Introduction
Marc Robert Wilmots (born 22 February 1969) is a Belgian international former footballer who is currently the manager of the Iran national football team. During his club career as attacking midfielder, he won trophies with KV Mechelen, Standard Liège and Schalke 04.
He has also been a politician, having sat in the Senate for four years for the Mouvement Réformateur party.
Club career
In his club career, which started in 1987, Wilmots played for Sint-Truiden, Mechelen, Standard Liège, Schalke 04, and Bordeaux. At Schalke, he helped them to the 1997 UEFA Cup Final. His goal in the first leg was cancelled out by Internazionale in the second leg, but Schalke went on to win the game on penalties, with Wilmots scoring the decisive goal. He retired in 2003, after his second stint with Schalke. During his time with Schalke, the fans there gave him the affectionate nickname "Das Kampfschwein" (The War Pig), which has been picked up by some English language journalists. In Belgium he is known under the nickname the Bull of Dongelberg, an allusion to his birthplace.
International career
For Belgium, Wilmots scored 28 goals in 70 caps, his first coming in May 1990. He went to four World Cups, playing in three. After being an unused substitute in 1990, he played 54 minutes in 1994 without scoring, but scored two goals in 1998 and three in 2002, making him Belgium's leading goal scorer in World Cup history. He also scored a goal against Brazil in the last 16 match of the 2002 World Cup which was disallowed because of a "phantom foul" on Roque Júnior. According to Wilmots, the referee Peter Prendergast apologized for the error to him at half time. Wilmots was named as one of the seven reserves in the 2002 World Cup All-Star Team.
Wilmots also played in Euro 2000, when Belgium co-hosted the tournament.
International goals
- Scores and results list Belgium's goal tally first.
| # | Date | Venue | Opponent | Score | Result | Competition |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1. | 25 March 1992 | Parc des Princes, Paris |  France |
3–2 | 3–3 | Friendly |
| 2. | 22 April 1992 | Constant Vanden Stock Stadium, Brussels |  Cyprus |
1–0 | 1–0 | 1994 World Cup qualifier |
| 3. | 3 June 1992 | Svangaskarð, Toftir |  Faroe Islands |
2–0 | 3–0 | 1994 World Cup qualifier |
| 4. | 3–0 | |||||
| 5. | 22 May 1993 | Constant Vanden Stock Stadium, Brussels | Faroe Islands |
1–0 | 3–0 | 1994 World Cup qualifier |
| 6. | 3–0 | |||||
| 7. | 6 October 1993 | Constant Vanden Stock Stadium, Brussels |  Gabon |
1–1 | 2–1 | Friendly |
| 8. | 2–1 | |||||
| 9. | 11 October 1997 | King Baudouin Stadium, Brussels |  Wales |
3–0 | 3–2 | 1998 World Cup qualifier |
| 10. | 25 March 1998 | King Baudouin Stadium, Brussels |  Norway |
2–1 | 2–2 | Friendly |
| 11. | 3 June 1998 | King Baudouin Stadium, Brussels |  Colombia |
2–0 | 2–0 | Friendly |
| 12. | 20 June 1998 | Stade Chaban-Delmas, Bordeaux |  Mexico |
1–0 | 2–2 | 1998 World Cup |
| 13. | 2–0 | |||||
| 14. | 18 August 1999 | Jan Breydel Stadium, Bruges |  Finland |
2–3 | 3–4 | Friendly |
| 15. | 4 September 1999 | De Kuip, Rotterdam |  Netherlands |
4–3 | 5–5 | Friendly |
| 16. | 13 November 1999 | Stadio Via del Mare, Lecce |  Italy |
2–1 | 3–1 | Friendly |
| 17. | 3 June 2000 | Parken Stadium, Copenhagen |  Denmark |
2–2 | 2–2 | Friendly |
| 18. | 7 October 2000 | Skonto Stadium, Riga |  Latvia |
1–0 | 4–0 | 2002 World Cup qualifier |
| 19. | 28 February 2001 | King Baudouin Stadium, Brussels |  San Marino |
7–0 | 10–1 | 2002 World Cup qualifier |
| 20. | 24 March 2001 | Hampden Park, Glasgow |  Scotland |
1–2 | 2–2 | 2002 World Cup qualifier |
| 21. | 2 June 2001 | King Baudouin Stadium, Brussels | Latvia |
