Our last interview with Ludo Driesen (74), the man who lived in the Beerschot Stadium all his life: “Sometimes I wonder how I have kept this up all these years”
Ludo’s parents moved into the Olympic Stadium in 1949 before he was born, and Ludo was born two years later. He grew up in the stadium, saw all the great icons of the past and knew every hidden corner or switch. Kiel had no secrets for him. However, in 1973 his father became ill, so he became the successor as caretaker of the Mannekes.
Driesen spent his entire life within the walls of the Olympic Stadium. © Ilse Prinsen
“At first I didn’t really like it, but after much insistence I signed up for the proposal. Initially for a year, so that the club could look for a worthy replacement in the meantime,” said an interview with Ludo in your newspaper in August 2022. But that year became much longer.
© rr
Caretaker for 52 years
Driesen ultimately remained the caretaker at Kiel for 52 (!) years, speaking of a club icon. Driesen also had a close bond with Joske Van Hout – the iconic honorary material master and icon of Beerschot who unfortunately passed away in 2022.
“Why did he become such a public figure and I didn’t? He preferred to be in the foreground, while I preferred to stay in the shadows. And that is actually no different today. We had a good bond and were masters at bullying each other,” said Ludo in that interview.
Driesen with ‘Joske’ Van Hout (center) and club photographer Jan Mees on the left. © rr
With Driesen, Beerschot loses a true club icon, irreplaceable at Kiel. The club also sent an extensive message to the world on Friday morning, from which we take a small excerpt.
“Let us cherish together the many beautiful moments of and with “de Ludo”. With real tears of melancholy and sadness, but also with pride and gratitude for what he has meant to Beerschot. We are going to fucking miss you, Ludo. And not even a little.”
