50.8773° N, 4.7042° E

LEUVEN

Most Famous People Born in Leuven, Belgium

Notable people
355
Peak decade
1960s
Median birth year
1941
Most distinctive
Abbé 345.0×
Through the Centuries

One face per century — the most globally famous figure born in Leuven during each.

Notable Births by Decade

Click a decade to filter the list below. Peak: 1960s with 39 notable births.

What Leuven Is Known For

Click any row to filter the list of people below.

Politician is Leuven's biggest profession — 15% of all notables (53).

Leuven over-indexes on abbé345.0× the global rate.

Leuven under-produces football — only 0.6× the global rate.

  1. Politician53
  2. Painter27
  3. Football25
  4. Sport24
  5. Writer12
  6. Priest12
  7. Poet7
  8. Lawyer7
  1. Abbé7345.0×
  2. Gymnast58.2×
  3. Sport244.1×
  4. Painter272.9×
  5. Physician62.5×
  6. Priest122.3×
  7. Sculptor52.2×
  8. Poet71.9×
  1. Football250.6×

Profession Mix Over Time

Each band shows a profession family's share of Leuven's notable births by decade. Hover the chart for the breakdown at any decade.

1500155016001650170017501800185019001950
  • Sports
  • Politics & Law
  • Writing
  • Art & Design
  • Science
  • Music
  • Other
All355
Sort By

355 notable people

0001 DUCHESS

Eleanor of Austria

1498 - 1558

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0002 PAINTER

Quentin Matsys

1466 - 1530

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0003 FOOTBALL

Dries Mertens

Born 1987

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0004 SINGER

Selah Sue

Born 1989

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0005 POLITICIAN

Mark Eyskens

Born 1933

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0006 DESIGNER

Martin Margiela

Born 1957

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0007 COMPOSER

Charles Auguste de Bériot

1802 - 1870

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0008 FOOTBALL

Dennis Praet

Born 1994

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0009 PAINTER

Jean Delville

1867 - 1953

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0010 FEUDATORY

Henry I, Duke of Brabant

1165 - 1235

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0011 FILM

André Delvaux

1926 - 2002

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0012 POLITICIAN

Paul Magnette

Born 1971

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0013 SPRINT

Kim Gevaert

Born 1978

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0014 DUKE

Henry II, Duke of Brabant

1207 - 1248

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0015 DUKE

Henry III, Duke of Brabant

1231 - 1261

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0016 FEUDATORY

Godfrey I, Count of Louvain

1063 - 1139

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0017 PAINTER

Lucas van Valckenborch

1535 - 1597

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0018 ENTOMOLOGIST

Edouard Van Beneden

1846 - 1910

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0019 MATHEMATICIAN

Adriaan van Roomen

1561 - 1615

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0020 CRYPTOGRAPHER

Vincent Rijmen

Born 1970

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0021 ACTOR

Els Dottermans

Born 1964

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0022 PLAYER

Elise Mertens

Born 1995

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0023 MATHEMATICIAN

Charles Jean de la Vallée Poussin

1866 - 1962

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0024 SINGER

Sennek

Born 1990

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0025 CURATOR

Jan Hoet

1936 - 2014

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0026 PAINTER

Aelbrecht Bouts

1450 - 1549

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0027 QUEEN

Adeliza of Louvain

1103 - 1151

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0028 ARISTOCRAT

Lambert I, Count of Louvain

950 - 1015

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0029 CHEMIST

Jean Stas

1813 - 1891

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0030 POET

Albert Giraud

1860 - 1929

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0031 QUEEN

Marie of Brabant, Queen of France

1254 - 1321

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0032 POLITICIAN

Sylvain Van de Weyer

1802 - 1874

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0033 ORIENTALIST

Koenraad Elst

Born 1959

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0034 ENGINEER

Arthur Vierendeel

1852 - 1940

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0035 FOOTBALL

Denis Odoi

Born 1988

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0036 QUEEN

Maria of Brabant, Holy Roman Empress

1190 - 1260

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0037 SPORT

Jasper Stuyven

Born 1992

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0038 POLITICIAN

Louis Tobback

Born 1938

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0039 SPORT

Dries Devenyns

Born 1983

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0040 FOOTBALL

Joos Valgaeren

Born 1976

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0041 POLITICIAN

Frank Vandenbroucke (politician)

Born 1955

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0042 PIANIST

Arthur De Greef (composer)