1–0 | 3–1 | 2002 World Cup qualifier |
| 22. | 6 June 2001 | Stadio Olimpico, Serravalle | San Marino |
1–0 | 4–1 | 2002 World Cup qualifier |
| 23. | 4–1 | |||||
| 24. | 14 November 2001 | Letna Stadium, Prague |  Czech Republic |
1–0 | 1–0 | 2002 World Cup qualifier |
| 25. | 18 May 2002 | Stade de France, Saint-Denis | France |
2–1 | 2–1 | Friendly |
| 26. | 4 June 2002 | Saitama Stadium 2002, Saitama |  Japan |
1–0 | 2–2 | 2002 World Cup |
| 27. | 10 June 2002 | Ōita Big Eye Stadium, Ōita |  Tunisia |
1–0 | 1–1 | 2002 World Cup |
| 28. | 14 June 2002 | Shizuoka Ecopa Stadium, Shizuoka |  Russia |
3–1 | 3–2 | 2002 World Cup |
Managerial career
Wilmots became a football manager in summer 2004 for Sint-Truiden, but was sacked in February 2005. Between 2009 and 2012, he served as assistant manager of the Belgium national team under Dick Advocaat and later Georges Leekens. On 15 May 2012, following the exit of Leekens, Wilmots assumed the Belgium reins on an interim basis before going onto become permanent coach, signing a contract until June 2014.
On 11 October 2013, Belgium qualified for the 2014 FIFA World Cup. Wilmots is credited with "not only giving the young group confidence in themselves as well as enjoying a close relationship with his players but also at the same time being capable of instilling discipline to the squad." During the group stage, Belgium topped the group with all three wins, before exiting the tournament at the quarter-final stage.
On 13 October 2015, Belgium won the group to qualify for the UEFA Euro 2016 in the last game of the stage against Israel. After a disappointing European Championship, Wilmots was fired by the Royal Belgian Football Association on 15 July 2016.
In March 2017 Wilmots was appointed as the manager of Ivory Coast national team. However he was sacked from his position six months later after failing to qualify for the World Cup.
On 15 May 2019, Wilmots agreed a three years contract to become the manager of the Iranian national team, after Portuguese coach Carlos Queiroz left the team after eight years in charge following Iran's semifinal exit in the Asian Cup. He officially signed his contract on 29 May, effective from 1 June 2019. On 4 December 2019, he resigned from his position as Iran coach.
Political career
After retiring as a footballer, Wilmots went into politics. He was elected to the Senate for the French-speaking conservative party, the Reformist Movement (Mouvement Réformateur or MR) in the 2003 federal election. He received 79,437 votes, a number surpassed only by 17 other candidates in the whole country during the elections.
His political career is not considered very successful. In 2005, he announced that he wanted to resign as a senator, a rather unconventional and criticized constitutional move.
Career statistics
Club
| Club | Season | League | Cup | League Cup | Europe | Total | |||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | ||
| Sint-Truiden | 1987–88 | 30 | 9 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 31 | 9 |
| Total | 30 | 9 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 31 | 9 | |
| Mechelen | 1988–89 | 30 | 4 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 6 | 2 | 36 | 6 |
| 1989–90 | 25 | 10 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 4 | 0 | 29 | 10 | |
| 1990–91 | 32 | 8 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 34 | 8 | |
| Total | 87 | 22 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 12 | 2 | 99 | 24 | |
| Standard Liège | 1991–92 | 33 | 10 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 33 | 10 |
| 1992–93 | 25 | 22 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 6 | 2 | 31 | 24 | |
