In 3 weeks, Hans Vanaken should, in all likelihood, put on a new Golden Shoe. This coronation will place him in the restricted category of triple winners of this distinction, along with Jan Ceulemans and Wilfried Van Moer.
Paul Van Himst’s record would then be only a short length away. This says something about the place occupied by the Bruges playmaker in the history of our competition. However, his talent and influence are not always properly recognized. The fault, certainly, is a lack of charisma in his personality. Who remembers a gesture or a shocking sentence from Vanaken, as could have been the case with a Vormer for example? Probably no one…
Vanaken prefers to speak with his feet and pull out all the stops on the pitch when necessary, like during last season’s playoffs, offering his club a comeback and a spectacular title. A quiet strength. Some criticize him for not having tried the adventure abroad, in a more exclusive championship. Realistically, he realized that his slowness could harm him.
And then, between Bruges or a sub-top club abroad, there is no photo. With Bruges, Vanaken played 44 Champions League matches, scoring goals against Real Madrid, Manchester City, PSG, Lazio and Aston Villa. Not bad, right?
A snubbed devil
However, with the Red Devils, the Bruges player does not have the same impact as in his club. He only has 23 caps and his last minutes played date back to the match against Egypt, just before the World Cup in Qatar. An eternity! Of course, the competition in the national team is stronger.
Between De Bruyne and him, there is clearly no photo… But in recent months, in the regular absence of De Bruyne and Lukaku, he could have played a prominent role in this weakened Belgian team. With his experience and his calm, he could act as a guide for the youngest. Here too, his reserved temperament certainly worked to his disadvantage. The story of his career finally.
croky cup club they are used
