| Season | 2012–13 | |
|---|---|---|
| Men's football | ||
| Pro League | Anderlecht | |
| Second Division | Oostende | |
| Third Division A | Hoogstraten | |
| Third Division B | Virton | |
| Cup | Genk | |
| Super Cup | Anderlecht | |
| ||
The 2012–13 football season in Belgium, which is the 110th season of competitive football in the country and runs from July 2012 until June 2013.
National team football
Men's national football team
With no less than four players winning individual awards as best player in their league following conclusion of the 2011–12 season, namely Eden Hazard (in France), Vincent Kompany (in England), Kevin Mirallas (in Greece) and Jan Vertonghen (in the Netherlands), questions were raised how it was possible that Belgium had not managed to qualify for the UEFA Euro 2012 tournament. Moreover, this raised the belief that Belgium would qualify for the 2014 FIFA World Cup, even with rather inexperienced head coach Marc Wilmots in charge after Georges Leekens quit in May 2012.
In a friendly before the actual qualifying campaign, the Red Devils managed to beat the Netherlands by a score of 4-2, with Dries Mertens the man of the match, scoring once and giving two assists. For once, a decent start was made, as Belgium won in Wales and kept Croatia to a 1-1 draw at home. The team continued on their good spirits, following up with a 0-3 win in Serbia, the biggest ever loss for the Serbian team, and a 2-0 win at home against Scotland. This left Belgium and Croatia together in the lead with 10 points out of 12 and with the other four teams trailing 6 or more points behind it already looked like they would be battling it out for first place. Also, by November Belgium moved into position 20 on the FIFA World Rankings, their highest position since 2004. Belgium finished the year 2012 with a 2-1 friendly loss in Romania.
In 2013, Belgium started with a 2-1 win against Slovakia, due to a last minute goal by Dries Mertens, before winning twice against Macedonia to keep their unbeaten status in the FIFA World Cup qualifying campaign. In June, while having risen to a record high 12th position in the FIFA World Rankings, Belgium first beat United States 2-4 in a friendly in Cleveland, before winning their final qualifying match at home against Serbia 2-1. At the same time, Croatia lost at home to Scotland, allowing Belgium to take a three-point lead.
2014 FIFA World Cup qualification
| 7 September 2012 | Wales  | 0 – 2 | .svg.png.webp){kind=small} Belgium | Cardiff City Stadium, Cardiff |
| 19:45 UTC+1 | Report | Kompany  42'Vertonghen 83' |
Attendance: 20,156 Referee: Stefan Johannesson (Sweden) |
| 11 September 2012 | Belgium | 1 – 1 |  Croatia | King Baudouin Stadium, Brussels |
| 20:45 UTC+2 | Gillet 45+1' |
Report | Perišić 6' |
Attendance: 39,987 Referee: Alberto Undiano Mallenco (Spain) |
| 12 October 2012 | Serbia  | 0 – 3 | Belgium | Stadion Crvena Zvezda, Belgrade |
| 20:30 UTC+2 | Report | Benteke 34' De Bruyne 68'Mirallas 90+1' |
Attendance: 21,650 Referee: Pavel Královec (Czech Republic) |
| 16 October 2012 | Belgium | 2 – 0 |  Scotland | King Baudouin Stadium, Brussels |
