On 29 April 1930, a certain Rik Coppens was bornClub29 AprTwenty-nine April is a date that has a permanent place in Beerschot's history books, because on that very day in 1930, Henri – or Rik, as he was known – Coppens was born in Antwerp. And here we are, 95 years later to the day, taking a moment to reflect on that.What can be said about Rik Coppens that we don't already know? It is indeed a challenge. The number of nicknames alone – “Mr Henri”, “Rik”, “de Coppens”, “de neus” – is a measure of how important he has been in the history of Beerschot. Rik Coppens may not have been the most complete footballer of his time, but he was certainly the most brilliant. And, of course, he was an icon at Beerschot, a player for whom the supporters made a special trip to the stadium.
He was an unrivalled football artist, the enfant terrible of Belgian football. A glamour boy pur sang. He emerged as a rare great, a brilliant ball juggler, a magnificent soloist. But it was precisely his individualism that led to many discussions and was probably also the reason why Beerschot never won the national title with him. No problem, though, he made every true football fan – in the Olympic Stadium, and also at the Heysel and the Bosuil as an international – crow with delight. With his insight into the game, his goals, his antics, his humour, his genius. Rik was always and everywhere an attraction!
He was barely 16 years old when he made his debut in Beerschot's first team. Coach Emile Stynen gave the young Coppens – who was causing a sensation among schoolchildren at the time – his first chance to play on 29 December 1946 in the home match against Eendracht Aalst. And he seized it with both hands. Beerschot led 2-1 at half-time, but in the second half Rik scored twice, leading his team to a 4-2 victory. A star was born.
Rik Coppens continued to play in the spotlight. Like on 15 November 1959, when he converted three penalties against goalkeeper Jean Nicolay in the Olympic Stadium against Standard. Beerschot won 3-2, and with each penalty kick, he played a psychological game with the Liège goalkeeper, who became so frustrated that he almost ate his hat.
And then there was that friendly match on 31 May 1960 when Beerschot took on Brazilian side Santos, featuring superstar Pelé. The Brazilians won 10–1 at the Kiel. Pelé scored six times, but most of the applause was for Rik, who scored a spectacular overhead kick... and received congratulations from the master himself.
During his career, Coppens once scored a goal during a Beerschot-Antwerp match in the snow, placing the ball in the top corner with his heel over his own head. He then walked up to Antwerp defender Jos Van Ginderen and said, ‘They don't score goals like that in the countryside, do they?!’ Everyone was stunned. Van Ginderen could laugh about it too... Rik Coppens could and was allowed to get away with anything.
The number of highlights, anecdotes and other equally impressive and amusing stories are countless. He was also the “inventor” of the two-stage penalty. During an international match against Iceland at the Heysel in 1957. Instead of smashing the ball hard from eleven metres, he played the ball to his charging teammate Popeye Piters on the right, who played the ball back to Rik in one touch, leaving the bewildered Icelandic goalkeeper with no chance.
Rik Coppens played for Beerschot from 1946 to 1961, then went on to play for Olympic Charleroi, Crossing Molenbeek, Berchem Sport and Tubantia. He then donned his tracksuit and coached Beerschot from 1974 to 1977 and from 1982 to 1984. He played 47 times for the Red Devils and scored 21 international goals.
He was also the top scorer in the first division during the 1951-52 (23 goals), 1952-53 (35 goals) and 1954-55 (35 goals) seasons. In 1954, he was the first ever winner of the Golden Boot, a trophy he would undoubtedly have won several more times. However, at that time, a footballer could only win the Golden Boot once.
Rik Coppens was a true Beerschot fan his entire life, always a welcome guest at the Kiel, where he had his regular seat in the main stand of the Olympic Stadium. Even after the bankruptcy in 2013 and the resurrection as KFCO Beerschot Wilrijk, he remained loyal to his club.
The 2014-2015 season, in which Beerschot raced through Promotion like an express train and secured promotion to the third division, would be the last that Rik experienced live. On Saturday 13 September 2014, the club organised a special “Rik Coppens Day” in his honour, during which he was driven around “his” Olympic Stadium in an open car to thunderous applause, showered with flowers and presented with a “Lifetime Achievement Award” in the form of a golden Beerschot shoe. At the same time, the eight thousand spectators were given a copy of ‘De Gazet van Rik’ (Rik's Newspaper), which looked back on his rich football career in 32 pages. It would be his very last party at Beerschot.
He passed away on 5 February 2015. Rik Coppens was 84 years old.
What can be said about Rik Coppens that we don't already know? It is indeed a challenge. The number of nicknames alone – “Mr Henri”, “Rik”, “de Coppens”, “de neus” – is a measure of how important he has been in the history of Beerschot. Rik Coppens may not have been the most complete footballer of his time, but he was certainly the most brilliant. And, of course, he was an icon at Beerschot, a player for whom the supporters made a special trip to the stadium.
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