Neurosell launched Virton AI - a new generation fitting rooms for ecommerce
Former Chelsea midfielder N’Golo Kante has been officially confirmed as the new owner of Belgian third-tier club Royal Excelsior Virton
Kante and his associates have reached an agreement to take control of the team
which recently suffered relegation to the third division of Belgian football
the will of N’Golo Kante is to continue the structuring of the club in order to consolidate its foundations
stabilize the staff and eventually reconnect with the tradition of training RE Virton
“The club aims to establish its local roots in order to become a driving force in football in Gaume and in the province of Luxembourg
generosity and humility will carry the ambitions of RE Virton for the coming years
With the desire to carry high the colors of Gaume
N’Golo Kante invites all the living forces of the territory to join a project which wants to be unifying and worthy of the supporters of Excelsior
The French World Cup winner earlier this month parted ways with Chelsea after seven years and made a move to Al-Ittihad
Reports suggest that his new deal is worth a staggering 10 times more than the contract he was offered by his former Premier League club
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ShareSaveBusinessSportsMoneyWith Belgium’s Virton, Oguchi Onyewu Is Rebuilding Another Soccer TeamBySamindra Kunti
Forbes contributors publish independent expert analyses and insights
A freelance journalist covering European and international soccer.Follow AuthorSep 23
10:59am EDTShareSaveThis article is more than 3 years old.Virton's new secretary-general Oguchi Onyewu poses after a press conference of 1B Proximus League ..
BELGA PHOTO ANTHONY DEHEZ (Photo by ANTHONY DEHEZ/BELGA MAG/AFP via Getty Images)
soccer magazines across Europe run glossy season previews
coming in all shapes and sizes; cherished by fans
observers and everyone with a fleeting interest in the game for the detailed team profiles
Belgium’s Sport/Voetbalmagazine fits that description
it had to omit one of the 24 domestic club profiles: Excelsior Virton
having just two players on the books at that stage of the pre-season was unreal
“This isn’t my first rodeo,” Oguchi Onyewu
located in the parking lot of discount supermarket Aldi
Belgium’s most southern town sits sleepily near the French border
a stone’s throw away from financial hub Luxembourg
A winding road leads to the supermarket and the stadium
where Virton - after a lengthy legal battle - plays in the second division
The episode didn’t make Onyewu think twice
He says: “This is an ideal situation to get reintroduced to Europe and to this administrative role in soccer.”
was sentenced to two years in prison and fined €250,000 for abuse of company assets
“I am not fake - if I have a question I will ask you rather than somebody else
All of my questions were answered in an honest manner.”
recorded a near €2 million loss for the 2018/19 season
He says: “You have Lommel backed by City Football Group
I see it is no more as a problem than anywhere else
It’s a situation with maybe 80-90 percent of clubs in the world
Real Madrid and FC Barcelona operate in debt in perpetuity
It’s no exception in Belgian soccer either
where foreign owners and a slate of unsavory characters have long infiltrated the club game
Debts are rampant and current champions Club Brugge and Racing Genk are among the few professional clubs to realize profit
More pressing problems trumped Virton’s finances
the club assembled a team and appointed Christophe Gregoire as head coach
a whirlwind first-month for the American secretary general
which he describes as “chaos” and “disconnect”
a sentiment he encountered in his first front-office role with Orlando City B
The Slovenia National Team played the United States National Team ..
More to a 2-2 at Ellis Park Stadium in Johannesburg
South Africa in a 2010 FIFA World Cup Group C match
(Photo by Andy Mead/YCJ/Icon SMI/Icon Sport Media via Getty Images)
The situation in Florida was not unlike Virton’s
Onyewu then got an eye-opening crash course in club operations
much by trial and error of his own admission
there was too much “disconnect” between the MLS parent franchise and the second team
He can’t either: Onyewu spent the last two decades playing for a series of European clubs
Peter Odemwingie and Silvio Proto were among the players who blossomed and moved to bigger clubs
Onyewu sees Virton as a future feeder club
there are not a lot of players from this club that have been sold on for profit,” says Onyewu
even this past weekend we played against Mouscron
There is a lot of future potential in the make-up of our players
Virton has produced a major star in the past
Thomas Meunier was sold for 200,000 euros to Club Brugge in 2011
who enjoyed playing for a local community club
the owner’s conviction and the exodus of players have left Virton anemic
alienated from the fan base and Belgian soccer
“It’s about regrouping the community behind the club,” believes Onyewu
“It's about cleaning up everything else
It’s whether people perceive us to be right
Perception is the biggest victory you can have because everyone's perception is their reality
I would love for their perception and the real truth to be on the same level.”
