Georges Leekens

Leekens debuted as a footballer in 1967 with Sporting Houthalen after leaving the lower ranks of the club. He played as a defender. In 1969, he signed for one year with Dessel Sport. After a brief stint at Crossing Club, he was transferred to Club Brugge. With the team, he reached the final of the UEFA Champions League in 1978 against Liverpool at Wembley in London, where a single goal defeated them. He also won five Belgian leagues, a Belgian Cup and a Belgian Super Cup in 1980, one year before joining Sint-Niklase, where he retired from football in 1984.

Beginning

The same year of his retirement, Cercle Brugge signed him as coach for the next three seasons, eventually winning the Belgian Cup a year later. The same title was won with Anderlecht three years after winning it with the Cercle Brugge. After training Kortrijk, he came to Club Brugge to win the Belgian League, the Belgian Super Cup in 1990, the Belgian Cup and again the Belgian Super Cup in 1991. He also trained KV Mechelen and Trabzonspor, before returning to the Cercle Brugge and Charleroi and signing for Excelsior Mouscron, who had been promoted to the Belgian First Division after finishing first in the Belgian Second Division.

First spell in Belgium

In his first spell as Belgium national team coach, he led them to the 1998 FIFA World Cup finals after a two-legged win against the Republic of Ireland in the qualifying play-off. He was sacked from his role as federal coach after a disappointing third-place finish in the World Cup group stage after failing to qualify Belgium for the second round after drawing with the Netherlands, Mexico and South Korea.

Algeria

After a brief stint as coach of Lokeren and Roda JC, he was announced as the coach of Algeria at the end of 2002. He qualified for the 2004 African Cup of Nations in Tunisia. Still, he agreed with the Federation to rescind the contract for family reasons.

Back to Belgium and a short experience in the Persian Gulf

After his African sojourn, he returned to Excelsior…

Georges Leekens is the cousin of Louis Leekens, who was the Belgian National Champion of gymnastics in 1966 and is leading the top sports school for gymnastics in Genk.

As player

Club Brugge

Belgian First Division: 1972–73, 1975–76, 1976–77, 1977–78, 1979–80 Belgian Cup: 1976–77; 1978–79 (finalists) Belgian Super Cup: 1980 UEFA Cup: 1975–76 European Champion Clubs' Cup: 1977–78 Jules Pappaert Cup: 1972, 1978 Bruges Matins: 1979, 1981 Japan Cup Kirin World Soccer: 1981

As manager

Anderlecht

Belgian Super Cup: 1987 Club Brugge

Belgian First Division: 1989–90 Belgian Cup: 1990–91 Belgian Super Cup: 1990 Amsterdam Tournament: 1990 Cercle Brugge

Belgian Cup: 1985 Belgium

Kirin Cup: 1999

Individual

Belgian Professional Manager of the Year: 1989–90