Kevin Alderweireld was at the centre of it, and by the time it was pulled apart there were three or four others involved. Training grounds are small places and long seasons make them smaller.
Squad31 May 2027
Mousa Vanaken falls out with a teammate over standards
The oldest argument in any dressing room and the only one that is genuinely about football: one man thinks another is not putting enough in. It is also the row a manager privately does not mind having happened.
Nobody at Mouscron will say this on the record and the team sheets have been saying it for weeks. There is a small group in every squad who get picked when the fixture is difficult, and he has joined it.
Qualification is secured, and next season the big floodlit nights are continental ones. For the players it is a stage; for the accounts it is a lifeline; for the supporters it is passports.
There are footballers who have a good season and footballers a season is remembered for, and the second kind get their names read out in a hall in the summer. Mouscron will be quietly delighted and privately nervous.
In brief
SquadMousa Openda falls out with a teammate over standards
112 days on the estimate, and a long, private, unglamorous year of a rehabilitation nobody watches. Mouscron lose a footballer; he loses considerably more than a season.
Mousa Vanaken was at the centre of it, and by the time it was pulled apart there were three or four others involved. Training grounds are small places and long seasons make them smaller.
Squad19 Apr 2027
Mousa Openda falls out with a teammate over standards
The oldest argument in any dressing room and the only one that is genuinely about football: one man thinks another is not putting enough in. It is also the row a manager privately does not mind having happened.
Words at Mouscron training over how hard people work
Somebody said out loud what several people had been thinking. Mousa Vanaken is at the centre of it, and the squad will now find out whether the standard rises or the pair of them simply stop speaking.
Timothy Alderweireld was at the centre of it, and by the time it was pulled apart there were three or four others involved. Training grounds are small places and long seasons make them smaller.
Position 3, 51 points, and the result everyone checks first is now theirs. The word is still not being said around the ground, which is how you know everyone is thinking it.
Successful dribbles: 21. There is a particular sort of despair on a full-back's face by the seventieth minute, and it was on display.
Player ratings15 Feb 2027
Yannick Vanaken was on a different afternoon to everybody else
9.66. There are performances a supporter describes to somebody who was not there and cannot quite convey; this was one, and the number does not help either.
Squad15 Feb 2027
Mousa Vanaken falls out with a teammate over standards
The oldest argument in any dressing room and the only one that is genuinely about football: one man thinks another is not putting enough in. It is also the row a manager privately does not mind having happened.
Ask anyone on the way out what separated the sides and you will get one name: Yannick Vanaken. 3‑1 against KV Kortrijk, and the applause at the whistle was mostly his.
At 33 he is supposed to be managing his minutes. Instead he was marked 7.83 and looked, for ninety minutes, exactly like the player everybody remembers.
16 goals and a season average of 7.30 will do that. The space he used to find has gone; he keeps scoring anyway, which is the mark of the real thing.
Squad8 Feb 2027
Words at Mouscron training over how hard people work
Somebody said out loud what several people had been thinking. Mousa Vanaken is at the centre of it, and the squad will now find out whether the standard rises or the pair of them simply stop speaking.
Dino Arslanagić was at the centre of it, and by the time it was pulled apart there were three or four others involved. Training grounds are small places and long seasons make them smaller.
At 33 he is supposed to be managing his minutes. Instead he was marked 8.52 and looked, for ninety minutes, exactly like the player everybody remembers.
Tobe Leysen was at the centre of it, and by the time it was pulled apart there were three or four others involved. Training grounds are small places and long seasons make them smaller.
Squad1 Feb 2027
Mousa Vanaken falls out with a teammate over standards
The oldest argument in any dressing room and the only one that is genuinely about football: one man thinks another is not putting enough in. It is also the row a manager privately does not mind having happened.
Words at Mouscron training over how hard people work
Somebody said out loud what several people had been thinking. Mousa Vanaken is at the centre of it, and the squad will now find out whether the standard rises or the pair of them simply stop speaking.
Timothy Alderweireld was at the centre of it, and by the time it was pulled apart there were three or four others involved. Training grounds are small places and long seasons make them smaller.