1862 - 1940

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0043 PUBLISHER

Pierre Phalèse the Elder

1510 - 1574

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0044 POLITICIAN

Prosper Poullet

1868 - 1937

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0045 FOOTBALL

Laurent Delorge

Born 1979

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0046 DUKE

Henry IV, Duke of Brabant

1251 - 1272

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0047 COMPOSER

Matthaeus Pipelare

1450 - 1515

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0048 SPORT

Sander Armée

Born 1985

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0049 WRITER

Saskia De Coster

Born 1976

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0050 WRITER

Thomas Owen (author)

1910 - 2002

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0051 ACTOR

Eline Powell

Born 1989

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0052 PRIEST

Albert of Louvain

1166 - 1192

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0053 LAW

Zeger Bernhard van Espen

1646 - 1728

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0054 PRINTER

Lodewijk Elzevir

1540 - 1617

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0055 SINGER

Stan Van Samang

Born 1979

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0056 CHEMIST

Laurent-Guillaume de Koninck

1809 - 1887

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0057 FOOTBALL

Cyriel Dessers

Born 1994

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0058 POLITICIAN

Eva Brems

Born 1969

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0059 FOOTBALL

Mark De Man

Born 1983

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0060 LAWYER

Petrus van der Aa

1530 - 1594

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0061 SON

Rumold Mercator

1545 - 1599

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0062 BIOLOGIST

Émile van Ermengem

1851 - 1932

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0063 PAINTER

Gortzius Geldorp

1553 - 1616

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0064 PAINTER

Marten van Valckenborch

1535 - 1612

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0065 SPORT

Jurgen Van Goolen

Born 1980

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0066 MOINE

André Louf

1929 - 2010

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0067 CYCLIST

Roland Liboton

Born 1957

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0068 COMPOSER

Antonius Divitis

1475 - 1526

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0069 POLITICIAN

Bruno Tobback

Born 1969

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0070 FOOTBALL

Imke Courtois

Born 1988

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0071 POET

Arnulf of Leuven

1200 - 1250

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0072 PHILOSOPHER

Ingrid Robeyns

Born 1972

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0073 SPORT

Tim Declercq

Born 1989

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0074 ASTRONOMER

Cornelius Gemma

1535 - 1578

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0075 PRIEST

Albero I of Louvain

1070 - 1128

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0076 RACER

Didier de Radiguès

Born 1958

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0077 ATHLETIC

William Van Dijck

Born 1961

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0078 ARISTOCRAT

Beatrice of Brabant

1225 - 1288

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0079 METALLURGIST

Albert Sauveur

1863 - 1939

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0080 PAINTER

Sam Dillemans

Born 1965

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0081 NEUROLOGIST

Steven Laureys

Born 1968

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0082 PHILOSOPHER

Thomas De Koninck

Born 1934

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0083 FOOTBALL

Robert Dekeyser

Born 1964

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0084 WRITER

Paul Claes

Born 1943

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0085 FOOTBALL

Hendrik Van Crombrugge

Born 1993

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0086 PHYSICIAN

Peter Carmeliet

Born 1959

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0087 POLITICIAN

Jules de Trooz

1857 - 1907

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0088 ARTIST

Arthur Berckmans

Born 1929

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0089 SCREENWRITER

Peter Brosens

Born 1962

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0090 HISTORIAN

Pierre François Xavier de Ram

1804 - 1865

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0091 JUDO

Heidi Rakels

Born 1968

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0092 SPORT

Laurens Sweeck

Born 1993

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0093 PAINTER

Dieric Bouts the Younger

1448 - 1491

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0094 SPORT

Yannick Eijssen

Born 1989

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0095 MATHEMATICIAN

Pierre van Moerbeke

Born 1944

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0096 POLITICIAN

Frans Schollaert

1851 - 1917

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0097 SCULPTOR

Jan Cobbaert

1909 - 1995

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0098 ACTOR

Tom Van Landuyt

Born 1967

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0099 POLITICIAN

Jan Grauls

Born 1948

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0100 WRITER

Johannes Bertelius

1544 - 1607

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0101 PAINTER

Jan Baptist van der Hulst

1790 - 1862

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0102 FOOTBALL

Nils Schouterden

Born 1988

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0103 POLITICIAN

André Antoine (politician)

