Jef Mermans
![]() Mermans for Belgium in 1953 | |||
Personal information | |||
---|---|---|---|
Full name | Josephus Antoon Louisa Mermans | ||
Date of birth | 16 February 1922 | ||
Place of birth | Merksem, Belgium | ||
Date of death | 20 January 1996 | (aged 73)||
Place of death | Wildert, Belgium | ||
Position(s) | Striker | ||
Youth career | |||
1932–1937 | Tubantia FAC | ||
Senior career* | |||
Years | Team | Apps | (Gls) |
1937–1942 | Tubantia FAC | 93 | (65) |
1942–1957 | Anderlecht | 382 | (339) |
1957–1960 | Merksem SC | 81 | (41) |
Total | 556 | (445) | |
International career | |||
1945–1956 | Belgium | 56 | (27) |
*Club domestic league appearances and goals |
Josephus Antoon Louisa "Jef" Mermans (16 February 1922 in Merksem – 20 January 1996 in Wildert), nicknamed "The Bomber", was a football striker from Belgium, who played much of his career at Anderlecht, with whom he won seven Belgian Championship titles and finished top scorer of this competition three times. He played 405 games and scored 369 goals for Anderlecht, making him the club's all time topscorer.[1][2]
Mermans played 56 matches with the Belgium national football team, 2 of which were in the 1954 FIFA World Cup. He is also the 6th top scorer ever for the Belgium national team with 27 goals.
![](http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/2/23/Belgie_tegen_Nederland_7-2._Toss%2C_Bestanddeelnr_904-2930.jpg/260px-Belgie_tegen_Nederland_7-2._Toss%2C_Bestanddeelnr_904-2930.jpg)
Early career
[edit]In the early 1930s, the young Mermans, along with a couple of friends, could not afford to become members of FC Antwerp. Eventually, the boys tried their luck at Tubantia F.A.C., a small club in the Antwerp suburb, and forced themselves into the youth team.
Five years later, Mermans entered the first team. His progress caught the attention of the federal coach and Jef was selected for a Belgium B squad match against Luxembourg in January 1939. At this point, he received a proposal to play in the Beerschot team twice in two years, but Tubantia Borgerhout refused.
A member of the Anderlecht staff arrived at Borgerhout in 1942 with a blank check that was filled in with the record sum of 125,000 Belgian francs in a quarter of an hour.[3]
Anderlecht career
[edit]On his arrival at Anderlecht, the Championship was quite erratic due to the World War II, but he helped Anderlecht in becoming a regular team. In 1947, Mermans was the key player in the conquest of the first Anderlecht title in first division as he scored 38 goals (succeeding to Bert De Cleyn as top scorer). He was top European goalscorer of the season 1949-1950 netting 37 goals.[4] At the peak of his career, Anderlecht received offers from A.S. Roma, Torino Calcio, Atalanta Bergamo, Real Madrid, S.S. Lazio and Atlético Madrid but refused them all.[5]
![](http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/9/92/Jef_Mermans%2C_Nederland-Belgi%C3%AB%2C_3_april_1955.png/260px-Jef_Mermans%2C_Nederland-Belgi%C3%AB%2C_3_april_1955.png)
Late career
[edit]In 1957, the Bomber, as he was called for his powerful strikes, left Anderlecht for the small K. Olse Merksem club in his native town. With him, the club promoted from 3rd to 2nd division and even finished 4th in 1960 for its first season at this level. Later on, the club was renamed Olse Mermans to celebrate the player.
Career statistics
[edit]Club
[edit]Source:[6]
Club | Season | League | ||
---|---|---|---|---|
Division | Apps | Goals | ||
Tubantia Borgerhout | 1937–38 | Belgian Second Division | 18 | 8 |
1938–39 | Belgian Second Division | 22 | 9 | |
1939–40 | Belgian Second Division | 17 | 14 | |
1940–41 | Belgian Second Division | 19 | 14 | |
1941–42 | Belgian Second Division | 17 | 20 | |
Total | 93 | 65 | ||
Anderlecht | 1941–42 | Belgian First Division | 1 | 1 |
1942–43 | Belgian First Division | 30 | 23 | |
1943–44 | Belgian First Division | 30 | 33 | |
1945–46 | Belgian First Division | 27 | 32 | |
1946–47 | Belgian First Division | 34 | 38 | |
1947–48 | Belgian First Division | 26 | 23 | |
1948–49 | Belgian First Division | 27 | 17 | |
1949–50 | Belgian First Division | 28 | 37 | |
1950–51 | Belgian First Division | 21 | 17 | |
1951–52 | Belgian First Division | 26 | 19 | |
1952–53 | Belgian First Division | 27 | 24 | |
1953–54 | Belgian First Division | 30 | 21 | |
1954–55 | Belgian First Division | 29 | 23 | |
1955–56 | Belgian First Division | 24 | 19 | |
1956–57 | Belgian First Division | 22 | 12 | |
Total | 382 | 339 | ||
Olse Merksem | 1958–59 | Belgian Third Division | 26 | 11 |
1959–60 | Belgian Third Division | 26 | 20 | |
1960–61 | Belgian Third Division | 29 | 10 | |
Total | 81 | 41 | ||
Career total | 556 | 445 |
Note: The goals that Mermans scored in the games of the uncompleted 1944-45 season are not taken into account.
