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Steven Defour

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Steven Defour
Defour playing forAnderlechtin 2015
Personal information
Full name Steven Arnold Defour[1]
Date of birth (1988-04-15)15 April 1988(age 36)[2]
Place of birth Mechelen,Belgium
Height 1.73 m (5 ft 8 in)[2]
Position(s) Midfielder
Youth career
1993–1997 Zennester Hombeek
1997–2004 Mechelen
Senior career*
Years Team Apps (Gls)
2004–2006 Genk 30 (1)
2006–2011 Standard Liège 127 (13)
2011–2014 Porto 65 (3)
2014–2016 Anderlecht 63 (9)
2016–2019 Burnley 51 (2)
2019–2020 Antwerp 11 (0)
2020–2021 Mechelen 16 (0)
Total 363 (28)
International career
2003 Belgium U15 5 (1)
2003–2004 Belgium U16 11 (1)
2004–2005 Belgium U17 11 (1)
2005 Belgium U18 1 (0)
2006–2017 Belgium 52 (2)
Managerial career
2021–2022 Mechelen(assistant)
2022–2023 Mechelen
*Club domestic league appearances and goals

Steven Arnold Defour(born 15 April 1988) is a Belgian former professionalfootballerwho played as amidfielder,currently amanager.

He played 247 games and scored 23 goals in theBelgian Pro LeagueforGenk,Standard Liège,Anderlecht,AntwerpandMechelen,winning two league titles and anational cupwith the second team. Abroad, he won thePrimeira Ligatwice atPortoand played in thePremier Leaguefor three years atBurnley.

Defour earned 52capsforBelgiumin an 11-year international career that began in 2006, and represented the nation in the2014 World Cup.

Club career

[edit]

Genk

[edit]

Born inMechelen,Defour played youth football with localK.V. Mechelen,moving toK.R.C. Genkin 2004.[3]He made hisPro Leaguedebut on 30 October 2004 as a 78th-minutesubstituteforPaul Kpakain a 1–0 home win againstSint-Truidense V.V.in aLimburgderby, and scored his first goal on 5 November the following year, alsoassistingin the 4–1 victory overK.S.V. Roeselareat theFenixstadion.[4]At just 17, he became first choice,[5]finishing the2005–06 campaignwith 26 games and one goal to help his team to the fifth position.

When Genk failed to qualify forEuropean competition,Defour tried to move toAFC Ajaxin the summer of 2006. Enraged by earlier reports that Ajax had approached the player to broker a deal without their consent, Genk did not accept the proposed transfer fee, and after protracted negotiations, Ajax pulled out of the deal. Defour tried to force a transfer by threatening to leave, using a Belgian law that allowed professional athletes on fixed-term contracts to leave their employers before the end of the stipulated term, but Ajax did not express a renewed interest in his services, and he ended up signing forStandard Liègefor a much-reduced transfer fee, effectively breaking agentlemen's agreementbetween Belgian sides not to sign under-contract players using the aforementioned law.[6][7][8]

Standard Liège

[edit]

Defour joined Standard on a five-year deal,[9]being appointedteam captainat the start of hissecond yearafter taking over from Portugal'sSérgio Conceição– he was just 19 years old.[10]He received theBelgian Golden Shoeat the end of the season in the process, leading theRedsto their first league title in 25 years.[11]

In late 2009, shortly after scoring four goals in 31 games to help Standardrenew their domestic supremacy,Defour broke his right foot. During his period of recovery he received a letter fromAlex Ferguson,manager ofManchester United,wishing him all the best in his recovery,[12]and this led to persistent rumours of a switch to the English club, but he refuted these by saying "I do know that Manchester United are monitoring me – if everything goes well and I continue playing as I am, there is a better chance of me leaving than there was at the start of the season";[13]eventually, nothing came of it.

