Former footballer Gilbert ‘Gille’ Van Binst died last night in Zaventem, his family reports. He played for Anderlecht and Club Brugge and made fifteen appearances for the Belgian national team. He was 73 years old.
Gilbert Van Binst was a young Anderlecht product and part of the strong team that shone in Belgium and Europe in the 1970s. As an attacking right-back, Van Binst won national titles in 1972 and 1974. He won the Belgian Cup with Anderlecht in 1972, 1973, 1975 and 1976 and also made a name for himself in Europe with final victories in European Cup II, the Cup Winners’ Cup, in 1976 and 1978. In both years Anderlecht also won the European Super Cup.
Gilles Van Binst during Holland-Belgium in 1973. — © Het Nieuwsblad photographic archives
At the twilight of his career, he played successively with the French club Toulouse (1980-1981) and Club Bruges (1981-1983). Between 1972 and 1977, he collected fifteen caps for the Red Devils, scoring a goal in a 4-0 victory against Iceland. He was part of national coach Raymond Goethals’ squad for the 1972 European Championship in his own country. The Red Devils won bronze at this European Championship. He disappeared under the leadership of the new national coach Guy Thys.
In the summer of 1983, Van Binst stopped playing football. He was briefly assistant at Club Brugge, then head coach of Wallonie Namur, SC Lauwe and SK Oostnieuwkerke.
The ex-Red Devil suffered from Parkinson’s disease and dementia.
