Henri Coppens facts for kids
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| Personal information | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Full name | Henri François Louis Coppens | ||
| Date of birth | 29 April 1930 | ||
| Place of birth | Antwerp, Belgium | ||
| Date of death | 5 February 2015 (aged 84) | ||
| Place of death | Wilrijk, Belgium | ||
| Position(s) | Striker | ||
| Senior career* | |||
| Years | Team | Apps | (Gls) |
| 1946–1961 | K. Beerschot V.A.C. | 389 | (261) |
| 1961–1962 | Olympique Charleroi | 27 | (3) |
| 1962–1967 | Royal Crossing Club Molenbeek | 121 | (32) |
| 1967–1969 | Berchem Sport | 45 | (8) |
| 1969–1970 | Tubantia Borgerhout VK | ||
| Total | 555 | (301) | |
| International career | |||
| 1949–1959 | Belgium | 47 | (21) |
| Managerial career | |||
| 1971–1974 | Berchem Sport | ||
| 1974–1978 | K. Beerschot V.A.C. | ||
| 1978–1981 | Berchem Sport | ||
| 1981–1982 | Club Brugge | ||
| 1982–1984 | K. Beerschot V.A.C. | ||
| *Club domestic league appearances and goals | |||
Henri 'Rik' François Louis Coppens (born April 29, 1930 – died February 5, 2015) was a famous Belgian football player. He was known as a striker, which means he played at the front of the team to score goals. Rik Coppens played 389 games for Beerschot AC and scored an amazing 261 goals. In 1954, he won the very first Belgian Golden Shoe award, which goes to the best player in Belgium.
Many people might not know about him today. But for others, he is famous for creating a special way to take a penalty kick. This move was later used by the legendary player Johan Cruyff.
The Famous 'Johan Cruyff' Penalty Kick
On June 5, 1957, something special happened during a World Cup Qualification match. Belgium was playing against Iceland. The Belgian team, also known as Les Diables Rouges (The Red Devils), started the game very well. They were leading 6-1 against Iceland, a team that was not as strong.
Just before the end of the first half, in the 44th minute, the referee gave Belgium a penalty kick. This was when Rik Coppens made history. Instead of shooting the ball directly at the goal, he did something unexpected. He passed the ball sideways to his teammate, André Piters. André then quickly shot the ball into the net, making the score 7-1. You can see this amazing moment here: Rik Coppens' penalty.
The game ended with a big win for Belgium, 8-3. But the most memorable part was that special penalty kick. This unique way of taking a penalty, where two players work together, has been tried by many footballers since then. Some have succeeded, while others, like Thierry Henry and Robert Pirès, have not been so lucky [1].
However, when people talk about this two-man penalty, one name always comes to mind: Johan Cruyff. Cruyff, playing for Ajax, did a similar penalty with his teammate Jasper Olsen. Cruyff passed the ball to Jasper, who then passed it back to Cruyff. Cruyff then scored a fantastic goal that many fans still remember [2].
Later Years and Coaching Career
After his time as a football player, Rik Coppens became a coach. He coached several teams over the years. These included Tubantia Borgerhout from 1970 to 1971. He also coached Berchem Sport in two different periods: from 1971 to 1974 and again from 1977 to 1981. Coppens also managed his old club, Beerschot, from 1974 to 1977 and from 1981 to 1984. For a short time in 1981, he was also the coach for Club Brugge.
See also
In Spanish: Henri Coppens para niños
