Raphaël van Praag

Raphaël Leon van Praag (12 September 1885 – 31 August 1934) was a Dutch-born Belgian football referee, football official, sports journalist. He officiated 12 international matches between 1911 and 1934.

As a board member of Beerschot, he helped to lead the club to four national championships within five years. Van Praag was the sports editor for Le Neptune and Het Handelsblad van Antwerpen, and editorial secretary for Sportleven, the official organ of the Belgian Football Association.

Career League referee Van Praag moved to Antwerp, Belgium between 1905 and 1907, from Amsterdam where he already worked as a football referee. Only a few years after his arrival, he was already being described as an Antwerpian. Life as a domestic referee wasn't always flashy, for example, Van Praag was spotted standing in the train from Brussels to Antwerp after a game, and invited to join the Belgian Cardinal Désiré-Joseph Mercier, who traveled in the reserved car.

On 30 October 1927, van Praag refereed the first leg of the final of the 1927 Mitropa Cup between Sparta Prague and Rapid Wien, which ended in a 6–2 win for Prague.

Sports official Van Praag was the secretary of the Entente Antwerp association, and helped to organise the annual international tournament during Easter.

Sports journalist Van Praag was the head of the sports section at the monthly magazine Le Neptune. a Jewish homemaker.

On 8 May 1911, Van Praag married Adele Mathilde Cauwenbergh, who was born in Antwerp. Two years later, his brother, Leon Raphaël van Praag, married her sister. Both marriages ended in divorce.

In 1922, Van Praag lived on Stanleystraat 27, in Antwerp.

Van Praag died suddenly in Antwerp on 31 August 1934, after suffering a stroke at the age of 48.