Born 1960

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0104 AUTHOR

Thierry Martens

1942 - 2011

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0105 PHYSICIAN

Mark Waer

Born 1951

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0106 ECONOMIST

Léon H. Dupriez

1901 - 1986

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0107 SCULPTOR

Charles Leplae

1903 - 1961

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0108 POLITICIAN

Mimount Bousakla

Born 1972

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0109 DRAUGHTSWOMAN

Rinus Van de Velde

Born 1983

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0110 PAINTER

Johann Baptist Joseph Bastiné

1783 - 1844

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0111 ASTRONOMER

Jean-Luc Margot

Born 1969

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0112 PAINTER

Henri van der Haert

1790 - 1846

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0113 POLITICIAN

Saïd El Khadraoui

Born 1975

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0114 POET

Charles Ducal

Born 1952

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0115 FOOTBALL

Sarah Wijnants

Born 1999

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0116 GUITAR

Daan Stuyven

Born 1969

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0117 HISTORIAN

Charles Piot

1812 - 1899

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0118 PHYSICIST

Thomas Hertog

Born 1975

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0119 EXPLORER

Olivier Brunel

1540 - 1585

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0120 POLITICIAN

Ben Weyts

Born 1970

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0121 PLAYER

Bart Wuyts

Born 1969

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0122 GYMNAST

Hubert Lafortune

Born 1889

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0123 FILM

Philippe Ravoet

Born 1961

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0124 POET

Jos De Haes

1920 - 1974

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0125 PAINTER

Theodore Blake Wirgman

1848 - 1925

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0126 FOOTBALL

Edmond Neefs

-

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0127 NOBLE

Alix de Lannoy

1941 - 2012

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0128 POLITICIAN

Lieve Wierinck

Born 1957

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0129 SPORT

Thomas Sprengers

Born 1990

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0130 ATHLETE

Simon De Cuyper

Born 1986

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0131 PAINTER

Josse van der Baren

1550 - 1614

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0132 OPHTHALMOLOGIST

Jean Hissette

1888 - 1965

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0133 HISTORIAN

Petrus Divaeus

1535 - 1581

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0134 COMPOSER

Jan Belle

Born 1522

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0135 POLITICIAN

Tine Van Rompuy

Born 1955

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0136 NOBLE

Joscelin of Louvain

1121 - 1180

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0137 THEOLOGIAN

Jean Hessels

1522 - 1566

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0138 ARTIST

Jean-Pol

Born 1943

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0139 MATHEMATICIAN

Johannes Nicaise

Born 1981

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0140 SPORT

Willy Derboven

1939 - 1996

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0141 ATHLETIC

André Dehertoghe

1941 - 2016

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0142 SECRÉTAIRE

Franz von Arenberg

1849 - 1907

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0143 PHYSICIAN

Thomas Fienus

1567 - 1631

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0144 PLAYER

Simon Van De Voorde

Born 1989

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0145 MAGISTRAT

Jacques Logie

1938 - 2007

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0146 FOOTBALL

David Wijns

Born 1987

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0147 ATHLETIC

Magda Ilands

Born 1950

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0148 PHYSICIAN

Isala Van Diest

1842 - 1916

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0149 POLITICIAN

Albert Carnoy

1878 - 1961

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0150 HOCKEY

Sean Day

Born 1998

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0151 SPORT

Eddy Verstraeten

1948 - 2005

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0152 BASKET

Ismaël Bako

Born 1995

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0153 SPORT

Patrick Robeet

Born 1964

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0154 ACTOR

Mike Verdrengh

Born 1946

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0155 GYMNAST

Rune Hermans

Born 1999

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0156 WRITER

Charles-André Gilis

Born 1934

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0157 SPORT

Diether Sweeck

Born 1993

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0158 BADMINTON

Wouter Claes

Born 1975

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0159 SPORT

Roger De Cnijf

Born 1956

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0160 ROWER

Sergio Fernández González (rower)

Born 1967

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0161 WORLD WAR

Hortense Clews

1926 - 2006

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0162 SKATER

Pieter Gysel

Born 1980

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0163 SCULPTOR

Adrien Henri Vital van Emelen

1868 - 1943

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0164 CARTOGRAPHER

Arnold Mercator

1537 - 1587

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0165 ACTOR

Fabio Zenoni

Born 1970

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0166 POLITICIAN

Herman Schueremans

Born 1954

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0167 SCHOLAR

Hilary Charlesworth

Born 1955

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0168 WRITER

Camille Goemans

1900 - 1960

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0169 SPORT

Willem Peeters

Born 1953

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0170 WRITER

Anne Brouillard

Born 1967

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0171 POLITICIAN

Willy Kuijpers

1937 - 2020

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0172 WRITER

Xavier Deutsch

Born 1965

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0173 POLITICIAN

Pierre van Gobbelschroy

1784 - 1850

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0174 POLE VAULTER

Ben Broeders

Born 1995

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0175 PAINTER

Louis Van Overstraeten

1818 - 1849

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0176 SWIMMER

Ward Bauwens

Born 1993

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0177 BASKET

Tim Lambrecht

Born 1998

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0178 COMPOSER

Albert Delvaux (compositeur)

