Renaud Emond

Renaud Emond (born 5 December 1991) is a Belgian professional footballer who plays as a forward for Belgian Pro League club Eupen.

Born in Arlon, Belgium, Emond began his career at R.E. Virton, where his father was the president of the club.

As a result, he said: "At one point Virton had no choice but to ask my father to become president. I told him not to do it but there was no other way. I knew the others were going to look at me wrong, because I was the president's son."

At the end of the 2010–11 season, Emond went on to make 17 appearances and scoring 8 times in all competitions.

After making his professional debut during the 2009–10 season, Emond scored his first goal on 8 January 2011, which was against La Louvière Centre.

Later in January, he scored five more goals, scoring twice against Olympic Charleroi and then a hat–trick against KSKL Ternat.

The following 2011–12 season, Emond suffered an illness at the start of the season but soon recovered and scored his first goals of the season, in a 4–0 win over R.C.S. Verviétois on 2 October 2011.

He went on to make 27 appearances and scoring 7 times in all competitions.

For his performance, his contract was extended.

The 2012–13 season saw Emond score his first goal of the season, in a 1–1 draw against Royal Géants athois on 9 September 2012.

On 2 December 2012, he added his tally to eight when he scored four times, in a 5–1 win over Diegem Sport.

As a result, his performance attracted interests from clubs in Belgium but stayed throughout January.

Later in the 2012–13 season, Emond scored twice on three occasions against Maasmechelen, Tournai and R. Union St-Gilloise.

At the end of the season, making 36 appearances and scoring 27 times, Emond helped the side finish first place Belgian Division Three.

During his time there, he reflected about his time on how the club played in the different position.

He also played alongside Thomas Meunier, who went on to represent the national team

At the beginning of 2013, he scored two goals on two occasions, which were against RU Wallonne Ciney and Woluwe-Zaventem.

On 27 March 2013, Emond scored another hat–trick, in a 5–0 win over Géants Athois.

On 15 May 2013, it was announced that Emond joined Waasland-Beveren on an undisclosed fee, signing a three–year contract with them.

Emond had previously given a choice between Waasland-Beveren or Mons.

After appearing on the substitute bench at the start of the season, Emond made his Waasland-Beveren debut, coming on a late substitute for Hrvoje Čale, in a 1–0 loss against Lierse on 24 August 2013.

On 31 October 2013, he scored his first goal for the club, in a 2–2 draw against Standard Liège.

After suffering from an injury in late–November, he returned on 21 December 2013, coming on as a late substitute, in a 3–1 win over Lierse.

Over the next four months, Emond remained in the first team despite being on the substitute bench and having little playing time.

At the end of the 2013–14 season, Emond finished his first season at Waasland-Beveren, making 16 appearances and scoring 3 times in all competitions.

After returning from a hamstring injury in early April, he scored two goals in the match, in a 4–2 loss against Lierse on 26 April 2014.

At the start of the 2014–15 season, Emond continued to keep his first team place at the club, where he was played in a 4-3-3 formation.

His first goal of the season came on 30 August 2014, scoring in a 2–0 win over Lierse.

After being sidelined with an injury, he scored on his return, in a 2–1 loss against KV Kortrijk on 18 October 2014.

He then scored two goals in two matches between 29 October 2014 and 1 November 2014 against Gent and Oostende.

He later added three more goals in three straight matches by the end of 2014 against Club Brugge, Royal Excel Mouscron and Westerlo.

Later in the 2014–15 season, Emond later added seven goals, including twice on two separate occasions against KV Mechelen and Oostende.

At the end of the 2014–15 season, he went on to make 34 appearances and scoring 14 appearances in all competitions.

For his performance, Emond finished third place in the Footballer of the Year but lost out to Meunier.

In the 2015–16 season, Emond remained in the first team, where he established himself as a striker, as he scored two goals by the end of August against KV Kortrijk and Lokeren.

On the last day of the transfer window, Emond moved to league rival Standard Liège for an undisclosed fee, signing a five–year contract, and was given a number 9 shirt.

Upon joining the club, he revealed that Club Brugge and Anderlecht were interested in him before.

Emond made his Standard Liège debut, coming on as a substitute for Mohamed Yattara in the 59th minute, in a 1–0 loss against Lokeren on 13 September 2015.

Two weeks later, on 26 September 2015, he scored his first Standard Liège goal, in a 2–2 draw against OH Leuven.

He then scored again on 25 October 2015, in a 3–2 win over Charleroi.