Geert_De_Vlieger
Geert De Vlieger
Belgian footballer
Geert De Vlieger (Dutch pronunciation: [ˈɣeːr də ˈvliɣər];[1] born 16 October 1971) is a Belgian former professional footballer who played as a goalkeeper.
| Personal information | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Full name | Geert De Vlieger | ||
| Date of birth | (1971-10-16) 16 October 1971 (age 52) | ||
| Place of birth | Aalst, Belgium | ||
| Height | 1.86 m (6 ft 1 in) | ||
| Position(s) | Goalkeeper | ||
| Senior career* | |||
| Years | Team | Apps | (Gls) |
| 1989–1995 | Beveren | 136 | (0) |
| 1995–1999 | Anderlecht | 61 | (0) |
| 1998–1999 | → Harelbeke (loan) | 33 | (0) |
| 2000–2004 | Willem II | 136 | (0) |
| 2004–2006 | Manchester City | 0 | (0) |
| 2006–2008 | Zulte Waregem | 38 | (0) |
| 2008–2011 | Club Brugge | 7 | (0) |
| Total | 411 | (0) | |
| International career | |||
| 1999–2006 | Belgium | 43 | (0) |
| *Club domestic league appearances and goals | |||
De Vlieger was born in Dendermonde. He started his career in his home country playing for Anderlecht and Beveren before moving to the Netherlands and playing for Willem II for four years between 2000 and 2004. He played his first international for Belgium in 1999 and won 43 caps for his country.[2] He was the second choice goalkeeper for the UEFA Euro 2000 behind starter Filip De Wilde,[3] but then became the number 1 starter for the 2002 FIFA World Cup replacing the latter after De Wilde's poor performances during the Euro 2000.[4]
De Vlieger signed with Manchester City in June 2004,[5][6] but due to an achilles tendon injury he sustained, he missed the entirety of the 2004–05 season and did not play a single game during his two seasons in England.[7] In June 2006, he signed for Zulte Waregem to make a comeback in the Belgian First Division A.[8] On 30 May 2008, De Vlieger signed a one-year contract with Club Brugge as the backup behind Stijn Stijnen, as former backup Glenn Verbauwhede had been loaned out to Kortrijk.[9] He announced his retirement from football in February 2011 at age 39.[10]
Beveren[11]
Anderlecht[12]
- Belgian Cup runner-up: 1996–97[13]
Belgium
Individual
- Best Belgian Footballer Abroad: 2001[15]
- Honorary Citizen of Lebbeke: 2017[16]
- Mamrud, Roberto (29 October 2009). "Belgium - Record International Players". RSSSF.
- "BBC SPORT | EURO2000 | SQUAD | Filip De Wilde". news.bbc.co.uk. Retrieved 2 April 2021.
- "RETRO Japan 2002: wat is er geworden van de toenmalige Rode Duivels?". voetbalnieuws.be (in Dutch). 19 April 2020.
- "Geert De Vlieger tekent bij Manchester City". Gazet van Antwerpen (in Flemish). 21 June 2004.
- "Mills signs for City". the Guardian. 13 July 2004.
The 27-year-old becomes manager Kevin Keegan's third signing of the summer, following Ben Thatcher and Belgian keeper Geert de Vlieger.
- Leeuwen, Gerrit van. "De Vlieger admits defeat". Sky Sports. Retrieved 2 April 2021.
- "Zulte-Waregem snare De Vlieger | Inside UEFA". UEFA.com. 14 June 2006.
- "Geert De Vlieger tekent bij Club Brugge". Het Nieuwsblad (in Flemish). 30 May 2008.
- "Tilburgse publiekslieveling De Vlieger stopt ermee". Voetbal International (in Dutch). 15 February 2011.
- "Anderlecht en de beker: geen successtory". 11 November 2005.
- FIFA.com. "Belgium honoured with the FIFA Fair Play Award". www.fifa.com. Archived from the original on 11 November 2020. Retrieved 7 November 2020.
- "Sonck beste speler België". www.vi.nl. 24 January 2002. Retrieved 10 November 2020.
- "Geert De Vlieger ereburger van Lebbeke". Het Laatste Nieuws (in Dutch). 30 January 2017.
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