Grand farewell for Goethals

Six former players carried the coffin of Raymond Goethals as the football world turned out to pay its respects to a Belgian legend today.

Famous pallbearers
Paul Van Himst, Georges Heylens, Odilon Polleunis, Christian Piot, Basile Boli and Rob Rensenbrink were the pallbearers at the ceremony at the Koekelberg Basilica, a church built in the area where Goethals, who died last Monday at the age of 83, first kicked a ball as a child.

European finals
Goethals coached RSC Anderlecht and R. Standard de Liège to European finals and in 1993 became the first man to guide a French club to victory on the continent as Olympique de Marseille overcame AC Milan in the inaugural UEFA Champions League final. He also steered Belgium to third place at the 1972 UEFA European Championship.

'Simple man'
Standard coach Dominique D' Onofrio and technical director Michel Preud'homme were in attendance along with a number of other staff from the Belgian club, such as those who sell tickets, merchandise and food. Van Himst, Belgium's player of the century, said: "That shows that Raymond Goethals was a simple man who got along with everyone at the clubs he worked at."

Courtois speech
Alain Courtois, a former general secretary of the Belgian Football Association, spoke passionately about the life and career of Goethals. "You gave passion to the sport; a lot of passion," he said. "Belgium exists through you." Another Belgian coaching great, Guy Thys, died in August 2003.