdate: November 6, 1814
Sun Sign: Scorpio
Birthplace: Dinant
Died: February 7, 1894
 33 
Philip I of Castile
(King of Castile)
Philip I of Castile
3
Birthdate: July 22, 1478
Sun Sign: Cancer
Birthplace: Bruges, Belgium
Died: September 25, 1506
 34 
Dries Mertens
(Belgian Professional Football Striker)
Dries Mertens
6
Listed In: Sportspersons
Birthdate: May 6, 1987
Sun Sign: Taurus
Birthplace: Leuven, Belgium
Height: 5'7" (170 cm)
 35 
Lara Fabian
(One of the Best-Selling Belgian Female Artists of All Time)
Lara Fabian
10
Listed In: Singers
Birthdate: January 9, 1970
Sun Sign: Capricorn
Birthplace: Etterbeek, Belgium
 36 
Yannick Carrasco
(Belgian Football Winger and Wing-Back)
Yannick Carrasco
9
Listed In: Sportspersons
Birthdate: September 4, 1993
Sun Sign: Virgo
Birthplace: Vilvoorde, Belgium
Height: 6'1" (185 cm)
 37 
Moncef Slaoui
(Moroccan-Born Belgian-American Scientist Who Led Operation Warp Speed)
Moncef Slaoui
4
Birthdate: July 22, 1959
Sun Sign: Cancer
Birthplace: Agadir, Morocco
 38 
Cécile de France
(Belgian Actress Known for Her Lead Role in the Films: 'High Tension' and 'Hereafter')
Cécile de France
0
Birthdate: July 17, 1975
Sun Sign: Cancer
Birthplace: Namur, Belgium
Height: 5'8" (173 cm)
 39 
Baudouin of Belgium
(King of the Belgians (1951 - 1993))
Baudouin of Belgium
2
Birthdate: September 7, 1930
Sun Sign: Virgo
Birthplace: Château du Stuyvenberg, Brussels, Belgium
Died: July 31, 1993
 40 
Raf Simons
(Belgian Fashion Designer)
Raf Simons
0
Listed In: Fashion
Birthdate: January 12, 1968
Sun Sign: Capricorn
Birthplace: Neerpelt, Belgium
Height: 5'9" (175 cm)
 41 
Nacer Chadli
(Belgian Footballer Who Plays as a Winger)
Nacer Chadli
5
Listed In: Sportspersons
Birthdate: August 2, 1989
Sun Sign: Leo
Birthplace: Liège, Belgium
Height: 6'1" (185 cm)
 42 
Albert I of Belgium
(Former King of the Belgians (1909 - 1934))
Albert I of Belgium
11
Birthdate: April 8, 1875
Sun Sign: Aries
Birthplace: Brussels, Belgium
Died: February 17, 1934
 43 
Jacky Ickx
(Belgian Retired Racing Driver)
Jacky Ickx
1
Listed In: Sportspersons
Birthdate: April 1, 1945
Sun Sign: Aries
Birthplace: Brussels, Belgium
 44 
Mary of Burgundy
(Former Duchess of Burgundy (1477 - 1482))
Mary of Burgundy
4
Listed In: Miscellaneous
Birthdate: February 13, 1457
Sun Sign: Aquarius
Birthplace: Brussels, Belgium
Died: March 27, 1482
 45 
Abraham Ortelius
(Flemish Cartographer Who Created the World's First Modern Atlas)
Abraham Ortelius
1
Birthdate: April 14, 1527
Sun Sign: Aries
Birthplace: Antwerp
Died: June 28, 1598
 46 
Eline Powell
(Actress)
Eline Powell
3
Birthdate: April 12, 1990
Sun Sign: Aries
Birthplace: Leuven, Belgium
Height: 5'4" (163 cm)
 47 
Joseph Plateau
(Belgian Physicist & Mathematician - One of the First People to Demonstrate the Illusion of a Moving Image)
Joseph Plateau
2
Listed In: Scientists
Birthdate: October 14, 1801
Sun Sign: Libra
Birthplace: Brussels
Died: September 15, 1883
 48 
Michy Batshuayi
(Belgian Football Striker)
Michy Batshuayi
15
Listed In: Sportspersons
Birthdate: October 2, 1993
Sun Sign: Libra
Birthplace: Brussels, Belgium
Height: 6'1" (185 cm)
 49 
Anthony van Dyck
(Flemish Baroque Artist)
Anthony van Dyck
2
Birthdate: March 22, 1599
Sun Sign: Aries
Birthplace: Antwerp, Belgium
Died: December 9, 1641
 50 
Princess Delphine of Belgium
(Artist)
Princess Delphine of Belgium
3
Birthdate: February 22, 1968
Sun Sign: Pisces
Birthplace: Uccle, Brussels, Belgium