| 20:45 UTC+2 | Benteke 68' Kompany 71' |
Report | Attendance: 44,132 Referee: Tom Harald Hagen (Norway) |
| 22 March 2013 | Macedonia  | 0 – 2 | Belgium | Philip II Arena, Skopje |
| 20:45 UTC+1 | Report | De Bruyne 26' Hazard 62' (pen.) |
Attendance: 15,947 Referee: Deniz Aytekin (Germany) |
| 26 March 2013 | Belgium | 1 – 0 | Macedonia | King Baudouin Stadium, Brussels |
| 20:45 UTC+1 | Hazard 62' |
Report | Attendance: 44,230 Referee: Olegário Benquerença (Portugal) |
Friendlies
| 15 August 2012 | Belgium | 4 – 2 |  Netherlands | King Baudouin Stadium, Brussels |
| 20:45 CEST | Benteke 20' Mertens 75'Lukaku 77'Vertonghen 80' |
Report | Narsingh 54' Huntelaar 55' |
Attendance: 46,000 Referee: Marijo Strahonja (Croatia) |
| 14 November 2012 | Romania  | 2 – 1 | Belgium | Arena Națională, Bucharest |
| 20:00 CET | Maxim 32' Torje 66' (pen.) |
Report | Benteke 23' |
Referee: Mauro Bergonzi (Italia) |
| 6 February 2013 | Belgium | 2 – 1 |  Slovakia | Jan Breydel Stadium, Bruges |
| 20:45 CET | Hazard 10' (pen.) Mertens 90' |
Report | Lásik 87' |
Referee: Alon Yefet (Israel) |
| 30 May 2013 | United States  | 2 – 4 | Belgium | FirstEnergy Stadium, Cleveland |
| 2:11 CET | Cameron 24' Dempsey 80' (pen.) |
Report | Mirallas 8' Benteke 57', 71'Fellaini 65' |
Attendance: 27,720 Referee: Jeffrey Solís (Costa Rica) |
Promotion and relegation
Team promoted to 2012–13 Belgian Pro League
- Belgian Second Division Champions: Charleroi
- Playoff winners: Waasland-Beveren
Teams relegated from 2011–12 Belgian Pro League
- 15th Place: Westerlo (lost playoff)
- 16th Place: Sint-Truiden
Teams promoted to 2012–13 Belgian Second Division
- Belgian Third Division A Champions: Mouscron-Péruwelz
- Belgian Third Division B Champions: Dessel Sport
- Playoff winners: Oudenaarde
Teams relegated from 2011-12 Belgian Second Division
League competitions
Belgian First Division
Belgian Second Division
Belgian Second Division final round
Belgian Third Division
Belgian Third Division A
| Pos | Team | Pld | W | D | L | GF | GA | GD | Pts |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Hoogstraten VV (P) | 34 | 22 | 8 | 4 | 73 | 31 | +42 | 74 |
| 2 | KRC Mechelen (E) | 34 | 18 | 10 | 6 | 55 | 37 | +18 | 64 |
| 3 | Verbroedering Geel-Meerhout (E, P) | 34 | 17 | 10 | 7 | 65 | 37 | +28 | 61 |
| 4 | K. Rupel Boom FC | 34 | 16 | 8 | 10 | 56 | 45 | +11 | 56 |
| 5 | K. Berchem Sport 2004 | 34 | 15 | 7 | 12 | 50 | 46 | +4 | 52 |
| 6 | R. Cappellen FC | 34 | 14 | 9 | 11 | 57 | 38 | +19 | 51 |
| 6 | Torhout 1992 KM | 34 | 14 | 9 | 11 | 42 | 37 | +5 | 51 |
| 8 | KFC Vigor Wuitens Hamme | 34 | 12 | 12 | 10 | 49 | 44 | +5 | 48 |
| 9 | KVV Coxyde | 34 | 12 | 10 | 12 | 54 | 42 | +12 | 46 |
| 10 | KSV Bornem | 34 | 11 | 12 | 11 | 51 | 53 | −2 | 45 |
| 11 | KSV Temse | 34 | 11 | 10 | 13 | 39 | 51 | −12 | 43 |
| 12 | K. Standaard Wetteren | 34 | 10 | 12 | 12 | 46 | 56 | −10 | 42 |
| 13 | KMSK Deinze (E) | 34 | 10 | 9 | 15 | 51 | 60 | −9 | 39 |
| 13 | K. Olsa Brakel | 34 | 10 | 9 | 15 | 44 | 56 | −12 | 39 |
| 15 | KV Turnhout | 34 | 9 | 7 | 18 | 53 | 66 | −13 | 34 |
| 15 | KFC Izegem | 34 | 9 | 7 | 18 | 49 | 67 | −18 | 34 |
