KV Mechelen not only brought in a new attacker on Thursday, it also became half a BV richer in one fell swoop. Keano ‘Kiki’ Vanrafelghem is a name that now also rings a bell for those who know nothing about the Challenger Pro League. For anyone who still hears thunder in Cologne, VoetbalPrimeur.be would like to provide some explanation.
He may never have been to Cologne, but for the development of Vanrafelghem we definitely have to look towards the German border. However, its roots lie in the west of Flanders, more specifically in the Torhout polders. Like almost every boy from that region, it was his wildest dream to play football at Club Brugge. He was quickly able to tick off that ambition. Sufficient speed, dribbling skills, technically excellent and goal-oriented: with such a profile you will quickly end up at the front. At 21, Vanrafelghem has grown into an attacker who can finish for himself, but can also force something.
His development only gained momentum in the past two years. In 2021, Vanrafelghem celebrated his debut at Club Nxt. He must have thought then that this would be a final step towards his greatest wish, namely a breakthrough with the A-team. In the end, he was never able to put the crowning glory on his work. After all, the engine stalled when it came to promises. In total, the youngster was only allowed to appear in twelve matches, spread over a season and a half. Vanrafelghem mainly had to settle for a role as a substitute. Not a single goal resulted… Only in the (admittedly prestigious) Youth League was he able to shake the net. For example, scoring against Bayer Leverkusen has now been crossed off his bucket list.
De Sport
Because of that scant number of minutes in Bruges, Vanrafelghem was looking forward to another podium in January 2023 to work on his way to the top. Because ambitious, that’s the least you can call him. His wish list is extensive: one day Vanrafelghem still hopes to end up at Real Madrid and then show off the Golden Ball. Only he knows exactly how much faith he attaches to that. To realize that burning ambition, the striker had to take a few steps back. When the road turned out to be a dead end in Bruges, he moved to the other side of Flanders. Patro Eisden took over.
At the time he signed, Patro ‘only’ played in the First National, although the Limburgers were in the lead at the time. Stijn Stijnen’s club also promoted, meaning Vanrafhelgem was actually in the same boat again in the summer. For the time being, the Challenger Pro League was still a size too big. No matter how unnatural it felt, a real step down was necessary again. Enter: Sporting Hasselt. With Sam Kerkhofs and Rik Verheye at the helm, ‘Kiki’ gained fame overnight, primarily thanks to the much-received ‘De Spor’. Once again one less on the bucket list.
Raman 2.0?
Although the series also showed another side. A fickle side (to say the least). It was noticeable that Vanrafelghem could use some guidance and regularly dares to lose control. The image of him kicking down a door is still fresh in the minds of his loyal followers. No coincidence, because his (Bruges) youth coaches also admit in unison that Vanrafelghem is not the easiest to work with. A heart of gold, yes, but someone with a manual that is not so readable. Or as they call it in Mechelen: a second Benito Raman.
The near future will show whether Besnik Hasi can deal with such a profile. In any case, Kiki has also built up its reputation on the field over the past eighteen months. In a positive sense, to be clear. At Hasselt he scored nineteen goals, including the only vital goal in the title match. That status simplified his return to Maasmechelen. After the first round, Vanrafelghem was also high in the top scorer position of the Challenger Pro League with eight goals. Furthermore, his six assists show that he also has an eye for his teammates. Then that heart of gold, no? Rob Schoofs and co will be happy to hear it.
