François Sterchele
Encyclopedia
François Sterchele was a Belgian
footballer who played for Club Brugge. The striker was the top scorer of the Jupiler League
in 2006-07
. Sterchele died in a single-person car accident on May 8, 2008.
in the province of Liège
. At the age of ten, he moved to R.F.C. de Liège
where he stayed for ten years before moving to R.F.C. Union La Calamine. After three seasons, he was signed by Oud-Heverlee Leuven, a team in the third division
, where he scored 21 goals during the 2004-2005 season, finishing second in the topscorers list. In the subsequent playoffs, he scored another eight goals which would help earn the team to promotion to the second tier
.
As a result, Sterchele was able to secure a transfer to the top division in Belgian football, the Jupiler League
, when he joined Charleroi
, where he was trained by Jacky Mathijssen, who would become a considerable influence in his development as a footballer. After just one year, he went to K.F.C. Germinal Beerschot and became the league's top scorer.
On 19 July 2007, Sterchele returned to the tutorship of Mathijssen when he moved to Club Brugge; he scored 2 goals on his league début against Mons
.
.
The previous day, Sterchele had visited some friends in Antwerp and was supposed to meet with Jurgen Cavens
and Vicenzo Verhoeven. While travelling home on the N49 between Antwerp and Knokke
, at around 03:00 on 8 May, Sterchele lost control of his Porsche while speeding and veered into a ditch before hitting a tree. No other vehicles were involved in the accident.
Also there is the "Coppa Sterchele", each year 2 of his ex-teams play a friendly match to honor him.
Belgium
Belgium , officially the Kingdom of Belgium, is a federal state in Western Europe. It is a founding member of the European Union and hosts the EU's headquarters, and those of several other major international organisations such as NATO.Belgium is also a member of, or affiliated to, many...
footballer who played for Club Brugge. The striker was the top scorer of the Jupiler League
Jupiler League
The Belgian Pro League is the top league competition for association football clubs in Belgium. Contested by 16 clubs, it operates on a system of promotion and relegation with the Belgian Second Division...
in 2006-07
Jupiler League 2006-07
The 2006-07 season of the Belgian First Division began on July 28, 2006 and concluded on May 19, 2007. The championship was decided in the penultimate round on May 12, 2007, when Anderlecht moved five points clear of runners-up Genk to retain the title and win their 29th League Championship...
. Sterchele died in a single-person car accident on May 8, 2008.
Club career
Sterchele started his career at FC Loncin, a small team from the Belgian Provincial leaguesBelgian Provincial leagues
The Belgian Provincial leagues are the lower leagues for Belgian football. It is divided into 9 regional league systems . Each league system is itself divided into 4 levels...
in the province of Liège
Liège (province)
Liège is the easternmost province of Belgium and belongs to the Walloon Region. It is an area of French and German ethnicity. It borders on the Netherlands, Germany, Luxembourg, and in Belgium the provinces of Luxembourg, Namur, Walloon Brabant , and those of Flemish Brabant and Limburg . Its...
. At the age of ten, he moved to R.F.C. de Liège
R.F.C. de Liège
Royal Football Club de Liège is a Belgian football club from the city of Liège. It currently plays in the Belgian Third Division. Its matricule is 4, meaning that it was the fourth club to register with the country's national federation, and the club was the first Belgian champion in history...
where he stayed for ten years before moving to R.F.C. Union La Calamine. After three seasons, he was signed by Oud-Heverlee Leuven, a team in the third division
Belgian Third Division
The Belgian Third Division is the third highest level in Belgian football. It has two leagues of 18 teams each at the same level. This competition, known as the Belgian Promotion was first played in the 1926-27 season with three leagues, then with four leagues between 1931 and 1952. From 1952...
, where he scored 21 goals during the 2004-2005 season, finishing second in the topscorers list. In the subsequent playoffs, he scored another eight goals which would help earn the team to promotion to the second tier
Belgian Second Division
The Belgian Second Division is the second-highest division in the Belgian football league system after the Belgian Pro League. It was created by the Belgian Football Association in 1905. Between 2008 and 2010 it was named EXQI League after a television channel owned by the league main sponsor,...
.
As a result, Sterchele was able to secure a transfer to the top division in Belgian football, the Jupiler League
Jupiler League
The Belgian Pro League is the top league competition for association football clubs in Belgium. Contested by 16 clubs, it operates on a system of promotion and relegation with the Belgian Second Division...
, when he joined Charleroi
R. Charleroi S.C.
Sporting du Pays de Charleroi is a Belgian football club based in the city of Charleroi, in the province of Hainaut. Charleroi plays in the Belgian Pro League and their current spell at the highest level in Belgian football has started in the 1985–86 season...
, where he was trained by Jacky Mathijssen, who would become a considerable influence in his development as a footballer. After just one year, he went to K.F.C. Germinal Beerschot and became the league's top scorer.
On 19 July 2007, Sterchele returned to the tutorship of Mathijssen when he moved to Club Brugge; he scored 2 goals on his league début against Mons
R.A.E.C. Mons
R.A.E.C. Mons is a Belgian football club based in Mons, Belgium. The team was promoted to the Belgian Jupiler League recently on 29 May 2011 after beating Waasland-Beveren in a "Winner-Take-All" Test match of the Final Tour of the Belgian second division and has Re-Joined the Top Belgian League...
.
Death
In the early morning of 8 May 2008, Sterchele was killed instantly when he crashed his Porsche Cayman S into a treeTree
A tree is a perennial woody plant. It is most often defined as a woody plant that has many secondary branches supported clear of the ground on a single main stem or trunk with clear apical dominance. A minimum height specification at maturity is cited by some authors, varying from 3 m to...
.
The previous day, Sterchele had visited some friends in Antwerp and was supposed to meet with Jurgen Cavens
Jurgen Cavens
Jurgen Cavens is a Belgian footballer who currently plays as a striker for Lierse. He is a former Belgian international.-References:* *...
and Vicenzo Verhoeven. While travelling home on the N49 between Antwerp and Knokke
Knokke
Knokke is one of a group of communities that are all grouped in the administrative community Knokke-Heist, in the province of West Flanders in Flanders, Belgium. Knokke itself has 15,653 inhabitants .Knokke-Heist has 33,818 inhabitants ....
, at around 03:00 on 8 May, Sterchele lost control of his Porsche while speeding and veered into a ditch before hitting a tree. No other vehicles were involved in the accident.
Tributes
Club Brugge, Sterchele's last club, decided to retire the number 23 in honor of their deceased striker. The fans of Club Brugge also start singing his name in the 23rd minute of every game their team plays. While playing against them in the Europa League, the fans of Birmnigham City FC clapped to show their respects, and also carried the tribute out at their home ground, St. Andrews.Also there is the "Coppa Sterchele", each year 2 of his ex-teams play a friendly match to honor him.