Former Belgium defender Eric Deflandre has opened up about the behind-the-scenes chaos and player antics that accompanied the national team during Euro 2000. Speaking to Het Nieuwsblad and as reported by Voetbalkrant.com, the 53-year-old current RFC Liége coach recalled everything from unauthorized telephone calls to a teammate smuggling his girlfriend into the squad hotel. The reflections look back at a tournament most famous for his own emergency stint in goal during a 2-0 defeat against Turkey in Brussels.
The Emergency Goalkeeper Shift Against Turkey
That June evening in Brussels remains etched in Belgian football history not just for the tournament exit, but for a bizarre tactical shuffle. When goalkeeper Filip De Wilde received a red card, manager Robert Waseige had no substitutes left, forcing Deflandre to pull on an oversized goalkeeper jersey and stand between the posts.
“I was the only goalkeeper at the Euros who didn’t concede a goal,” Deflandre joked to Het Nieuwsblad, noting that the surreal photograph still resurfaces whenever Belgium faces Turkey. The impromptu goalkeeping stint lasted barely ten minutes, yet the visual endures a quarter-century later.
Philippe Leonard Faces Discipline for Hotel Conduct
Off-the-pitch discipline during the 2000 European Championship proved just as memorable as the on-field drama. AS Monaco defender Philippe Leonard arrived at the team hotel driving a Ferrari and immediately drew scrutiny by parking on a space reserved for people with disabilities while unloading his luggage. Later in the hotel lobby, Leonard used a phone without permission to call his club teammates in France.
Deflandre explained that head coach Robert Waseige maintained a strict zero-tolerance policy toward player ego and celebrity behavior, ultimately icing Leonard out of the team plans for the remainder of the tournament as a result.
Emile Mpenza Sneaks Miss Belgium into Team Hotel
Striker Emile Mpenza found a much more covert way to manage his personal life during the intense camp environment. Mpenza was dating Joke Van de Velde, who had been crowned Miss Belgium in 1994, and was determined to bypass media scrutiny.
Deflandre revealed that the forward routinely managed to sneak his girlfriend into the hotel or slip away unnoticed on scheduled days off. To pull off the clandestine visits, Mpenza reportedly utilized the personal car of backup goalkeeper Geert De Vlieger. The rest of the squad viewed the romantic evasion with mild amusement rather than anger, fully aware of the relationship but willing to let it slide.
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