International
[edit]![](http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/a/a5/Belgie_tegen_Nederland_7-2._Vijfde_Belgische_doelpunt%2C_Bestanddeelnr_904-2923.jpg/260px-Belgie_tegen_Nederland_7-2._Vijfde_Belgische_doelpunt%2C_Bestanddeelnr_904-2923.jpg)
National team | Year | Apps | Goals |
---|---|---|---|
Belgium | 1945 | 1 | 0 |
1946 | 2 | 0 | |
1947 | 3 | 1 | |
1948 | 6 | 3 | |
1949 | 7 | 4 | |
1950 | 7 | 12 | |
1951 | 6 | 1 | |
1952 | 5 | 2 | |
1953 | 5 | 0 | |
1954 | 8 | 3 | |
1955 | 4 | 0 | |
1956 | 3 | 1 | |
Total | 56 | 27 |
Honours
[edit]RSC Anderlecht
- Belgian First Division: 1946–47, 1948–49, 1949–50, 1950–51, 1953–54, 1954–55, 1955–56; runners-up: 1943–44, 1947–48, 1952–53, 1956–57[8]
Olse Merksem
- Belgian Third Division: 1958–59[9]
Individual
- Belgian First Division top scorer: 1946–47 (39 goals), 1947–48 (23 goals), 1949–50 (37 goals)[10]
- European topscorer: 1949-1950 (37 goals)
- World League topscorer: 1949–50[11]
- Belgian Silver Shoe: 1954[12]
- Belgian Bronze Shoe: 1955
- Golden Medal of Sports Merit: 1955[13]
- Belgian Golden Shoe of the 20th Century (1995): 9th place[14]
- A stadium, Jef Mermansstadion in Merksem.[15]
Books
[edit]- Mijn voetbal en ik by Jef Mermans in 1952, Uitgeverij STADION 126 p. (Dutch)
- Joseph Mermans - L Anderlechtois aux ... 50 capes! by Marcel Grosjean in 1954, 36 p. (French)
- Eeuwige 25: Anderlecht: van Jef Mermans tot Vincent Kompany by Raf Willems in 2019, Willems Uitgevers, 107 p. (Dutch, French) ISBN 9789492419651
- Jef Mermans. Bombardier: de voetballer die Anderlecht naar de top loodste by Stefan van Loock in 2022, Willems Uitgevers, 276 p. (Dutch) ISBN 9789493242586
See also
[edit]References
[edit]- ^ "Jef Mermans: bombardier van Anderlecht over de Bevrijding". boeken.doorbraak.be (in Dutch). 1 December 2022. Archived from the original on 25 April 2023. Retrieved 23 March 2023.
- ^ "Wie was Jef Mermans?". berchem-sport.com (in Dutch). 31 August 2019.
- ^ "NIEUW TRANSFERRECORD IN HET JAAR 1948". rbfa.be (in Dutch). 16 January 2024.
- ^ "European topscorers by season". Retrieved 5 May 2020.
- ^ "Mermans, Jef". anderlecht-online.be (in Dutch). 16 January 2024.
- ^ "Club Appearances of Jef Mermans". national-football-teams.com. 15 January 2024.
- ^ "Jef MERMANS - Footballer stats by year". eu-football.info. 11 January 2024.
- ^ "Palmares". Officiele website Royal Sporting Club Anderlecht.
- ^ "De Piraten Gazet - Geschiedenis" (in Dutch). 20 October 2022. Archived from the original on 9 November 2018.
- ^ "Eerste klasse A - Topsc. per seizoen". voetbal.com.
- ^ "World League Topscorers 1889-2005". rsssf.org. 23 January 2024.
- ^ "Winnaars Gouden Schoen".
- ^ "Jef MERMANS". labdarugo.be (in Dutch). 16 January 2024.
- ^ "Soulier d'or belge". www.football-the-story.com.
- ^ "City Pirates". www.citypirates.be (in Dutch). 30 December 2022.
- Jef Mermans at National-Football-Teams.com