Danny Boffin

Daniel "Danny" Edouward Boffin (born 10 July 1965) is a Belgian former professional footballer who played as a left winger and current football coach.

Danny Boffin
Personal information
Full name Daniel Edouward Boffin
Date of birth (1965-07-10) 10 July 1965
Place of birth Sint-Truiden, Belgium
Height 1.72 m (5 ft 8 in)
Position(s) Winger
Youth career
Sint-Truiden
Senior career*
Years Team Apps (Gls)
1985–1987 Sint-Truiden 60 (8)
1987–1991 FC Liège 128 (8)
1991–1997 Anderlecht 187 (30)
1997–2001 Metz 109 (14)
2001–2003 Sint-Truiden 101 (24)
2004 Standard Liège 4 (0)
Total 589 (84)
National team
1989 Belgium U21 2 (0)
1989–2002 Belgium 53 (1)
Teams managed
2011–2012 Sint-Truiden (forward coach)
2012–2013 Sint-Truiden (youth)
XXXX–2015 Tienen (youth)
2017 Bolderberg
2017–2018 Patro Eisden Maasmechelen
* Senior club appearances and goals counted for the domestic league only

During his professional career, which spanned nearly two decades, he played for four clubs in his country – most notably Anderlecht – and one in France, appearing in nearly 600 official games as a professional.

Boffin represented Belgium in three World Cups, the last of which occurred when he was 37.

Club career

Born in Sint-Truiden, Boffin began playing professionally for local Sint-Truidense VV, in the Belgian Second Division. After two solid years he moved to the Pro League with RFC Liège, appearing in European competition with the club and also being instrumental as it won its first-ever domestic cup, in 1990.

At the age of 26, after more than 150 official games for Liège, Boffin signed with national giants R.S.C. Anderlecht, continuing to be an undisputed starter in his career: in his first two seasons combined he scored 13 goals, helping lead the Brussels-based team to three leagues in a row as five managers were in charge of the team during his six-year spell. On 8 December 1993, he scored with his (weak) right foot to make it 3–0 at SV Werder Bremen for the UEFA Champions League, as the Germans incredibly recovered for the final 5–3 group stage win.[1]

Boffin moved abroad aged 32 as he signed with FC Metz, where he was dubbed La mobylette due to his speed. In his debut campaign, which started on 2 August 1997 with a 1–0 win at Olympique Lyonnais, he helped to a best-ever finish in Ligue 1, a second place; in spite of his age, he continued to feature regularly for the French side.[2]

In January 2001, Boffin returned to his first club, helping it always maintain its top flight status while the player posted the best scoring records of his career, with 11 and 12 goals in two separate seasons. He split his final year, 2003–04, with Sint-Truiden and Standard Liège, and eventually called it quits at 39 years of age, with totals of – in the Belgian top level alone – 415 matches and 67 goals (he still played some amateur football with VV Real Nieuwerkerken).

International career

Boffin played 53 games for the Belgian national team, during 13 years.[3] His debut came on 23 August 1989, in a 3–0 friendly win with Denmark.

In the following decade, Boffin would be an important offensive member for the Diables Rouges, being selected for the 1994, 1998 and 2002 FIFA World Cups, totalling five matches (only a squad member in the latter edition).[4] Aged 35, he was overlooked for UEFA Euro 2000, played on home soil.

Honours

FC Liège[5]

RSC Anderlecht[6]

Metz[7]

Sint-Truiden

Belgium

Individual

References
  1. "Bremen 5–3 Anderlecht". UEFA.com. 8 December 1993. Retrieved 9 February 2016.
  2. "L'équipe type des Belges passés en Ligue 1" [All-Star XI of past Belgians in Ligue 1] (in French). France Football. 21 July 2015. Retrieved 9 February 2016.
  3. "Belgium – Record International Players". RSSSF. Retrieved 29 April 2009.
  4. Danny Boffin – FIFA competition record
  5. "RFC Liège – Site officiel du Royal Football Club de Liège – Histoire" (in French). Retrieved 8 November 2020.
  6. "RSC Anderlecht | Palmares".
  7. "Finale de la Coupe de la Ligue 1998/99 : RC Lens - FC Metz". www.sitercl.com. Retrieved 8 November 2020.
  8. FIFA.com. "Belgium honoured with the FIFA Fair Play Award". www.fifa.com. Retrieved 7 November 2020.
  9. "Homme de la saison belge".
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