Belgian 1986 World Cup star Stephane Demol dies aged 57

After starting at Anderlecht, Demol, a centre-back, played for a host of clubs, including Bologna, Porto, Toulouse, Standard Liege, and Toulon.

Stephane Demol (centre front) of Belgium in action. | Photo Credit: Simon Bruty

Stephane Demol, a pivotal player in the Belgium side that reached the 1986 World Cup semifinals, died of a heart attack in Brussels on Thursday, aged 57, his first club, Anderlecht, said.

After starting at Anderlecht, Demol, a centre-back, played for a host of clubs, including Bologna, Porto, Toulouse, Standard Liege, and Toulon.

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“Steph will be sorely missed by our club and Belgian soccer as a whole”, said the Anderlecht statement.

Demol, at 20, the youngest member of the Belgium team, scored with a header in extra time as the Belgians eliminated the Soviet Union 4-3 in the last 16 of the 1986 World Cup in Mexico.

“It was his only goal in 38 matches for the national team, but it will remain forever engraved in the history of Belgian soccer”, Anderlecht said.

Demol and Belgium, though, were unable to deny a Diego Maradona-inspired Argentina in the semifinals, losing 2-0.

He was an assistant to national team coach Rene Vandereycken between 2005 and 2008. He had been without a club since 2016, when he left Saudi Arabian side Hajer.