| 17 | KSK Ronse (R) | 34 | 8 | 7 | 19 | 47 | 73 | −26 | 31 |
| 18 | K. Racing Waregem (R) | 34 | 8 | 4 | 22 | 42 | 84 | −42 | 28 |
(E) Entered promotion playoff; (P) Promoted; (R) Relegated
Belgian Third Division B
| Pos | Team | Pld | W | D | L | GF | GA | GD | Pts |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | R. Excelsior Virton (P) | 36 | 23 | 10 | 3 | 76 | 28 | +48 | 79 |
| 2 | K. Bocholter VV (E) | 36 | 22 | 8 | 6 | 73 | 37 | +36 | 74 |
| 3 | K. Patro Eisden Maasmechelen (E) | 36 | 18 | 13 | 5 | 63 | 36 | +27 | 67 |
| 4 | UR La Louvière Centre | 36 | 18 | 9 | 9 | 70 | 34 | +36 | 63 |
| 5 | RFC Huy | 36 | 14 | 10 | 12 | 51 | 43 | +8 | 52 |
| 5 | KSC Grimbergen | 36 | 14 | 10 | 12 | 58 | 53 | +5 | 52 |
| 7 | RFC Union La Calamine | 36 | 14 | 9 | 13 | 61 | 52 | +9 | 51 |
| 7 | Heppignies-Lambusart-Fleurus | 36 | 14 | 9 | 13 | 50 | 51 | −1 | 51 |
| 9 | FCV Dender EH | 36 | 13 | 12 | 11 | 57 | 47 | +10 | 51 |
| 9 | KVK Tienen (R) | 36 | 13 | 12 | 11 | 50 | 44 | +6 | 51 |
| 11 | RU Wallonne Ciney | 36 | 14 | 8 | 14 | 52 | 58 | −6 | 50 |
| 12 | KV Woluwe-Zaventem (E) | 36 | 13 | 8 | 15 | 52 | 57 | −5 | 47 |
| 13 | K. Diegem Sport | 36 | 12 | 9 | 15 | 58 | 56 | +2 | 45 |
| 14 | RFC Tournai | 36 | 12 | 7 | 17 | 46 | 51 | −5 | 43 |
| 15 | R. Géants Athois | 36 | 11 | 10 | 15 | 54 | 59 | −5 | 43 |
| 16 | RCS Verviétois | 36 | 9 | 14 | 13 | 42 | 54 | −12 | 41 |
| 17 | R. Union Saint-Gilloise | 36 | 9 | 11 | 16 | 46 | 53 | −7 | 38 |
| 18 | R. Entente Bertrigeoise (R) | 36 | 6 | 8 | 22 | 37 | 77 | −40 | 26 |
| 19 | FC Bleid-Gaume (R) | 36 | 3 | 1 | 32 | 12 | 128 | −116 | 10 |
(E) Entered promotion playoff; (P) Promoted; (R) Relegated
Third division play-off
All teams marked E entered a promotion playoff.
Only Verbroedering Geel-Meerhout succeeded in being promoted to the 2013–14 Belgian Second Division.
Transfers
European Club results
Champions Anderlecht and runners-up Club Brugge start in the qualifying rounds of the Champions League, while league numbers three and four, Genk and Gent play in the Europa League together with cup winners Lokeren.
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Other honours
| Competition | Winner |
|---|---|
| Cup | Genk |
| Supercup | Anderlecht |
| Third division A | Hoogstraten |
| Third division B | Virton |
| Promotion A | Gent-Zeehaven |
| Promotion B | Londerzeel |
| Promotion C | Oosterzonen Oosterwijk |
| Promotion D | Sprimont-Comblain |
European qualification for 2013-14 summary
| Competition | Qualifiers | Reason for Qualification |
|---|---|---|
| UEFA Champions League Group Stage | Anderlecht | 1st in Jupiler League |
| UEFA Champions League Third Qualifying Round for Non-Champions | Zulte Waregem | 2nd in Jupiler League |
| UEFA Europa League Play-off Round | Genk | Cup winner |
| UEFA Europa League Third Qualifying Round | Club Brugge | 3rd in Jupiler League |
| UEFA Europa League Second Qualifying Round | Standard Liège | Europa League Playoff winner |
See also
- 2012–13 Belgian Pro League
- 2012–13 Belgian Cup
- 2012 Belgian Super Cup
- Belgian Second Division
- Belgian Third Division: divisions A and B
- Belgian Promotion: divisions A, B, C and D