It’s ridiculous: Stijnen defends Vandevoordt after the Belgian debacle
It's ridiculous, says Stijn Stijnen, former Red Devil, after RB Leipzig goalkeeper Maarten Vandevoordt conceded four goals on Monday evening against France, turning Belgium from 0‑1 to 4‑1 in the last fifteen minutes of the match.
Surprising choice and good start
For Vandevoordt, the decision to start him at the expense of Senne Lammens surprised most observers. From the first minutes, the goalkeeper made several decisive saves, keeping Belgium at 0‑1 for nearly seventy‑five minutes. His play was then considered solid.
Criticism and rating by L’Équipe
After the collapse of the last quarter‑hour, the French media heavily criticised Vandevoordt, particularly for his intervention deemed insufficient on the second goal. L’Équipe gave the goalkeeper a rating of 3 out of 10, an assessment that Stijnen called “ridiculous”. “That rating does not at all reflect what Maarten showed,” he said, adding that the four goals came at the end of the match, creating an unfortunate impression.
Match report
The first goal was scored by Désiré Doué, quickly followed by Rayan Cherki who restored France’s lead. Michael Olise then doubled the tally, bringing the score to 4‑1. Vandevoordt, however, kept the ball after Cherki’s shot, touching it with his foot before the ball ended up in the net.
French press criticises Vandevoordt and Courtois after defeat
Vandevoordt, twenty‑four years old, spent a long time in Belgium’s youth teams, accumulating dozens of caps across the various age groups. Despite this record, he had to wait to be started at RB Leipzig before earning his first call-up to the Red Devils. His spell at Genk was early, but it did not lead to a national team spot before his move to Germany.
Stijnen concluded that, whatever the result, Vandevoordt can now be considered a full Red Devil. “That will never be taken away from them,” he affirmed, noting that the goalkeeper can collect many caps without ever playing a minute for the senior team. He emphasized that the moment of his first cap will remain an important milestone in the player’s career.
The contrast between the harsh criticism and Stijnen’s passionate defence shows how polarising early appearances can be. For Vandevoordt, recognition from his peers could be more decisive than the rating given by the press.