Enzo Scifo

Enzo Scifo is considered one of the best Belgian players of all time. A legend of Serie A, Ligue 1, the Belgian national team and RSC Anderlecht.

Trophies

166

Goals

710

Games

1983/87 RSC Anderlecht (BEL) 160 games, 39 goals

(Belgian Championship: 119 games, 32 goals)

(Belgian Cup: 17 games, 2 goals)

(European Champion Clubs' Cup: 10 games, 3 goals)

(UEFA Cup: 14 games, 2 goals)

1987/88 Inter Milan (ITA) 44 games, 5 goals

(Italian Championship: 28 games, 4 goals)

(Italian Cup: 10 games)

(UEFA Cup: 6 games, 1 goal)

1988/89 Bordeaux (FRA) 30 games, 8 goals

(French Championship: 24 games, 7 goals)

(UEFA Cup: 6 matches, 1 goal)

1989/91 Auxerre (FRA) 81 matches, 30 goals

(French Championship: 67 matches, 25 goals)

(Coupe de France: 5 matches)

(UEFA Cup: 9 matches, 5 goals)

1991/93 Torino (ITA) 88 matches, 20 goals

(Italian Championship: 62 matches, 16 goals)

(Coupe d'Italie: 11 matches, 2 goals)

(UEFA Cup: 15 matches, 2 goals)

1993/97 AS Monaco (FRA) 122 matches, 26 goals

(French Championship: 91 matches, 20 goals)

(Coupe de France: 13 matches, 4 goals)

(Champions League: 11 matches, 2 goals)

(UEFA Cup: 7 matches)

1997/00 RSC Anderlecht (BEL) 88 matches, 17 goals

(Belgian League: 75 matches, 14 goals)

(Belgian Cup: 4 matches, 2 goals)

(UEFA Cup: 9 matches, 1 goal)

2000/01 Charleroi (BEL) 13 matches, 3 goals

(Belgian League: 12 matches, 3 goals)

(Belgian Cup: 1 match)

With the National Team :

84 caps, 18 goals

(Friendly matches: 23 caps, 4 goals)

(World Cup qualifiers: 26 caps, 6 goals)

(World Cup: 17 caps, 3 goals)

(Euro qualifiers: 15 caps, 5 goals)

(Euro: 3 caps)

1st cap: June 6, 1984 against Hungary (2-2)

Last cap: June 25, 1998 against South Korea (1-1)

Vincenzo Scifo

Born on February 19, 1966 in La Louviere (BEL)

Belgian, Attacking-Midfielder, Central-Midfielder, Left-Midfielder, 1m78

Nickname: "The Little Pelé of Tivoli"

A young player but already so good

Enzo Scifo was born on February 19, 1966 in La Louviere, Belgium. He played football in the street with his friends and at the age of 7 he joined the first club of his life, a small local club. He quickly made a name for himself in his region, and the one known as "Little Pelé of Tivoli" was very quickly recruited by RSC Anderlecht with whom he made his debut at 17.

Enzo Scifo is not a fast or physical player. He is a technician, a magician of the round ball, an intelligent player. A creative playmaker, he was also very decisive and capable of scoring goals. He was the playmaker of his team, a player capable of doing many things.

For his first months in the elite of Belgian football, the 17-year-old player is splendid. His club sees in him the new big name of the Belgian championship, the heir to Paul Van Himst. His talent goes beyond borders and he is logically called to play his first match for Belgium in June 1984 at 18 years old.

His 1983/84 season is crazy, finishing Belgian Golden Shoe in his first season as a professional, a madness, 33 matches for 6 goals in a role of number 10, playmaker. Continuing on his momentum, the Belgian player continues to string together great performances. And at 20 years old, he participates in the 1986 World Cup, reaching the semi-finals.

A career that oscillated between genius and injuries

During the competition, he had an exceptional match against the USSR, 120 minutes played, 1 goal scored, 68 balls touched, 87% of successful passes, 2 key passes, 7 long passes successful out of 7 attempted and especially 11 ground duels won out of 19, while having done a good defensive job with 3 interceptions. He reached 4th place in this World Cup, an achievement for his small country.

Having been voted best young player in the competition, he was very quickly spotted by all the biggest European clubs, and it was finally Inter Milan who recruited the player in 1987. He stayed there for 1 year despite an indisputable starting place. He then signed in France, with the Girondins de Bordeaux.

Within a magnificent Bordeaux team, he unfortunately did not manage to establish himself in the club because of injuries. The Bordeaux team then decided in turn to part ways with the young Belgian star, so he signed with Auxerre. Under the orders of Guy Roux, the Belgian player found his football again.

In this emerging French club, Scifo performed well as the team's main technical player. In 2 seasons, he showed a notable improvement in his finishing: 30 goals scored in 2 seasons. In the UEFA Cup, he was able to show the full extent of his talent by scoring 5 goals in 9 matches. He reached the quarter-finals of the UEFA Cup in the 1989/90 season, then the following season he finished 3rd in the French championship with his club. He logically finished as the best foreign player in the French championship.

A midfielder who could have aimed higher

With the Belgian selection, collectively the team despite a very good squad does not manage to reach the heights of world football, eliminated in particular in the round of 16 during the 1990 World Cup. In 1991, he joined Torino, a great Italian team from the early 90s. With this team, he reached the UEFA Cup final in 1992, Scifo shows a wonderful level. Then during his second season in Italy, he won the Italian Cup.

He returned to France in 1993, to AS Monaco. Aged 27, he had to confirm his level. For his first season with the French club, he reached the semi-finals of the Champions League, eliminated by AC Milan. In the championship, it was a little more disappointing because the club was only in 9th place. His second season was disappointing, he only played 13 matches, due to the many injuries that were now very frequent in his career.

He still returned afterwards, winning the French championship in 1997, one of the most beautiful trophies of his career. He then left France to return at the age of 31 to Belgium, to RSC Anderlecht. Club with which he had reached the final of the Europa League in 1984. He then quietly ended his career, joining Charleroi in 2000 to end his career at 35 after a final season.