1913 - 2007

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0179 ACADEMIC

Karl Birnbaum (Agronom)

1829 - 1907

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0180 ATHLETIC

Tim Rummens

Born 1987

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0181 SEXOLOGIST

Alfons Vansteenwegen

Born 1941

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0182 CARTOGRAPHER

Gaspard van der Heyden

1496 - 1549

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0183 POLITICIAN

Dirk Claes

Born 1959

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0184 ENGINEER

Claude Fisco

1736 - 1825

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0185 CHOREOGRAPHER

Annabelle Lopez Ochoa

Born 1973

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0186 CONDUCTOR

Johan Nijs

Born 1963

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0187 FOOTBALL

Jessy Torreele

Born 1987

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0188 FOOTBALL

Katrien Torfs

Born 1987

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0189 LINGUIST

Dirk Delabastita

Born 1960

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0190 JOURNALIST

Yanny Hureaux

Born 1939

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0191 BOTANIST

André Georges Marie Walter Albert Robyns

1935 - 2003

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0192 CARTOONIST

Ilah (cartoons)

Born 1971

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0193 WRITER

Jacob Duym

1547 - 1606

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0194 FILM

Marie Mandy

Born 1961

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0195 PAINTER

Jan Rombouts I

Died 1535

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0196 SPORT

Steven Kleynen

Born 1977

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0197 ARCHITECT

Jan II Keldermans

1370 - 1445

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0198 LEICHTATHLETIK

Edmond Vanden Eynde

1924 - 1989

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0199 COMPOSER

Guillaume Teniers

1748 - 1820

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0200 POLITICIAN

Lorin Parys

Born 1976

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0201 FENCER

Juan Miguel Paz

Born 1966

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0202 ATHLETIC

Marjolein Lindemans

Born 1994

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0203 PAINTER

Émile-Henry Tilmans

1888 - 1960

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0204 FOOTBALL

Maarten Schops

Born 1976

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0205 PRIEST

Nicolaas de Castro

1503 - 1573

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0206 ESSAYIST

Marc Luyckx Ghisi

Born 1942

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0207 POLITICIAN

Stef Goris

Born 1960

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0208 FOOTBALL

Wannes Van Tricht

Born 1993

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0209 PAINTER

Charles-Antoine Clevenbergh

1755 - 1810

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0210 JOURNALIST

Marc Laudelout

Born 1954

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0211 POLITICIAN

Joris Vandenbroucke

Born 1976

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0212 PAINTER

Martin van Dorne

1736 - 1808

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0213 ARCHBISHOP

Josse-Pieter Geedts

1770 - 1834

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0214 BANK

Jos Clijsters

Born 1950

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0215 COMEDIAN

Marc Herman

Born 1947

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0216 PRIEST

Cunerus Petri

1559 - 1579

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0217 POLITICIAN

Karin Brouwers

Born 1964

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0218 ANTHROPOLOGIST

Guy Thilmans

1922 - 2001

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0219 SPORT

Francis Vermaelen

Born 1960

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0220 POLITICIAN

Cécile Jodogne

Born 1964

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0221 EPIDEMIOLOGIST

Jan Vandenbroucke

Born 1950

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0222 BADMINTON

Freek Golinski

Born 1991

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0223 FILM

Fabrizio Prada

Born 1972

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0224 HISTORIAN

Antoine Schayes

1808 - 1859

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0225 FOOTBALL

Andreas Luckermans

Born 1992

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0226 SPORT

Pierre Migisha

Born 1971

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0227 POLITICIAN

Els Demol

Born 1958

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0228 POLITICIAN

Els Van Hoof

Born 1969

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0229 POLITICIAN

Felix Strackx

Born 1955

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0230 HANDBALL

Paul Roekaerts

Born 1939

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0231 POET

Émile Van Arenbergh

1854 - 1934

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0232 ARTIFICIAL

Mark Coeckelbergh

Born 1975

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0233 ACTOR

Marcos Adamantiadis

Born 1972

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0234 DRAUGHTSWOMAN

Peter de Cupere

Born 1970

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0235 FOOTBALL

Jarno Libert

Born 1997

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0236 CYCLIST

Sven Beelen

Born 1990

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0237 DIPLOMAT

Petrus Peckius the Younger

1562 - 1625

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0238 POLITICIAN

Antoine Ghonda

Born 1965

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0239 MISSING

Gustave De Bruyn

1838 - 1916

