Miguel Van Damme

Miguel Van Damme (25 September 1993 – 29 March 2022) was a Belgian professional footballer who played as a goalkeeper for Cercle Brugge. He came from Cercle's youth team.[1]

Miguel Van Damme
Personal information
Date of birth (1993-09-25)25 September 1993
Place of birth Ghent, Belgium
Date of death 29 March 2022(2022-03-29) (aged 28)
Place of death Belgium
Height 1.83 m (6 ft 0 in)
Position(s) Goalkeeper
Youth career
1999–2003 FC Lembeke
2003–2004 KSK Maldegem
2004 KSK De Jeugd Lovendegem
2004–2013 KSK Maldegem
2013–2014 Cercle Brugge
Senior career*
Years Team Apps (Gls)
2014–2022 Cercle Brugge 40 (0)
*Club domestic league appearances and goals

Club career

Van Damme made his debut on 5 April 2014 in the Belgian Pro League. He played the full game in a 1–0 home defeat against K.V. Mechelen.[2]

Honours

Belgian second football Division (1): won the Belgian second division during the Season 2017/2018

Personal life

Van Damme was married to Kyana Dobbelaere, and they had one child, born in 2021.[3]

In June 2016, during a routine check-up before the 2016–17 season, Van Damme was diagnosed with leukemia.[4] One year later his cancer was in remission and he signed a new contract with Cercle until June 2019.[5] He recovered and despite still needing medication on a daily basis, he was able to play in the 2017–18 Belgian Cup on 20 September 2017 against Genk. In January 2020 Van Damme relapsed from leukaemia and was informed the chances of survival were low.[6] Despite this, he received immunotherapy, and signed a new one-year contract with Cercle on 16 June 2020.[7] On 18 October 2021, he relapsed again, leaving him to battle leukemia for the fifth time in five years.[8] He eventually succumbed to the disease on 29 March 2022.[3][9] Cercle Brugge paid tribute to him in a statement: “Miguel, your perseverance and strength to go for it over and over, setback after setback, was admirable. You are an example of positivity, persistence and fighting spirit. A source of inspiration for everyone who fights. Forever in our green-black heart, #16.”[10]

References
  1. "Miguel Van Damme". Soccerway. Retrieved 19 June 2023.
  2. "Cercle Brugge vs. KV Mechelen - 6 April 2014 - Soccerway". soccerway.com. Retrieved 6 April 2014.
  3. "Miguel van Damme: Belgian footballer dies aged 28 after battle with cancer". BBC Sport. 29 March 2022. Retrieved 29 March 2022.
  4. "Leukemie vastgesteld bij Cercle Brugge-doelman Miguel Van Damme".
  5. "Doelman Van Damme, die leukemie kreeg, verlengt bij Cercle Brugge". Archived from the original on 24 August 2017. Retrieved 15 July 2017.
  6. "DPG Media Privacy Gate".
  7. "Miguel van Damme verlengt contract bij Cercle: "Hopelijk snel weer tussen de palen"". 16 June 2020.
  8. "Opnieuw kankercellen vastgesteld bij Cercle-doelman Miguel van Damme". 18 October 2021.
  9. "Doelman Miguel Van Damme (28) verliest oneerlijke strijd met leukemie: "Hij is naar zijn laatste match vertrokken"". Sporza. 29 March 2022. Retrieved 29 March 2022.
  10. "Belgian goalkeeper Van Damme dies at age of 28 following battle with leukaemia | Goal.com". www.goal.com. Retrieved 29 March 2022.
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