Roger Claessen

Roger Claessen

Personal information
Full name	Roger Claessen
Date of birth	(1941-09-27)27 September 1941
Place of birth	Warsage, Belgium
Date of death	3 October 1982(1982-10-03) (aged 41)
Place of death	Liège, Belgium
Height	1.81 m (5 ft 11+1⁄2 in)
Position(s)	Striker
Youth career
1954–1956	Etoile Dalhem
1956–1958	Standard de Liège
Senior career*
Years	Team	Apps	(Gls)
1958–1968	Standard de Liège	210	(124)
1968–1970	Alemannia Aachen	44	(11)
1970–1972	Beerschot	7	(3)
1972–1974	Crossing Schaerbeek	58	(2)
Total		319	(140)
International career
1961–1968	Belgium	17	(7)
Managerial career
	RJS Bas-Oha
*Club domestic league appearances and goals

Roger Claessen (27 September 1941 – 3 October 1982) was a Belgian football player who played as a forward. He finished as the top scorer of the Belgian League with 20 goals (along with Paul Van Himst) in 1968 while playing for Standard Liège. He played 17 times with the Belgian national team between 1961 and 1968, scoring 7 goals. Claessen made his international debut on 20 May 1961 in a 2–1 defeat to Switzerland and he scored. He was a strong header.

Due to his lifestyle, the rest of his career was marred, and he was nicknamed "Roger-La honte" (Roger-the shame). He played for other teams, like Alemannia Aachen Beerschot and Crossing Schaarbeek before retiring from football in 1974.

He was voted Standard de Liège player of the century by supporters.

External links

• Profile at Standard Liège