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0240 POLITICIAN

Lode Vanoost

Born 1953

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0241 PRIEST

Godfrey of Bath

Died 1135

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0242 PAINTER

Ferdinand Giele

1867 - 1929

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0243 MILITAR

Armand Huyghé

1871 - 1944

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0244 FOOTBALL

Anne Noë

Born 1959

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0245 RACER

Patrick de Radiguès

Born 1956

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0246 ARCHITECT

Victor Boelens

1872 - 1955

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0247 BOTANIST

Walter Hecht

1896 - 1960

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0248 LAWYER

Stéphane de Lobkowicz

Born 1957

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0249 BOTANISTE

Joëlle Magnin-Gonze

Born 1961

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0250 LINGUIST

Antoine Grégoire

1871 - 1955

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0251 SWIMMER

Mathieu Fonteyn

Born 1985

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0252 POLITICIAN

Eugène Prévinaire

1805 - 1877

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0253 PAINTER

Félix De Baerdemaecker

1836 - 1878

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0254 RADIO

Alain Simons

Born 1962

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0255 SPORT

Bart Verschueren

Born 1986

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0256 SPORT

Marcel Lafortune

Born 1900

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0257 POLITICIAN

Bart Nevens

Born 1966

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0258 LAWYER

Étienne Orban de Xivry

1885 - 1953

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0259 CLARINET

Benjamin Dieltjens

Born 1973

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0260 POET

Guilielmus Zeebots

1625 - 1690

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0261 POLITICIAN

Pieter Coutereel

-

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0262 EDITOR

Jacob Baethen

1525 - 1557

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0263 SCULPTOR

Frantz Vermeylen

1857 - 1922

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0264 POLITICIAN

Frédéric Delvaux

1834 - 1916

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0265 LAWYER

Vincent Lurquin

Born 1959

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0266 GYMNAST

Julie Van Gelder

Born 1993

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0267 POLITICIAN

Lodewijk Goemans

1881 - 1957

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0268 EQUESTRIAN

Marc Rigouts

Born 1958

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0269 PAINTER

René de Baugnies

1869 - 1962

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0270 POLITICIAN

Jules Roberti

1829 - 1911

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0271 SINGER

Bernardine Hamaekers

1836 - 1912

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0272 ART CRITIC

Félix Stappaerts

1812 - 1885

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0273 PAINTER

Simon Bol

-

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0274 PAINTER

Gérard Roosen

1869 - 1935

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0275 GYMNAST

Donna-Donny Truyens

Born 1989

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0276 PROFESSOR

Henricus Gravius

1536 - 1591

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0277 WRITER

Gerhard Robert Walter von Coeckelberghe-Dützele �

1786 - 1857

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0278 AUTHOR

Tine Bergen

Born 1981

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0279 PAINTER

Frans van Dorne

1776 - 1848

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0280 SPORT

Emile Gosselin

1921 - 1982

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0281 SKATER

Geert Blanchart

Born 1966

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0282 PSYCHOLOGIST

Jacques Van Rillaer

Born 1944

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0283 WRITER

Jacques de la Passion

1642 - 1717

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0284 SINGER

Cédric Gervy

Born 1972

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0285 PRIEST

Serge (Konovaloff)

1941 - 2003

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0286 SPORT

Steve Lemmens

1972 - 2016

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0287 AUTHOR

Yannick Bruynoghe

1924 - 1984

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0288 POLITICIAN

Prosper Van Langendonck

1856 - 1935

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0289 SPORT

François Lafortune Sr.

Born 1896

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0290 POLITICIAN

Guillaume Kennis

1839 - 1908

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0291 PRIEST

Clemens Crabbeels

1564 - 1592

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0292 POET

Pierre Vandendries

1908 - 1993

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0293 POLITICIAN

Leon Pierco

Born 1936

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0294 PRINTER

Rutger Velpius

1540 - 1614

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0295 LAWYER

Joseph Clynmans

1889 - 1966

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0296 ATHLETE

Jim Thijs

Born 1980

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0297 POLITICIAN

Olivier Hinnekens

Born 1969

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0298 POLITICIAN

Karin Jiroflée

Born 1962

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0299 FOOTBALL

Samuel Greven

Born 1973

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0300 HOCKEY

Thierry Renaer

Born 1976

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