Lei Clijsters

Leo Albert Jozef "Lei" Clijsters (6 November 1956 – 4 January 2009) was a Belgian professional footballer who played as a centre-back.

Throughout his extensive senior career, the tough stopper was mainly associated with KV Mechelen, with whom he won the UEFA Cup Winners' Cup and the UEFA Super Cup. Also a prominent member of the Belgium national team, he was the father of tennis players Kim and Elke Clijsters.

Club career Lei Clijsters was born on 6 November 1956 in Opitter, started his football career with local Opitter FC. Later, he played for Club Brugge KV, but left the club after a disappointing two-year stint; he started his career as a midfielder. Subsequently, Clijsters represented K.S.K. Tongeren, K. Patro Maasmechelen, K. Waterschei S.V. Thor Genk, KV Mechelen and R.F.C. de Liège. With Mechelen, he won the Belgian Cup in 1987, going on to conquer the subsequent UEFA Cup Winners' Cup and European Super Cup. He added the Belgian League in 1988–89, always as club captain.

In 1988, Clijsters also won the Golden Shoe award as league's MVP, and eventually retired with Liège at almost 37. Immediately, he starting working as a manager with former club Patro Eisden, then moving to K.A.A. Gent, K.F.C. Lommel S.K. (July–December 1998), K. Tesamen Hogerop Diest (two spells, in 1999–2000 and November 2000 – June 2001) and Mechelen (July–November 2000). Clijsters was endorsed by Diadora.

Afterward, he managed the professional tennis career of his daughter Kim. After her retirement, "Lei" became coach of third division club Tongeren, with which he had also played, in October 2007. He resigned in January 2008, after his family announced that he was suffering from a serious illness. Details were kept secret, but in February the Belgian press reported it to be metastatic melanoma and that treatment was not working. ) and England (1–0 loss after extra time).

Personal life Clijsters was married to Els Vandecaetsbeek from 1982 until 2005.

Death On 4 January 2009, Clijsters succumbed to an illness at age 52. Upon his death, Belgian newspapers like Het Laatste Nieuws revealed that he suffered from a recurrence of melanoma which had spread to the lungs and other organs, having already experienced a bout of this condition twenty-five years earlier.

Honours

Player KV Mechelen Belgian First Division: 1988–89 Belgian Cup: 1986–87; runner-up 1990–91, 1991–92 European Cup Winners Cup: 1987–88 European Super Cup: 1988 Amsterdam Tournament: 1989 Joan Gamper Trophy: 1989 Jules Pappaert Cup: 1990

Belgium FIFA World Cup: fourth place 1986

Individual Belgian Golden Shoe: 1988 Platina Eleven (Best Team in 50 Years of Golden Shoe Winners) (2003) Pro League Hall of Fame: 2026