Marc Degryse

Marc Gabriel Degryse (born 4 September 1965), nicknamed Le Lutin d'Ardooie ("The Lutin/Imp of Ardooie") and The Little One, is a Belgian retired professional footballer who played as a forward.

In a 19-year professional career he played mainly for Club Brugge and Anderlecht (six seasons apiece), making his senior debuts at 17 and scoring nearly 200 official goals both clubs combined to win a total of ten major titles. He also competed briefly in England for Sheffield Wednesday.

A Belgium international for 12 years, Degryse represented the nation in two World Cups.

Club career Born in Roeselare, West Flanders, Degryse played with equal success in the Belgian Pro League with giants Club Brugge and Anderlecht, moving to the latter in 1989 for a then-record €2.25 million but left after just one season as an important unit in helping the English club's eventual escape from relegation, after a 15th-place finish. During his time in South Yorkshire, he and teammate Orlando Trustfull had a cameo role in Sheffield-based film The Full Monty, but the scenes did not make the final cut.

In the following two campaigns Degryse played in the Netherlands with PSV Eindhoven, where he often struggled with injuries. He retired in 2002 at the age of nearly 37, after spells back in his country with K.A.A. Gent and Germinal Beerschot, having played 540 professional matches and scored 209 goals.

Degryse returned to Club Brugge as a technical director the following year, before he eventually resigned due to bad results in late January 2007, alongside longtime former teammate, coach Franky Van der Elst.

International career On the international level, Degryse played 63 matches with the Belgium national team and scored 23 goals. He was summoned for the squads at two FIFA World Cups: 1990 and 1994, netting twice in seven games.

Degryse's debut came just one day after his 19th birthday, in a friendly with Argentina.

Career statistics Club + Appearances and goals by club, season and competition

Apps!!Goals!!Apps!!Goals!!Apps!!Goals!!Apps!!Goals!!Apps!!Goals!!Apps!!Goals

1983–84

1984–85

1990–91

1996–97

1997–98

1999–2000

Scores and results list Belgium's goal tally first, score column indicates score after each Degryse goal.

+ List of international goals scored by Marc DegryseNo.DateVenueOpponentScoreResultCompetition1 11 November 1987 Heysel Stadium, Brussels, Belgium 2–0 3–0 Euro 1988 qualifying 2 19 January 1988 Ramat Gan Stadium, Ramat Gan, Israel 1–0 3–2 Friendly 3 29 April 1989 Heysel Stadium, Brussels, Belgium 1–0 2–1 1990 World Cup qualification 4 2–15 8 June 1989 Terry Fox, Ottawa, Canada 2–0 2–0 Friendly 6 23 August 1989 Olympiastadion, Bruges, Belgium 1–0 3–0 Friendly 7 11 October 1989 St. Jakob, Basel, Switzerland 1–1 2–2 1990 World Cup qualification 8 2 June 1990 Heysel Stadium, Brussels, Belgium 1–0 3–0 Friendly 9 2–010 12 June 1990 Marcantonio Bentegodi, Verona, Italy 1–0 2–0 1990 FIFA World Cup 11 27 March 1991 Constant Vanden Stock, Brussels, Belgium 1–0 1–1 Euro 1992 qualifying 12 11 September 1991 Neie Stadium, Luxembourg, Luxembourg 2–0 2–0 Euro 1992 qualifying 13 18 November 1992 Constant Vanden Stock, Brussels, Belgium 2–0 2–0 1994 World Cup qualification 14 4 June 1994 Heysel Stadium, Brussels, Belgium 3–0 9–0 Friendly 15 4–016 8–017 8 June 1994 Heysel Stadium, Brussels, Belgium 2–0 3–1 Friendly 18 19 June 1994 Citrus Bowl, Orlando, United States 1–0 1–0 1994 World Cup 19 7 September 1994 Constant Vanden Stock, Brussels, Belgium 2–0 2–0 Euro 1996 qualifying 20 12 October 1994 Parken Stadium, Copenhagen, Denmark 1–0 1–3 Euro 1996 qualifying 21 17 December 1994 Constant Vanden Stock, Brussels, Belgium 1–0 1–4 Euro 1996 qualifying 22 29 March 1995 Ramón Sánchez Pizjuán, Seville, Spain 1–1 1–1 Euro 1996 qualifying 23 31 August 1996 King Baudouin, Brussels, Belgium 1–0 2–1 1998 World Cup qualification

Honours Club Brugge Belgian First Division: 1987–88 Belgian Cup: 1985–86 Belgian Super Cup: 1986 Bruges Matins: 1984

Anderlecht Belgian First Division: 1990–91, 1992–93, 1993–94, 1994–95 Belgian Cup: 1993–94 Belgian Super Cup: 1993 European Cup Winners' Cup: runner-up 1989–90

PSV Eredivisie: 1996–97 Johan Cruyff Shield: 1996, 1997 KNVB Cup: runner-up 1997–98

Individual Man of the Season (Belgian First Division): 1987–88, 2000–01 Belgian Golden Shoe: 1991 Belgian Professional Footballer of the Year: 1987–88, 1989–90, 1994–95, 1999–2000 Sheffield Wednesday F.C. Player of the Year: 1995–96 Belgian Fair Play Award: 2000–01, 2001–02 Platina Eleven (Best Team in 50 Years of Golden Shoe Winners) (2003)