It is a mammoth task for Onyewu and his administration
the Belgian soccer community will embrace Virton and the club will feature again in the previews of glossy soccer magazines next summer
N'Golo Kante recently completed a transfer to Saudi Pro League club Al Ittihad. GettyFrance midfielder N'Golo Kante has purchased third-tier Belgian side Royal Excelsior Virton, the club announced on Thursday
The club announced existing owner Flavio Becca's decision to sell the club to Kante, who has just completed a lucrative transfer to Saudi Arabian club Al Ittihad, and confirmed that the former Chelsea midfielder would take control on July 1
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The statement said: "Flavio is obviously extremely happy to hand over the keys of the club to N'Golo Kante
not only for his footballing qualities but also and above all for his widely recognised human qualities
N'Golo Kante wants to continue to structure the club in order to consolidate its foundations
stabilise its staff and eventually reconnect with the tradition of training RE Virton's Youth Academy
"The club aims to establish its local roots in order to become a driving force of football in Gaume and in the province of Luxembourg."
Virton suffered relegation from the second division -- Challenger Pro League -- last season and will play in the third tier of Belgian football in 2023-24
Kante's acquisition of Virton comes in the same week as Crystal Palace forward Wilfried Zaha, and rapper Stormzy's, purchased ninth-tier English football side
Former Palace head of player care Danny Young has joined the duo in buying a stake in the south London club
Vitron currently resides in the third tier of Belgian football having recently been relegated after missing out on survival by just one point
The Belgian side are in the process of regaining their professional license
and will play in the Belgian National Division 1 in the 2023-24 season
Kante will be at the head of the rebuilding job at Stade Yvan Georges
Vitron explained how all debt had been relieved by their departing owner and that the club fully welcomes the appointment and involvement of Kanté in their ambitions to play in the top tier of Belgian football
the will of N’Golo Kanté is to continue the structuring of the club in order to consolidate its foundations
stabilize the staff and eventually reconnect with the tradition of training R.E
“The club aims to establish its local roots in order to become a driving force in football in Gaume and in the province of Luxembourg.”
The club may not have been blessed with many stars over the years but one player on the books is former Aston Villa man Yacouba Sylla
And with the backing of World Cup winner Kanté
who knows what footballing gems might be unearthed in the near future
and Chelsea’s N’Golo Kante vie for the ball during the English Premier League soccer match between Chelsea and Newcastle United at Stamford Bridge stadium in London
Saudi Arabian soccer champion Al-Ittihad has another high-profile French player to accompany Karim Benzema at the team next season
N’Golo Kante has completed his move there from Chelsea
BRUSSELS (AP) — N’Golo Kanté is making a surprising investment
The World Cup winner has bought Royal Excelsior Virton
The move was announced by the club Thursday
who this month completed a move to Saudi champion Al-Ittihad on a three-year deal after six years at Chelsea
is replacing entrepreneur Flavio Becca at the helm of the club bordering France
N’Golo Kanté’s aim is to continue structuring the club with a view to consolidating its foundations
stabilizing the staff and ultimately reviving RE Virton’s tradition of training through its youth academy,” the club said
Kanté will reportedly earn more than $100 million across the length of his deal
Kanté won the World Cup with France in 2018
the Champions League with Chelsea in 2021 and has been one of the best players in the Premier League in recent years as a back-to-back champion with Leicester (2016) and Chelsea (2017)
N'Golo Kante may have moved to Saudi Arabian champions Al-Ittihad but he will still have a link to club football in Europe after he agreed a deal to buy Belgian third division side Royal Excelsior Virton
The club said on Thursday that the former Chelsea and Leicester City midfielder is set to take over ownership from Flavio Becca from July 1
which is situated near the Luxembourg border
did not disclose any financial details for the deal
'Flavio is obviously extremely happy to be able to hand over the keys of the club to N'Golo Kante
not only for his footballing qualities but also and above all for his universally recognised human qualities,' it said in a statement
'Flavio is handing over a club in good financial health
A new board of directors will be appointed in the next few days.'
Kante left Europe after winning the Premier League with Leicester and Chelsea while he also led the London side to Champions League and FA Cup glory
The 32-year-old was also a key member of France's 2018 World Cup winning team and his new two-year deal at Al-Ittihad is worth a reported £172million.
His decision to invest in the Belgian side appears to have come largely out of the blue with Kante having no obvious ties to the nation
He began his senior career at French amateur side Boulogne after rising through the club's junior ranks
spending just one year in the first-team before joining Ligue 2 side Caen
Kante has since boosted his finances by deciding to move to the oil-rich nation of Saudi Arabia after a period of huge success playing in England where he became one of the world's best midfielders
However, he won't be joined by his former Foxes team-mate Jamie Vardy in the Kingdom after the Leicester striker rejected an approach from the Middle East.
was wanted by Saudi Pro League side Khajeel FC
but decided that the move wasn't the right decision for his family
Kante will link-up with former Real Madrid star Karim Benzema at his new club as the Saudi top-flight continues to flex it's financial muscles by signing some of Europe's best talents.
