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'WORST MOMENT EVER'
I’m a former Belgium star whose Premier League career was tragically cut short after 3 games – I nearly lost my leg
A Brazilian icon named former ace as his favourite strike partner
LUC NILIS was one of the first Belgian superstars to grace the Premier League - before his career was tragically cut short.
The now 56-year-old was one of the most prolific forwards in Europe back in the 1980s and 90s and enjoyed great success.
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Having made the breakthrough at Winterslag in his homeland, Anderlecht swooped to sign him in 1986 and he spent eight years banging them in for the Belgian giants.
Four title successes followed as well as three Belgian Cups as he scored 124 times in 223 league matches for the club.
He left Anderlecht in the summer of 1994 to join Dutch big boys PSV Eindhoven, and he topped the Dutch scoring charts in his first season there.
Nilis tasted a lot more joy in Holland, winning the Eredivisie twice and the KNVB Cup as part of a deadly strike duo with the original Ronaldo.
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His unselfishness even led to the Brazilian legend naming him as his favourite strike partner years later.
Nilis would later partner future Manchester United icon Ruud van Nistelrooy there but opted for his own big move to the Premier League in 2000 as a free agent.
However, that switch to Aston Villa turned into nothing short of a nightmare as a horrific injury almost led to him having his leg amputated.
Nilis scored on his debut in the Intertoto Cup and followed that up with a strike on his top-flight bow against Chelsea.
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But weeks later he was involved in a nasty clash with Ipswich Town goalkeeper Richard Wright.
The star suffered a double compound fracture of his right shin, but even worse was to follow.
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The injury became infected and he was even told that he might have to have part of his leg removed.
Speaking about the ordeal, he said: “It was the worst moment of my life to be told I might have to lose part of my leg - that will live with me forever.
“It was such a bad break that it led to complications and it was nearly a disaster."
Fortunately for him that was not required, but the severity of the damage forced him into an early retirement.
Nilis is still fondly remembered by Belgian football fans and scored ten goals in 56 matches for his country while also representing them at two World Cups.
And even though he was unable to kick a ball again professionally, he is still involved in the beautiful game.
He has worked at numerous clubs in various coaching roles in Belgium, Holland, Turkey and was even assistant of Jordan.
He then tried his hand at management in 2021 for Belisia Bilzen in Belgium, but that was only for a season.
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After a brief spell coaching in Genk’s academy, he is now the striker coach at Belgian outfit Patro Eisden in the second tier.
And there is no doubt that he will be tuning in to watch his former Villa team-mate Gareth Southgate’s England take on Belgium at Wembley on Tuesday.
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