He won it back and then made something of it, which is two jobs and the reason the scoreline looks the way it does. 10 combined actions and a mark of 7.09, and not one of them will make a highlights package.
“The manager did not use many words, and he did not need to.” Yannick Tielemans has his answer from Mouscron; what he does with it is the next window’s story.
Position 2, 47 points, and the result everyone checks first is now theirs. The word is still not being said around the ground, which is how you know everyone is thinking it.
There is an age at which every good afternoon gets described as a throwback, which is unfair and also accurate. 8.69 at 33, and nobody on the pitch was better.
The name of Christian Castagne has come up in conversations Mouscron were not part of. Nothing formal, nothing signed — but nothing about it accidental either.
It was not about football and everybody who saw it knows that. Two men who have to play together on Saturday said things at Mouscron this week that will take longer than a week to unsay.
Defending was optional and nobody took up the option. 6 goals between Mouscron and Sint-Truiden, and not one of the people who paid to be there will ask for the money back.
Ask anyone on the way out what separated the sides and you will get one name: Christian Castagne. 4‑2 against Sint-Truiden, and the applause at the whistle was mostly his.
In brief
SquadWords at Mouscron training over how hard people work
$16.4M is a serious amount of money and it does not play centre-forward. Everybody in the dressing room knows who used to be looked at when it went wrong.
He is going to Eintracht Frankfurt, the club has $16.4M it did not have on Friday, and the phone-ins have already decided how they feel about that. Selling well and selling somebody they loved are not the same skill.
“I have nothing bad to say about this place. I just need to be somewhere else.” It is in writing now, which changes what Mouscron can pretend not to have heard.
It was not about football and everybody who saw it knows that. Two men who have to play together on Saturday said things at Mouscron this week that will take longer than a week to unsay.
Squad11 Jan 2027
Words at Mouscron training over how hard people work
Somebody said out loud what several people had been thinking. Mousa Vanaken is at the centre of it, and the squad will now find out whether the standard rises or the pair of them simply stop speaking.
It was not about football and everybody who saw it knows that. Two men who have to play together on Saturday said things at Mouscron this week that will take longer than a week to unsay.
Squad28 Dec 2026
Words at Mouscron training over how hard people work
Somebody said out loud what several people had been thinking. Mousa Vanaken is at the centre of it, and the squad will now find out whether the standard rises or the pair of them simply stop speaking.
Two goals and a mark of 9.56 to go with them. Strikers are judged on afternoons like this one and remembered for far fewer of them than people imagine.
Two goals and a mark of 8.54 to go with them. Strikers are judged on afternoons like this one and remembered for far fewer of them than people imagine.
It was not about football and everybody who saw it knows that. Two men who have to play together on Saturday said things at Mouscron this week that will take longer than a week to unsay.
7 goals in one match, Christian Castagne on the scoresheet, and a scoreline that will look like a misprint. Neutrals could not have asked more of Mouscron and Standard Liege.
Squad14 Dec 2026
Words at Mouscron training over how hard people work
Somebody said out loud what several people had been thinking. Mousa Vanaken is at the centre of it, and the squad will now find out whether the standard rises or the pair of them simply stop speaking.
There is a particular warmth a ground reserves for a 16-year-old it feels ownership of. Christian Alderweireld has it now, and everything he does for the rest of his time here will be measured against the goodwill he was handed for free.
There is a particular kind of quiet from an away end watching one man score twice. Christian Castagne provided it, and the 8.67 beside his name is if anything generous to everybody else.
It was not about football and everybody who saw it knows that. Two men who have to play together on Saturday said things at Mouscron this week that will take longer than a week to unsay.
Squad30 Nov 2026
Words at Mouscron training over how hard people work
Somebody said out loud what several people had been thinking. Mousa Vanaken is at the centre of it, and the squad will now find out whether the standard rises or the pair of them simply stop speaking.
Clubs make promises constantly and the page usually only hears about them when they are broken. This one was honoured, and the dressing room noticed that faster than any supporter did.
It has been denied twice and printed three times, which is the usual arithmetic. Until Yannick Vanaken signs something — a contract at Mouscron or anywhere else — this column belongs to him.
