Leo Albert Jozef “Lei” Kleisters ( Dutch: Leo Albert Jozef "Lei" Clijsters , November 9, 1956 , Opitter , Belgium - January 4, 2009 , Greutrode , Belgium ) - Belgian footballer, central defender. He achieved the greatest success as part of Mechelen , with whom he won the UEFA Cup and Super Bowl Holders' Cup . He also played for the national team , the father of tennis players Kim [1] and Elke Kleisters [2] .
 Lei Claysters | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| general information | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Full name | Leo Albert Joseph Claysters | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Born | November 9, 1956 Opitter , Belgium | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Died | January 4, 2009 (52 years old) Greutrode , Belgium | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Citizenship |  Belgium | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Growth | 178 cm | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Position | defender | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Club career
Kleisters began his career in his hometown at the local club Opitter. Then he moved to Brugge , but after two unsuccessful seasons left the club. At that time, Claysters played as a midfielder .
Then Kleisters consistently played for Patro Eisden , Tongeren , Thor Watershey , Mechelen and Liege . As part of Mechelen in 1987, he won the Belgian Cup , and the next season - the Cup Winners' Cup and Super Bowl . And in the 1988–89 season, Claysters became the country's champion . At the end of the season, he received the Golden Boot as the most valuable player in the championship. He graduated from the professional career of Claysters in Liège at the age of 37.
The very next season, he began his career as a coach, heading Patro Eisden , then led Gent , [3] Lommel (July-December 1998 ), Dist (twice: from 1999-2000 and November 2000 - July 2001) and Mechelen (July - November 2000).
Then Lei became the manager of his daughter Kim . After leaving the professional tour, Kleisters in October 2007 led the club of the Tongeren third division, for which he had once played. He resigned in January 2008 after the family announced that he was suffering from a serious illness. Details were not reported, but in February the Belgian press reported that it was melanoma that metastasized [4] and the treatment had no effect. [2]
Less than a year later, on January 4, 2009, Claysters died at the age of 52. [5] [6] After his death, a number of Belgian newspapers disseminated information that he had a relapse of melanoma, which gave metastases to the lungs and other organs 25 years after the first manifestation.
International Career
Kleisters played in 40 matches for the national team , including the 1984 European Championships, the 1986 and 1990 World Championships .
In 1986, Belgium reached the semifinals, and Ley played in two matches (he replaced in the group match against Iraq 2-1 and in the famous match of 1/8 finals against the USSR 4-3).
In 1990, Kleisters played against South Korea (2-0), Uruguay (3-1, scored a beautiful ball with his head, but was replaced during the break) [7] and England (defeat 0-1 in extra time).
Achievements
- Belgian Cup Winner - 1986/87
- Champion of Belgium - 1988/89
- Cup Winner - 1987/88
- UEFA Super Cup Winner - 1988
Notes
- ↑ Lei Clijsters: “Je ne lis que des ragots” (Lei Clijsters: “I read nothing but rumours”)
- ↑ 1 2 Clijsters a baby mamma - and her mamma's a baby mamma too Archived on May 27, 2009. ; The Gazette , March 18, 2008
- ↑ Beknopte geschiedenis van KAA Gent (nid.) . KAA Gent. Date of treatment August 1, 2007. Archived July 9, 2007.
- ↑ Kim Clijsters maman d'une petite fille (Kim Clijsters mother of a baby girl) Archived on October 13, 2008. ; My Free Sport (Fr.)
- ↑ Father of Kim Clijsters dies ; Sports Illustrated , 4 January 2009
- ↑ Belgium mourns Clijsters ; UEFA.com
- ↑ Belgium - Uruguay match report ; FIFA.com