Porto

[edit]
Defour playing for Porto in 2013

On 15 August 2011, Portuguese clubFC Portoagreed to buy the sporting rights of Defour for€6 million, and he signed a five-year contract.[14][15][16]He finished hisfirst yearwith 37 official appearances and added two goals,[17][18]helping his new team to win thePrimeira Ligachampionship.[19]

Defour netted Porto's second goal againstGNK Dinamo Zagrebon 18 September 2012 inthe group stageof theUEFA Champions League(2–0 away win).[20]The following 13 March, for the same competition but in theround of 16,he wasbookedtwice and subsequentlysent offin the 49th minute of the second leg of the tie atMálaga CF,as thenorthernerslost 2–0 atLa Rosaleda Stadiumand 2–1 on aggregate.[21]

Anderlecht

[edit]

On 13 August 2014, Defour moved toR.S.C. Anderlechton a five-year deal, for €6 million. On 25 January of the following year, when playing at Standard Liège, he was sent off for deliberately kicking the ball at home fans who had unfurled a banner depicting his severed head under the slogan "Red or Dead". His ejection caused the visiting supporters to rip out their seats and throw them onto the pitch,[22]and the banner received criticism from both theRoyal Belgian Football Associationand the league.[23]

Burnley

[edit]

On 16 August 2016, Defour signed forPremier LeagueclubBurnleyon a three-year deal for a club-record transfer fee of £8 million.[24][25]He made his competitive debut four days later, starting in a 2–0 home win overLiverpoolin which he helped create the second goal byAndre Graybut was substituted early in the second half due to a lack of fitness.[26]On 10 September, also atTurf Moor,he scored his first goal for his new team to open a 1–1 draw with fellow promoteeHull City,and was praised after the match by managerSean Dyche.[27]

Defour scored a 25-yarddirect free kickon 26 December 2017, as Burnley led 2–0 athalf-timein an eventual draw at Manchester United.[28]During his later spell, he was constantly bothered by injury problems.[29]His contract was extended in September 2018 to last until June 2020,[30]but on 31 August 2019, he had it terminated citing personal reasons and a need to return to Belgium.[31]

In September 2022, Dyche named Defour as the most talented player he ever coached in his ten years at Burnley.[32]

Later career

[edit]

In September 2019, aged 31, Defour joinedRoyal Antwerp F.C.on a one-year deal.[33][34]On 16 October 2020, he returned to Mechelen 13 years after leaving theAchter de Kazerne,agreeing to a performance-oriented contract.[35]

Defour announced his retirement on 11 May 2021.[36]On 17 October 2022, he returned to Mechelen as head coach; previously an assistant, he replaced the dismissedDanny Buijs.[37]In his first game two days later, he won 2–0 at home to Standard;[38]he reachedthe finalof theBelgian Cupin hisfirst season,losing 2–0 toMark van Bommel's Antwerp.[39]

On 2 November 2023, after having been ousted by lowlyRoyal Knokke F.C.in theround of 32 of the domestic cupand with the team inside the relegation zone in the league, Defour was shown the door.[40]

International career

[edit]
Defour lining up forBelgiumin 2011

Defour was first called up for theBelgian senior teamby managerRené Vandereyckenin May 2006, aged just 18.[41]He made his debut on 11 May in afriendlyagainstSaudi ArabiainSittardin the Netherlands, playing all but the last minute of a 2–1 win;[4]he scored his first goal on 6 September 2008, in a 3–2 victory overEstoniaat his club ground theStade Maurice Dufrasnefor the2010 FIFA World Cupqualifiers.[42]

Defour scored once in three appearances inqualificationfor the2014 World Cup,opening a 2–0 away defeat ofScotlandon 6 September 2013.[43]He was selected for thefinalsin Brazil by managerMarc Wilmots,[44]making his debut inthe competitionon 26 June in the third group stage match againstSouth Koreaafter Belgium had already won their first two outings and sealed qualification, and was sent off in the last minute of the first half of the eventual 1–0 win after a rash tackle onKim Shin-wook.[45]

Defour missedUEFA Euro 2016due to injury and the2018 World Cup,having been sidelined since that January.[46]On 25 May that year, the 30-year-old announced his retirement from international football.[47]

Career statistics

[edit]

