Joseph Mermans

Josephus Antoon Louisa "Jef" Mermans (16February 192220January 1996), nicknamed "The Bomber", was a football striker from Belgium, who played much of his career at Anderlecht, with whom he won seven Belgian Championship titles and finished top scorer of this competition three times. He played 405 games and scored 369 goals for Anderlecht, making him the club's all time topscorer.

Mermans played 56 matches with the Belgium national football team, 2 of which were in the 1954 FIFA World Cup. He is also the 6th top scorer ever for the Belgium national team with 27 goals.

Mermans was born in Merksem and died in Wildert.

Early career In the early 1930s, the young Mermans, along with a couple of friends, could not afford to become members of FC Antwerp. Eventually, the boys tried their luck at Tubantia F.A.C., a small club in the Antwerp suburb, and forced themselves into the youth team.

Five years later, Mermans entered the first team. His progress caught the attention of the federal coach and Jef was selected for a Belgium B squad match against Luxembourg in January 1939. At this point, he received a proposal to play in the Beerschot team twice in two years, but Tubantia Borgerhout refused.

A member of the Anderlecht staff arrived at Borgerhout in 1942 with a blank check that was filled in with the record sum of 125,000 Belgian francs in a quarter of an hour.

Anderlecht career On his arrival at Anderlecht, the Championship was quite erratic due to the World War II, but he helped Anderlecht in becoming a regular team. In 1947, Mermans was the key player in the conquest of the first Anderlecht title in first division as he scored 38 goals (succeeding to Bert De Cleyn as top scorer). He was top European goalscorer of the season 1949-1950 netting 37 goals. At the peak of his career, Anderlecht received offers from A.S. Roma, Torino Calcio, Atalanta Bergamo, Real Madrid, S.S. Lazio and Atlético Madrid but refused them all.

Late career In 1957, the Bomber, as he was called for his powerful strikes, left Anderlecht for the small K. Olse Merksem club in his native town. With him, the club promoted from 3rd to 2nd division and even finished 4th in 1960 for its first season at this level. Later on, the club was renamed Olse Mermans to celebrate the player.

Career statistics

Club Source: Note: The goals that Mermans scored in the games of the uncompleted 1944-45 season are not taken into account.

International

Honours RSC Anderlecht

Belgian First Division: 1946–47, 1948–49, 1949–50, 1950–51, 1953–54, 1954–55, 1955–56; runners-up: 1943–44, 1947–48, 1952–53, 1956–57 Olse Merksem Belgian Third Division: 1958–59 Individual Belgian First Division top scorer: 1946–47 (39 goals), 1947–48 (23 goals), 1949–50 (37 goals) European topscorer: 1949–50 (37 goals) World League topscorer: 1949–50 Belgian Silver Shoe: 1954 Belgian Bronze Shoe: 1955 Golden Medal of Sports Merit: 1955 Belgian Golden Shoe of the 20th Century (1995): 9th place A stadium, Jef Mermansstadion in Merksem.

Books Mijn voetbal en ik by Jef Mermans in 1952, Uitgeverij STADION 126 p. (Dutch) Joseph Mermans - L Anderlechtois aux ... 50 capes! by Marcel Grosjean in 1954, 36 p. (French) Eeuwige 25: Anderlecht: van Jef Mermans tot Vincent Kompany by Raf Willems in 2019, Willems Uitgevers, 107 p. (Dutch, French) Jef Mermans. Bombardier: de voetballer die Anderlecht naar de top loodste by Stefan van Loock in 2022, Willems Uitgevers, 276 p. (Dutch)