N'Golo Kante agrees a deal to buy third-tier Belgian sideCommenting on this article has endedNewest{{#isModerationStatus}}{{moderationStatus}}
N'Golo Kante will take control of Royal Excelsior Virton on July 1
The French footballer, N’Golo Kante has acquired the third-tier Belgian side
The club affirmed the news of the current owner Flavio Becca selling the club to Kante and also unveiled that the 32-year-old will take control on July 1
The statement said: “Flavio is obviously extremely happy to hand over the keys of the club to N’Golo Kante
N’Golo Kante wants to continue to structure the club in order to consolidate its foundations
stabilise its staff and eventually reconnect with the tradition of training RE Virton’s Youth Academy
“The club aims to establish its local roots in order to become a driving force of football in Gaume and in the province of Luxembourg.”
Virton will feature in the third tier of Belgian football after being relegated in the previous season from the second division
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N'Golo Kante has become the owner of Belgian third division side Royal Excelsior Virton
WHAT HAPPENED? The former Chelsea midfielder is set to become a club owner in Belgium as he will take over Belgian third-division club Royal Excelsior Virton. Current owner Flavio Becca will hand over the club to the French star officially on July 1. The club has confirmed the move in a statement on the club's official website under the slogans 'Together
THE BIGGER PICTURE: Becca took up ownership of the club in 2018 and they immediately prospered
managing to get promoted to the second division for the first time in their history
they came close to gaining promotion to the top division but missed out by a whisker
Royal Excelsior were relegated from the second division in the 2022-23 season but the club are completely debt free and will appoint a new board of directors shortly
WHAT THEY SAID: A club statement revealed Becca is thrilled to be handed ownership to Kante
"Flavio is obviously extremely happy to be able to hand over the keys of the club to N'Golo Kanté
not only for his footballing qualities but also and above all for his unanimously recognized human qualities."
WHAT NEXT FOR KANTE? The World Cup-winning French midfielder recently ended his seven-year-long relationship with Chelsea to join Saudi Arabian club Al-Ittihad where he will play alongside compatriot Karim Benzema.
We’re doing all we can to make sure this page is included in the gaffer’s plans
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has completed the takeover of Royal Excelsior Virton
who recently joined Saudi Arabian champions Al-Ittihad in a lucrative deal
based in the small town of Virton in the Luxembourg province of Belgium
was relegated from the Challenger Pro League in 2022-23 and is free of all debt
A new board of directors is expected to be installed in the coming days
who expressed his happiness to hand over the keys to a "high-class player" with "widely recognised human qualities"
Kante said he was driven by his passion for football and wanted to structure the club to consolidate its foundations
stabilise its staff and eventually reconnect with the tradition of training Virton's youth academy
Kante becomes the latest celebrity owner of a football club
who teamed up with rapper Stormzy to buy AFC Croydon Athletic
as well as Ryan Reynolds who owns Wrexham AFC of the fourth tier league in the English football
the Europa League and the Champions League
He was also a key member of France's World Cup-winning squad in 2018
He was named the Champions League Men’s Midfielder of the Season for 2020-21 after his outstanding performances in the knockout stages
Kante left the Premier League without leaving a mark on his career
Kante will play alongside Karim Benzema for Al Ittihad
there were rumours that Kante will earn a massive salary of just over £86 million (€100 million)
but it's now believed that this sum will be dispersed over the course of his four-year contract
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Former Chelsea midfielder N’Golo Kante has bought third-tier Belgian team Royal Excelsior Virton
A statement released on Thursday confirmed Flavio Becca’s decision to sell up to the 32-year-old Frenchman
who has just completed a big-money move to Saudi Arabian champions Al-Ittihad
“Flavio is obviously extremely happy to hand over the keys of the club to N'Golo Kante
not only for his footballing qualities but also and above all for his widely recognised human qualities,” Virton said under the slogan ‘Small Town
stabilise its staff and eventually reconnect with the tradition of training RE Virton’s Youth Academy
The club aims to establish its local roots in order to become a driving force of football in Gaume and in the province of Luxembourg.”
