Michel Preud'homme

With Gent he finished second in the Jupiler Pro League, this was their highest place ever (together with the 1954–1955 season).

He also won the Belgian Cup, it was the third time in the history of the club that they won that trophy.

Michel Georges Jean Ghislain Preud'homme (born 24 January 1959) is a Belgian retired footballer and manager who played as a goalkeeper.

Currently, he is vice-president and sports director at Standard Liège.

Preud'homme is a product of Standard Liège's youth system, which he joined at 10 years old in 1969.

He was first called up to the first team in 1977 and made his senior debut in August 1977 after early injuries to the main goalkeeper Christian Piot and his successor Jean-Paul Crucifix.

For Belgium, Preud'homme was capped 58 times, from 1979 to 1994.

Preud'homme made his senior debut on 2 May 1979 in a 0–0 draw with Austria in a UEFA Euro 1980 qualifying match.

He served as third keeper behind Jean-Marie Pfaff and Theo Custers in the UEFA Euro 1980 as Belgium lost in the final against West Germany.

With Standard Liège Preud'homme won the Belgian First Division in 1981–82 and 1982–83.

He was also runner-up in the 1981–82 UEFA Cup Winners' Cup, losing against F.C. Barcelona.

Preud'homme was transferred to KV Mechelen in 1986.

The following seasons would become the most successful for the player (as well for the club), winning the 1986-87 Belgian Cup, the 1987-88 European Cup Winners' Cup, the 1988 European Super Cup and the 1988-89 Belgian First Division.

With Mechelen, he won the Belgian Cup in 1987, the Cup Winner's Cup and the European Super Cup in 1988 and the Belgian league title in 1989.

Preud'homme represented Belgium in two consecutive FIFA World Cups: 1990 and 1994 – the latter being his last competition at international level, where he was awarded with the Yashin Award for best goalkeeper, and was included in the FIFA World Cup All-Star Team, as Belgium reached the round of 16 of the tournament, only to be eliminated by defending champions Germany following a 3–2 defeat.

In June 1993, there were negotiations by Sporting CP to sign him, but the transfer never happened.

He was considered one of the world's best and most consistent goalkeepers during his professional career; he was the first winner of the Yashin Award as the best goalkeeper at the 1994 FIFA World Cup.

At club level, Preud'homme played for Standard Liège, Mechelen and Benfica.

Other than the 1994 World Cup, he also played in the 1990 tournament.

Preud'homme moved to Portuguese club Benfica in 1994, making his debut on 21 August, against Beira-Mar.

Preud'homme made his final appearance for Belgium on 17 December 1994 in a 4–1 defeat to Spain, in a UEFA Euro 1996 qualifying match.

A world-class, elegant, efficient, and consistent goalkeeper, regarded as one of the greatest goalkeepers of all time, Preud'homme was mainly known for his excellent shot-stopping abilities, quick reflexes, agility, strength, tenacity, handling and his ability to come off his line to collect crosses, as well as his tendency to produce spectacular and decisive saves.

After his professional football career, Michel Preud'homme stayed at Benfica to become technical director.

He also won the Portuguese Cup with Benfica in 1996.

On 18 May 1996, Michel won his first trophy in Portuguese football as Benfica defeated Lisbon rivals Sporting CP 3–1 in the Taça de Portugal final.

For his outstanding performances and almost impossible saves, he was nicknamed "Saint Michel" by supporters of Benfica.

He retired as a player in 1999, aged 40.

On 10 August 1999, he played his last match, an off season friendly against Bayern Munich.

After his retirement, at age 40, he became Benfica's director of international relations.

In September 2000, he suggested the club approach José Mourinho to become the head coach.

Preud'homme has been the head coach of Standard Liège twice, the first time from December 2000 to May 2002 and the second time from August 2006 to the end of the 2008 season.

After leaving his technical director duties at Benfica, he replaced Tomislav Ivić on 20 December 2000.

In May 2002, he left his coaching position to become Standard's sporting director.

On 30 August 2006, after Dutchman Johan Boskamp was sacked due to poor results, Preud'homme left his sporting director duties and became Standard's manager for the second time in his career.

After his return to the club, Standard Liège won in 2008 its first Belgian Championship in 25 years, and it therefore came as a surprise when he was appointed manager of Gent for the 2008–09 season.

Preud'homme moved to Gent on 27 May 2008.

On 23 May 2010, it was confirmed that Preud'homme would replace Steve McClaren as the head coach of Twente, despite the interest of Porto and Milan.

On 31 July 2010, he won his first trophy in Dutch football as Twente defeated Ajax 1–0 in the Johan Cruyff Shield match.

In the last league match of the season, Twente lost to Ajax, which meant the Dutch title went to Amsterdam and Twente finished runners-up.

On 8 May 2011, Twente defeated Ajax 3–2 after extra time in the KNVB Cup final held at the De Kuip in Rotterdam.