Robert Deveen caused a stir as an unparalleled finisher during Club Brugge's pioneering years and as an international. He was the top scorer in the Belgian First Division in two back-to-back seasons in 1905 and 1906.[6] During his years with Club Brugge he formed a successful and high-scoring attacking trio with Hector Goetinck and Charles Cambier. He played in the first team in Bruges from 1906 until the First World War, and was therefore not part of the club which was Belgian champion in 1920.[7] With the outbreak of the First World War, Deveen ended his career as an active football player at the age of 28.[7]
International career
In 1907, after being the top scorer in Belgium for the second year in a row, De Veen was called up for the national team for the first time, making his debut at the age of 20 years and 26 days.[3] On the occasion of his first selection, on 22 April 1906 against France in Paris, he scored 2 of Belgium's 5 goals.[3] Seven days later against the Netherlands in Antwerp, he scored the first hat-trick in the history of Belgian football.[3] He was particularly successful with France as he scored a total of 13 goals against them, including a 5-goal haul in a 7–1 win on 30 April 1911 in Brussels,[3] although France was still playing without a coach while the Belgian team had already hired its first coach, the Scotsman William Maxwell, only in 1910.[5]
He first coached Racing de Tournai before leaving for the north of France, where he trained RC Lens, Olympique Lillois, and even AS Nancy, with excellent results. After his short period at Club, De Veen coached many small clubs in West Flanders. He ended his career at Club Brugge in the 1938-39 season.[7] His two sons Bob and Florimond started playing football in youth at RC Doornik when he was a manager there.[7]