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Virton were relegated from Belgium’s second-tier
English former journalist and agent Alex Hayes serves as the Belgian side’s chief executive but a new board of directors is expected to be installed in the coming days
Kante becomes the latest celebrity owner of a football club
in the same week that Wilfried Zaha teamed up with rapper Stormzy to buy AFC Croydon Athletic
David Beckham is perhaps the best-known player or ex-player to have completed such a takeover
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16 Wins / 5 Draws / 10 Losses in the Last 31 fixtures
*Excelsior Virton's stats from First Amateur Division 2024/25
Prediction Risk - UNLOCK
This season in First Amateur Division, Excelsior Virton's form is Good overall with 16 wins, 5 draws, and 10 losses. This performance currently places Excelsior Virton at 0 out of 28 teams in the First Amateur Division Table
Excelsior Virton's home form is average with the following results : 0 wins
And their away form is considered excellent
Excelsior Virton has scored a total of 45 goals this season in First Amateur Division
More Over / Under / BTTS / Goals data are under the Goals tab
More Excelsior Virton corner stats are available under the Corners tab
* Average Goals Scored Per Match for Excelsior Virton in First Amateur Division 2024/25
• Excelsior Virton scores a goal every 0 minutes in First Amateur Division
• Excelsior Virton scores an average of 0 goals every game
* Average Goals Conceded Per Match for Excelsior Virton in First Amateur Division 2024/25
• Excelsior Virton has conceded a total of 36 goals this season in First Amateur Division
• Excelsior Virton concedes a goal every 0 min
• Excelsior Virton concedes an average of 0 goals every game
Excelsior Virton's Over 2.5 percentage is 45
Over / Under Goals are calculated from total match goals for fixtures that Excelsior Virton has participated in
Excelsior Virton's Under 2.5 percentage is 55
Over / Under 1H/2H Goals are calculated from both team's goals in that half
UNLOCKCorners / Match
* Average Corner Kicks per match between Excelsior Virton and their opponents in a single match
Match corners is the total corners between Excelsior Virton and their opponent in the match
Corners Earned = Excelsior Virton's corner kicks
UNLOCKCards / Match
* Average Total Match Cards per match between Excelsior Virton and their opponents in a single match
Match cards is the total cards between Excelsior Virton and their opponent in the match
* Not all matches have goal timings recorded for Excelsior Virton
Cards and Corners in these tables are total between both teams
* Not all matches have goal/corner/card timings recorded for Excelsior Virton
* Average Shots Per Match for Excelsior Virton in First Amateur Division 2024/25
Excelsior Virton's 2024/2025 season is seeing them taking an average of 12.88 shots per match with 6.48 shots being on target and the rest being off target
xG For - Excelsior Virton takes an average of 12.88 shots per match
This resulted in 1.45 goals scored per match
xG Against - Excelsior Virton concedes an average of 1.36 xGA every match
Most frequent scorelines for Excelsior Virton
* Stats from 2024/25 season of First Amateur Division
Most frequent total goals for Excelsior Virton
Ilombé Mboyo
Mayron De Almeida
António Pina Gomes
Yanis Mbombo Lokwa
Nasro Bouchareb
Anas Namri
Gaëtan Arib
Bilal Chibani
Teddy Mézague
Danny Koy Lupano
Souleymane Karamoko
Thibaut Lesquoy
Ruben Droehnle
*Royal Excelsior Virton Roster and stats are retrieved from 2024/25 Season
Average AttendanceNot recorded yet or may be affected by COVID-19
WebsiteRoyal Excelsior Virton Official website
Twitter@ExcelsiorVirton
FacebookExcelsior Virton Facebook
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Virton
"Flavio is obviously extremely happy to be able to hand over the keys of the club to N'Golo Kante
not only for his footballing qualities but also and above all for his universally recognised human qualities," it said in a statement
"Flavio is handing over a club in good financial health
A new board of directors will be appointed in the next few days."
Kante left Europe after winning the Premier League with Leicester and Chelsea while he also led the London side to Champions League and FA Cup glory. The 32-year-old was also a key member of France's 2018 World Cup-winning team
Saudi media said Kante's deal with Al-Ittihad is worth 100 million euros over two years
The requested URL was not found on this server
Former Chelsea midfielder N’Golo Kante has bought a Belgian club
This comes after the Frenchman recently left Chelsea to join Saudi Arabia’s Al-Ittihad
Royal Excelsior Virton has played in the Challenger Pro League (Belgium Second Division) in the past
The Belgian club is from the town of Virton
very close to the border of France and Luxembourg
and has never played in Belgium’s top-flight league
Royal Excelsior Virton was relegated to the third tier of Belgian football
“The transfer of power will be effective as of 1 July
the intention of Kante and his trusted group is to make Royal Excelsior Virton one of the flagships of Belgian football in the medium to long term,” a club statement read in part
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