Chances created: 7. Not on the scoresheet and not remotely anonymous — a passing performance that pulled a defence apart without leaving a mark on the column that gets read.
Philippe Picard was at the centre of it, and by the time it was pulled apart there were three or four others involved. Training grounds are small places and long seasons make them smaller.
The oldest argument in any dressing room and the only one that is genuinely about football: one man thinks another is not putting enough in. It is also the row a manager privately does not mind having happened.
Marked 8.48 — the sort of number a correspondent writes down twice to be sure. Everything he tried came off, and what he did not try was not worth trying.
Chances created: 7. Not on the scoresheet and not remotely anonymous — a passing performance that pulled a defence apart without leaving a mark on the column that gets read.
It was not about football and everybody who saw it knows that. Two men who have to play together on Saturday said things at Mouscron this week that will take longer than a week to unsay.
2‑3 to Zulte Waregem, and no complaints worth printing. The performance asked for nothing more than it got.
Squad16 Nov 2026
Words at Mouscron training over how hard people work
Somebody said out loud what several people had been thinking. Joaquín is at the centre of it, and the squad will now find out whether the standard rises or the pair of them simply stop speaking.
Philippe Picard was at the centre of it, and by the time it was pulled apart there were three or four others involved. Training grounds are small places and long seasons make them smaller.
13 goals and a season average of 7.30. Form like that gets noticed well beyond this town.
Squad9 Nov 2026
Mousa Vanaken falls out with a teammate over standards
The oldest argument in any dressing room and the only one that is genuinely about football: one man thinks another is not putting enough in. It is also the row a manager privately does not mind having happened.
It was not about football and everybody who saw it knows that. Two men who have to play together on Saturday said things at Mouscron this week that will take longer than a week to unsay.
Squad2 Nov 2026
Words at Mouscron training over how hard people work
Somebody said out loud what several people had been thinking. Mousa Vanaken is at the centre of it, and the squad will now find out whether the standard rises or the pair of them simply stop speaking.
KV Oostende will want this one forgotten quickly: 4‑1, every duel lost, and a long ride home. Mouscron were ruthless in the way good sides are ruthless.
There is a particular kind of quiet from an away end watching one man score twice. Christian Castagne provided it, and the 8.94 beside his name is if anything generous to everybody else.
Philippe Picard was at the centre of it, and by the time it was pulled apart there were three or four others involved. Training grounds are small places and long seasons make them smaller.
The oldest argument in any dressing room and the only one that is genuinely about football: one man thinks another is not putting enough in. It is also the row a manager privately does not mind having happened.
There is a version of this player everybody suspected was in there, and on this evidence it is. 8.38, and no argument anywhere in the ground.
Squad26 Oct 2026
11 new faces, and Mouscron are still learning each other
A squad rebuilt inside one window pays for it in a currency nobody budgets for. The football is not worse than the sum of the players; it is worse than the sum of the players who have played together before.
In brief
Player ratingsMousa Vanaken spends the afternoon fouling
The terracesThe press cannot get enough of Dries Mignolet
It was not about football and everybody who saw it knows that. Two men who have to play together on Saturday said things at Mouscron this week that will take longer than a week to unsay.
7 goals. Both benches spent the second half looking at each other rather than at the pitch. Purists will complain about Mouscron and Anderlecht in equal measure; everybody else had a wonderful time.
Squad19 Oct 2026
Words at Mouscron training over how hard people work
Somebody said out loud what several people had been thinking. Mousa Vanaken is at the centre of it, and the squad will now find out whether the standard rises or the pair of them simply stop speaking.
Marked 8.71 — the sort of number a correspondent writes down twice to be sure. Everything he tried came off, and what he did not try was not worth trying.
“I watch every Mouscron game from here. That says everything about where my head is.” The loan at Charleroi runs its course, but his heart never made the trip.
There is a particular kind of quiet from an away end watching one man score twice. Yannick Vanaken provided it, and the 8.93 beside his name is if anything generous to everybody else.
4 wins on the spin now, and the question has changed from whether the run ends to who ends it. Confidence like this cannot be bought; it has to be earned exactly this way.
