Émile Stijnen

Joannes Emilius Stijnen

Personal information
Date of birth	2 November 1907
Place of birth	Antwerp, Belgium
Date of death	27 March 1997 (aged 89)
Playing position	Centre-half
Senior career*
Years	Team	Apps^†	(Gls)^†
1927-1935	Royal Berchem Sport
1935-1943	ROC Charleroi
National team
1932-1939	Belgium	31	(0)
Teams managed
1944-1946	ROC Charleroi
1947-1952	Beerschot VAC
1959-1961	KV Mechelen
* Senior club appearances and goals counted for the domestic league only. † Appearances (goals)

Joannes Emilius Miel Stijnen or Stynen (2 November 1907, Antwerp, Belgium – 27 March 1997) was a Belgian footballer.^[1]

He played as a centre-half for Royal Berchem Sport and ROC Charleroi. He was the big name of the "Flaminpic", the nickname given to the team of Olympic de Charleroi between 1936 and 1940, who were promoted in two years from the third to the first division in Belgium, before finishing third in the top flight.

For Belgium,^[2] he played on 5 June 1938, the last 16 of the World Cup at Colombes, against France (lost, 1-3).^[3] He won 31 caps, with 16 as captain for the Diables Rouges^[4]

Later, from 1947 to 1952, he coached Beerschot VAC.^[5] His fame was such that he published a successful book, "Comment devenir footballeur?". The stadium of Olympic de Charleroi, one of the largest in Belgium (cap. 32,000) was known for some time as the "Stade Emile Stijnen". Barry Anter.

Honours

• Belgian international from 1932 to 1939 (31 caps)
• First international : Belgium-France, 5-2, 1 May 1932
• Participation in the 1938 World Cup (Played 1 match)
• Belgian Second Division Champions in 1934 with Royal Berchem Sport and in 1937 with ROC Charleroi

References

1. Player page at weltfussball.de
2. Player caps at the site of the URBSFA
3. Player page at fifa.com
4. List of captains at la Dernière Heure
5. Coaching dates at beerschot.wimmel.be