Club

[edit]
Appearances and goals by club, season and competition[48][49]
Club Season League National Cup League Cup Europe Other Total
Division Apps Goals Apps Goals Apps Goals Apps Goals Apps Goals Apps Goals
Genk 2004–05 Belgian First Division 4 0 0 0 — 0 0 — 4 0
2005–06 Belgian First Division 26 1 2 0 — 1[a] 0 — 29 1
Total 30 1 2 0 — 1 0 — 33 1
Standard Liège 2006–07 Belgian First Division 29 4 7 1 — 4[b] 0 — 40 5
2007–08 Belgian First Division 24 1 3 1 — 3[a] 0 — 30 2
2008–09 Belgian Pro League 33 4 1 0 — 10[c] 0 1[d] 0 45 4
2009–10 Belgian Pro League 13 1 0 0 — 3[e] 0 1[d] 0 17 1
2010–11 Belgian Pro League 27 3 5 0 — — — 32 3
2011–12 Belgian Pro League 1 0 — — — 0 0 1 0
Total 127 13 16 2 — 20 0 2 0 165 15
Porto 2011–12 Primeira Liga 24 1 2 1 3 0 8[f] 0 0 0 37 2
2012–13 Primeira Liga 25 2 2 0 5 1 7[g] 1 1[h] 0 40 4
2013–14 Primeira Liga 16 0 6 1 4 0 9[i] 0 1[h] 0 36 1
Total 65 3 10 2 12 1 24 1 2 0 113 7
Anderlecht 2014–15 Belgian Pro League 29 6 4 1 — 6[j] 0 — 39 7
2015–16 Belgian Pro League 32 2 1 1 — 9[e] 0 — 42 3
2016–17 Belgian First Division A 2 1 — — 2[g] 0 — 4 1
Total 63 9 5 2 — 17 0 — 85 11
Burnley 2016–17 Premier League 21 1 3 1 0 0 — — 24 2
2017–18 Premier League 24 1 0 0 1 0 — — 25 1
2018–19 Premier League 6 0 2 0 1 0 0 0 — 9 0
Total 51 2 5 1 2 0 0 0 — 58 3
Royal Antwerp 2019–20 Belgian First Division A 11 0 1 0 — — — 12 0
Mechelen 2020–21 Belgian First Division A 16 0 3 0 — — — 19 0
Career total 363 28 42 7 14 1 62 1 4 0 485 37
  1. ^abAppearances inUEFA Cup
  2. ^Two appearances inUEFA Champions League,two inUEFA Cup
  3. ^Two appearances inUEFA Champions League,eight inUEFA Cup
  4. ^abAppearance inBelgian Super Cup
  5. ^abAppearances inUEFA Europa League
  6. ^Six appearances inUEFA Champions League,two inUEFA Europa League
  7. ^abAppearances inUEFA Champions League
  8. ^abAppearance inSupertaça Cândido de Oliveira
  9. ^Five appearances inUEFA Champions League,four inUEFA Europa League
  10. ^Four appearances inUEFA Champions League,two inUEFA Europa League

International

[edit]
Defour (left) withBelgianteammatesKevin Mirallas(middle) andMarouane Fellainibefore afriendlyagainst theUnited Stateson 29 May 2013
Appearances and goals by national team and year[50]
National team Year Apps Goals
Belgium 2006 3 0
2007 9 0
2008 6 1
2009 5 0
2010 4 0
2011 5 0
2012 5 0
2013 5 1
2014 6 0
2016 3 0
2017 1 0
Total 52 2
Scores and results list Belgium's goal tally first, score column indicates score after each Defour goal.[50]
International goals by date, venue, cap, opponent, score, result and competition
No. Date Venue Cap Opponent Score Result Competition
1 6 September 2008 Stade Maurice Dufrasne,Liège,Belgium 15 Estonia 2–1 3–2 2010 World Cup qualification
2 6 September 2013 Hampden Park,Glasgow,Scotland 39 Scotland 1–0 2–0 2014 World Cup qualification

Managerial statistics

[edit]
As of match played 31 October 2023[51]
Managerial record by team and tenure
Team Nat From To Record
G W D L GF GA GD Win %
Mechelen Belgium 17 October 2022 2 November 2023 41 15 9 17 50 62 −12 036.59
Career totals 41 15 9 17 50 62 −12 036.59

Honours

[edit]