Philippe Picard was at the centre of it, and by the time it was pulled apart there were three or four others involved. Training grounds are small places and long seasons make them smaller.
Squad28 Sep 2026
Mousa Vanaken falls out with a teammate over standards
The oldest argument in any dressing room and the only one that is genuinely about football: one man thinks another is not putting enough in. It is also the row a manager privately does not mind having happened.
Philippe Picard was at the centre of it, and by the time it was pulled apart there were three or four others involved. Training grounds are small places and long seasons make them smaller.
The oldest argument in any dressing room and the only one that is genuinely about football: one man thinks another is not putting enough in. It is also the row a manager privately does not mind having happened.
Nobody at Mouscron will say this on the record and the team sheets have been saying it for weeks. There is a small group in every squad who get picked when the fixture is difficult, and he has joined it.
Chances created: 10. Not on the scoresheet and not remotely anonymous — a passing performance that pulled a defence apart without leaving a mark on the column that gets read.
It was not about football and everybody who saw it knows that. Two men who have to play together on Saturday said things at Mouscron this week that will take longer than a week to unsay.
Squad7 Sep 2026
Words at Mouscron training over how hard people work
Somebody said out loud what several people had been thinking. Mousa Vanaken is at the centre of it, and the squad will now find out whether the standard rises or the pair of them simply stop speaking.
Chances created: 12. Not on the scoresheet and not remotely anonymous — a passing performance that pulled a defence apart without leaving a mark on the column that gets read.
9 signings in three months. Every one of them may be an upgrade and the team can still be worse for a while, which is the part of a rebuild that never appears in the transfer-window verdicts.
The offer from Heracles for Kevin Alderweireld was heard out and sent back the same day. First bids are rarely meant to succeed; they are meant to find out how loudly the door closes.
The phone has started ringing about Charles Januzaj again, and this time the name on the line is Pacos de Ferreira. Mouscron are listening politely and promising nothing.
Philippe Picard was at the centre of it, and by the time it was pulled apart there were three or four others involved. Training grounds are small places and long seasons make them smaller.
6 goals in one match, Christian Castagne on the scoresheet, and a scoreline that will look like a misprint. Neutrals could not have asked more of Mouscron and Club Brugge.
Squad31 Aug 2026
Mousa Vanaken falls out with a teammate over standards
The oldest argument in any dressing room and the only one that is genuinely about football: one man thinks another is not putting enough in. It is also the row a manager privately does not mind having happened.
The hardest thing about being 17 in a senior side is that nobody makes allowances. Lois Carrasco did not need any: 7.66, and he looked the most comfortable man on the pitch.
It was not about football and everybody who saw it knows that. Two men who have to play together on Saturday said things at Mouscron this week that will take longer than a week to unsay.
Player ratings24 Aug 2026
Yannick Vanaken was on a different afternoon to everybody else
9.81. There are performances a supporter describes to somebody who was not there and cannot quite convey; this was one, and the number does not help either.
Squad24 Aug 2026
Words at Mouscron training over how hard people work
Somebody said out loud what several people had been thinking. Joaquín is at the centre of it, and the squad will now find out whether the standard rises or the pair of them simply stop speaking.
8.67. There are performances a supporter describes to somebody who was not there and cannot quite convey; this was one, and the number does not help either.
Add another name to the list: Vizela have asked the question everybody in the game has been asking about Charles Januzaj. The answer from Mouscron has not changed — yet.
Racing Genk paid $1.1M and Mouscron took it, which is the whole story in one sentence. The longer version involves a wage budget and will be told all season.
Philippe Picard was at the centre of it, and by the time it was pulled apart there were three or four others involved. Training grounds are small places and long seasons make them smaller.
Squad10 Aug 2026
Words at Mouscron training over how hard people work
Somebody said out loud what several people had been thinking. Mousa Openda is at the centre of it, and the squad will now find out whether the standard rises or the pair of them simply stop speaking.
At 17 he is being sung about by people twice his age, which is an affection a signing has to earn over years and a local kid gets for turning up. It is also the hardest thing in football to live up to.