L’iconique numéro 7 de l’équipe nationale vient d’annoncer la fin de sa carrière au sein des Red Lions.
A 36 ans, le plus capé des hockeyeur au monde (481 sélections) met fin à 20 ans de carrière au plus haut niveau. Champion d’Europe en U16 en 2004, il intègre directement après -à l’âge de 16 ans à peine- l’équipe A. Il va connaître 5 jeux olympiques et décrocher l’Or en 2021 après l’argent en 2016. Il est champion du Monde en 2018, champion d’Europe en 2019 et a cumulé les places d’honneur. Il a été élu meilleur joueur au monde par la FIH en 2016 et fut Stick d’Or en 2009.
C’est une icône qui range son stick noir-jaune-rouge mais il continue en championnat de Belgique avec l’Orée.
On relira avec plaisir son livre Game Day qu’il a présenté ici.
Son annonce sur fb
This is my moment to announce my international retirement.
I have a lot of people to thank like my teammates, my coaches, my parents… I have lived extraordinary moments. I laughed a lot, sometimes cried, I took balls in the feet, the nose, I had a lot of beautiful moments and others sometimes very hard but you have always been there to pull me up!
I consider myself extremely lucky to have been part of the Red Lions and to have known the rise of my team towards an Olympic gold medal. So much so that I think that it is not me who loves hockey, but it is hockey that loves me. It has given me back more than what I have given it. I have traveled all over the world, seen the pyramids, climbed the Great Wall of China, paraded in stadiums at the Olympic Games, met sports legends, broke a world record…
Thank you all for these extraordinary moments. Thank you to my sponsors who supported me. Thanks to the guys of my generation for persevering despite the failures. Thanks to those of the previous generations who made so many sacrifices. I wish all the best to all the future generations who will have the privilege of wearing the Red Lions jersey. Make me proud!
For my part, I will try to continue to pass on everything I have experienced and learned during my career but in a different way… Above all, don’t forget: “A winner is a loser who never gives up…”