Standard Liège

Porto

Individual

References

[edit]
  1. ^"2017/18 Premier League clubs publish retained lists".Premier League.8 June 2018.Retrieved12 May2019.
  2. ^ab"Steven Defour".11v11.Retrieved16 April2017.
  3. ^"Steven Defour a participé à un amical avec Malines"[Steven Defour participated in a friendly with Mechelen] (in French).RTBF.9 October 2020.Retrieved25 February2023.
  4. ^abLibois, Erik (11 May 2021)."Le petit Steven Defour illustré, en 15 dates-clé"[Little Steven Defour illustrated, in 15 key dates] (in French). RTBF.Retrieved10 March2023.
  5. ^Scholten, Berend (23 December 2006)."Defour raises Belgian Standard".UEFA.Retrieved25 February2023.
  6. ^"Defour 'slachtoffer' van 33 jaar oude vete"[Defour 'victim' of 33-year-old feud].Het Nieuwsblad(in Dutch). 5 May 2006.Retrieved9 January2014.
  7. ^"Transfer Defour naar Ajax van de baan"[Defour's transfer to Ajax not happening] (in Dutch).Voetbal International.7 June 2006.Retrieved9 January2014.
  8. ^"Steven Defour verbreekt contract bij Genk"[Steven Defour breaks contract with Genk].Het Belang van Limburg(in Dutch). 16 June 2006.Retrieved9 January2014.
  9. ^"Standard neemt Steven Defour over"[Standard sign Steven Defour] (in Dutch). Voetbal België. 11 July 2006.Retrieved9 January2014.
  10. ^"Conceição praat met Standard"[Conceição in talks with Standard].De Standaard(in Dutch). 4 January 2008.Retrieved1 November2020.
  11. ^abToma, Razvan."Belgium – Player of the Year Awards".RSSSF.Retrieved26 April2017.
  12. ^"Defour ready to make next step".ESPN Soccernet.26 October 2010. Archived fromthe originalon 29 October 2010.Retrieved27 October2010.
  13. ^Shaw, Alex (26 October 2010)."Defour ready to make Manchester United move".Talksport.Archived fromthe originalon 29 October 2010.Retrieved27 October2010.
  14. ^"Comunicado"[Announcement](PDF)(in Portuguese). FC Porto. 15 August 2011. Archived fromthe original(PDF)on 24 December 2011.Retrieved18 August2011.
  15. ^"Comunicado"[Announcement](PDF)(in Portuguese). FC Porto. 16 August 2011. Archived fromthe original(PDF)on 15 December 2011.Retrieved18 August2011.
  16. ^"FC Porto deal for Defour".ESPN Soccernet. 16 August 2011. Archived fromthe originalon 2 January 2013.Retrieved30 August2011.
  17. ^"FC Porto cumpriu e goleou Pêro Pinheiro"[FC Porto got job done and routed Pêro Pinheiro].Público(in Portuguese). 15 October 2011.Retrieved20 September2019.
  18. ^"No meio da tempestade, veio a bonança (5–0)"[Amid the storm, came the calm (5–0)].Diário de Notícias(in Portuguese). 23 October 2011.Retrieved20 September2019.
  19. ^"Dragão em branco na festa de apresentação"[Dragon drew a blank in presentation party] (in Portuguese). SAPO. 4 August 2012.Retrieved20 September2019.
  20. ^Crossan, David (18 September 2012)."Porto extend Dinamo losing streak".UEFA.Retrieved7 January2014.
  21. ^Hunter, Graham (13 March 2013)."Santa Cruz sends Málaga into last eight".UEFA.Retrieved7 January2014.
  22. ^"Anderlecht's Steven Defour sees red over Standard Liège fans' banner".The Guardian.25 January 2015.Retrieved25 January2015.
  23. ^"Standard Liege: Steven Defour sent off after fans' horror banner".BBC Sport.25 January 2015.Retrieved25 January2015.
  24. ^Lustig, Nick (16 August 2016)."Burnley sign Steven Defour from Anderlecht for club-record fee".Sky Sports.Retrieved25 February2023.
  25. ^"Steven Defour: Burnley sign Belgium midfielder from Anderlecht".BBC Sport. 16 August 2016.Retrieved16 August2016.
  26. ^Smith, Jamie (20 August 2016)."Keane, Defour and Gray stand out as Burnley stun Liverpool".ESPN FC.Retrieved4 March2017.
  27. ^"Defour is cheap as chips – Dyche".BBC Sport. 10 September 2016.Retrieved4 March2017.
  28. ^Marshall, Tyrone (26 December 2017)."Manchester United 2 Burnley 2: Match verdict".Lancashire Telegraph.Retrieved25 February2023.