| 1993–94 | 28 | 11 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 4 | 3 | 32 | 14 | |
| 1994–95 | 24 | 10 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 24 | 10 | |
| 1995–96 | 26 | 14 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 26 | 14 | |
| Total | 136 | 67 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 10 | 5 | 146 | 72 | |
| Schalke 04 | 1996–97 | 29 | 6 | 2 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 11 | 5 | 42 | 12 |
| 1997–98 | 31 | 7 | 2 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 7 | 2 | 40 | 10 | |
| 1998–99 | 12 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 1 | 15 | 2 | |
| 1999–2000 | 32 | 7 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 34 | 7 | |
| Total | 104 | 21 | 7 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 20 | 8 | 131 | 31 | |
| Bordeaux | 2000–01 | 30 | 8 | 2 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 5 | 2 | 38 | 11 |
| Total | 30 | 8 | 2 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 5 | 2 | 38 | 11 | |
| Schalke 04 | 2001–02 | 24 | 6 | 6 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 3 | 0 | 33 | 6 |
| 2002–03 | 10 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 3 | 1 | 14 | 1 | |
| Total | 34 | 6 | 7 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 6 | 1 | 47 | 7 | |
| Career total | 421 | 133 | 16 | 3 | 1 | 0 | 54 | 18 | 492 | 154 | |
International
| Belgium national team | ||
|---|---|---|
| Year | Apps | Goals |
| 1990 | 4 | 0 |
| 1991 | 6 | 0 |
| 1992 | 7 | 4 |
| 1993 | 3 | 4 |
| 1994 | 4 | 0 |
| 1995 | 0 | 0 |
| 1996 | 1 | 0 |
| 1997 | 3 | 1 |
| 1998 | 9 | 4 |
| 1999 | 6 | 3 |
| 2000 | 9 | 2 |
| 2001 | 9 | 6 |
| 2002 | 9 | 4 |
| Total | 70 | 28 |
Managerial
- As of match played 14 November 2019
| Team | From | To | Competition | Record | |||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| G | W | D | L | GF | GA | GD | Win % | ||||
| Schalke 04 | 26 March 2003 | 30 June 2003 | Bundesliga | 8 | 1 | 3 | 4 | 10 | 10 | +0 | 012.50 |
| Total | 8 | 1 | 3 | 4 | 10 | 10 | +0 | 012.50 | |||
| Sint-Truiden | 1 July 2004 | 20 February 2005 | Belgian Pro League | 20 | 5 | 5 | 10 | 23 | 35 | −12 | 025.00 |
| Belgian Cup | 2 | 0 | 1 | 1 | 2 | 3 | −1 | 000.00 | |||
| Total | 22 | 5 | 6 | 11 | 25 | 38 | −13 | 022.73 | |||
| Belgium | 15 May 2012 | 15 July 2016 | Competitive | 30 | 22 | 4 | 4 | 57 | 17 | +40 | 073.33 |
| Friendlies | 20 | 10 | 4 | 6 | 37 | 29 | +8 | 050.00 | |||
| Total | 50 | 32 | 8 | 10 | 94 | 46 | +48 | 064.00 | |||
| Ivory Coast | 21 March 2017 | 15 November 2017 | Competitive | 4 | 1 | 1 | 2 | 4 | 4 | +0 | 025.00 |
| Friendlies | 2 | 0 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 6 | −5 | 000.00 | |||
| Total | 6 | 1 | 2 | 3 | 5 | 10 | −5 | 016.67 | |||
| Iran | 1 June 2019 | 6 December 2019 | Competitive | 4 | 2 | 0 | 2 | 17 | 3 | +14 | 050.00 |
| Friendlies | 2 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 6 | 1 | +5 | 050.00 | |||
| Total | 6 | 3 | 1 | 2 | 23 | 4 | +19 | 050.00 | |||
| Career totals | League | 28 | 6 | 8 | 14 | 33 | 45 | −12 | 021.43 | ||
| Cup | 2 | 0 | 1 | 1 | 2 | 3 | −1 | 000.00 | |||
| Competitive | 38 | 25 | 5 | 8 | 78 | 24 | +54 | 065.79 | |||
| Friendlies | 24 | 11 | 6 | 7 | 44 | 36 | +8 | 045.83 | |||
| Total | 92 | 42 | 20 | 30 | 155 | 108 | +47 | 045.65 | |||
Honours
Player
- Mechelen
- Belgian First Division: 1988–89
- European Super Cup: 1988
- Standard Liège
- Belgian Cup: 1992–93
- Schalke 04
- DFB-Pokal: 2001–02
- UEFA Cup: 1996–97
- Individual
- Belgian Young Professional Footballer of the Year: 1989–90
- FIFA World Cup All-Star Team: 2002 (Reserve)
Manager
- Individual
- Belgian Coach of the Year: 2013, 2014
- Globe Soccer Awards Best Coach of the Year: 2015