  29. ^Copeland, Robbie (8 March 2019)."Steven Defour 'unlikely' to return this season after undergoing operation on persistent calf issue".90 Minut.Retrieved20 September2019.
  30. ^Marshall, Tyrone (14 September 2019)."Burnley extend Steven Defour's contract until 2020 as midfielder nears return".Lancashire Telegraph.Retrieved25 February2023.
  31. ^"Steven Defour: Burnley midfielder's contract cancelled 'for personal reasons'".BBC Sport. 31 August 2019.Retrieved31 August2019.
  32. ^Varewyck, Sam (23 September 2022)."Steven Defour krijgt mooi compliment van Burnley-legende:" Meest getalenteerde speler die ik gecoacht heb ""[Steven Defour earns praise from Burnley legend: "Most talented player I ever coached" ].Het Nieuwsblad(in Dutch).Retrieved24 September2022.
  33. ^"Antwerp pakt uit met kwartet: Defour, Hoedt, Gano en Benson trekken naar de Bosuil"[Antwerp unveil four: Defour, Hoedt, Gano and Benson go to Bosuil] (in Dutch).Sporza.2 September 2019.Retrieved20 September2019.
  34. ^"Steven Defour: Ex-Burnley midfielder joins Royal Antwerp".BBC Sport. 3 September 2019.Retrieved4 November2019.
  35. ^Brisart, Axel (16 October 2020)."Steven Defour voorgesteld bij KV Mechelen:" Emotioneel de belangrijkste transfer uit mijn carrière ""[Steven Defour presented at KV Mechelen: "Emotionally the most important transfer of my career" ].Het Laatste Nieuws(in Dutch).Retrieved1 November2020.
  36. ^"Afscheid in mineur: Defour stopt er nu al mee door blessure aan quadriceps"[Dramatic goodbye: Defour retires after quadriceps injury].Het Laatste Nieuws(in Dutch). 11 May 2021.Retrieved3 June2021.
  37. ^Langendries, Romain (17 October 2022)."Steven Defour devient l'entraîneur du KV Malines suite au licenciement de Danny Buijs"[Steven Defour becomes KV Mechelen manager following dismissal of Danny Buijs] (in French). RTBF.Retrieved21 October2022.
  38. ^Jordens, Jérôme (19 October 2022)."Pro League: Malines dompte le Standard et offre une première victoire à Defour"[Pro League: Mechelen tame Standard and offer a first victory to Defour] (in French). RTBF.Retrieved21 December2022.
  39. ^Jongmans, Robin (30 April 2023)."Prijs voor Van Bommel in België: trainer wint beker met Nederlands getint Antwerp"[Prize for Van Bommel in Belgium: manager wins cup with Dutch-tinted Antwerp].De Telegraaf(in Dutch).Retrieved30 April2023.
  40. ^"OFFICIEL Defour ne fera pas son retour à Sclessin"[OFFICIAL Defour will not be returning to Sclessin] (in French). Foot News. 2 November 2023.Retrieved28 November2023.
  41. ^"René Vandereycken roept negen debutanten op"[René Vandereycken calls up nine first-timers].Het Belang van Limburg(in Dutch). 6 May 2006.Retrieved9 January2014.
  42. ^"Defour a déjà marqué contre l'Estonie:" Ah bon? J'avais oublié ""[Defour already scored against Estonia: "Ah good? I had forgotten" ] (in French). RTBF. 12 November 2016.Retrieved4 March2017.
  43. ^Lamont, Alasdair (6 September 2013)."Scotland 0–2 Belgium".BBC Sport.Retrieved4 March2017.
  44. ^"Belgium World Cup 2014 squad".The Daily Telegraph.4 June 2014.Retrieved27 June2014.
  45. ^"Koreans crash to ten-man Belgium".FIFA. 26 June 2014. Archived fromthe originalon 24 March 2020.Retrieved24 March2020.
  46. ^"Steven Defour (Burnley) prend sa retraite internationale"[Steven Defour (Burnley) retires from internationals].L'Équipe(in French). 24 May 2018.Retrieved25 February2023.
  47. ^Marshall, Tyrone (25 May 2018)."Steven Defour to focus on Burnley after international retirement".Lancashire Telegraph.Retrieved25 May2018.
  48. ^Steven Defourat FootballDatabase.eu
  49. ^Steven Defourat WorldFootball.net
  50. ^ab"Steven Defour".European Football.Retrieved18 August2016.
  51. ^abcdefSteven Defour coach profileat Soccerway
  52. ^"Homme de la saison belge"[Belgian man of the season] (in French). Football The Story.Retrieved24 September2022.
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