The Story of Royale Union Saint-Gilloise – Rise, Fall, and a Remarkable Comeback

Some football stories are well-known worldwide, while others remain hidden gems. One such story is that of Royale Union Saint-Gilloise, a club with one of the most melodious names in football. Despite its rich history, for many years, the club was only recognized by true football historians and nostalgic fans.

Based in the Saint-Gilles district of Brussels, Union Saint-Gilloise remains one of Belgium’s most successful clubs, thanks to its 11 league titles, all won before the mid-1930s. The club ranks third in Belgium’s all-time championship tally. When it was founded on November 1, 1897, no one could have predicted its extraordinary journey.

The club’s golden era saw an incredible unbeaten run of 60 matches between 1933 and 1935, a record that remains unmatched in Belgian football. However, the war years took a toll on the club, as they did on many others. While Union managed to stay in the top tier for some time, the path became increasingly difficult. The glory days of the interwar period could not be sustained, leading to a steady decline that saw the club drop as low as the fourth division.

Throughout the 1980s, 1990s, and 2000s, Union managed to return to the second tier multiple times but could never establish itself as a consistent force. The club remained in limbo, far removed from its once-proud history.

A Fresh Start – Hitting Rock Bottom and Embracing Innovation

A turning point arrived in 2014 when Jürgen Baatzsch, a German entrepreneur, purchased a majority stake in the club for a symbolic one euro. Before that, Baatzsch was best known as the founder of Redcoon, an electronics retailer that he later sold to MediaMarkt.

His connection to the club began a year earlier, when he first visited Union’s home ground, the Stade Joseph Mariën. What he saw was a club in ruins—both financially and structurally. The stadium, once a proud landmark, was in a state of disrepair. Baatzsch decided to step in, and fate played a role in Union’s survival.

At the time, Union was on the verge of relegation to the fourth division once again. However, a rival club declared bankruptcy, allowing Union to take its place in the relegation playoff. They won their decisive matches and avoided relegation, giving Baatzsch the opportunity to rebuild the club from the ground up.

His initial investments and structural changes bore fruit quickly, and in 2015, Union returned to the second division. But the most significant shift came in 2018, when Baatzsch sold his shares to British businessman Tony Bloom, a man renowned in football and beyond for his data-driven approach to decision-making.

The Tony Bloom Era – Data, Algorithms, and a Footballing Revival

Bloom, also the owner of Brighton & Hove Albion, built his fortune through poker and sports betting. His analytical mindset earned him the nickname “Lizard”, as his cool, calculated decisions were said to be as cold-blooded as the reptile itself. His company, Starlizard, specializes in data analysis and algorithms to make what it claims are the most accurate sports predictions in the world.

Bloom applied this same data-driven scouting strategy to Union Saint-Gilloise, identifying undervalued talents who could deliver results on the pitch. One of the best examples was Deniz Undav, a third-division player at SV Meppen, whom the club signed in 2020 based on analytical insights.

Undav became a revelation, scoring 17 goals in 26 matches, playing a pivotal role in Union’s 2020/21 second-division title and the club’s first return to Belgium’s top flight in 48 years. The fairy tale continued as Union finished second in their first season back, and Undav was sold to Brighton for €7 million.

A New Transfer Strategy – Selling Smart, Reinventing Success

Union reinvested almost the entire Undav transfer fee into another emerging striker: Victor Boniface. Signed for €6.1 million, Boniface did not match Undav’s goal tally but still impressed, netting 9 goals in 37 league matches and an additional 11 goals across Champions League qualifiers and the Europa League.

His performances earned him a €20.5 million move to Bayer Leverkusen, marking another hugely profitable transfer for the club.

But Union’s success wasn’t just on the transfer market. On the pitch, the team continued to defy expectations:

• In 2021/22, they led the league after the regular season and finished second overall, securing a spot in European competition.
• In 2022/23, after being knocked out of the Champions League qualifiers by Rangers, they shifted to the Europa League—where they won their group ahead of Union Berlin and later eliminated the German side in the knockout rounds. Their dream run ended in the quarterfinals against Bayer Leverkusen.
• Domestically, Union once again finished second, proving their resurgence was no fluke.

Union’s European Adventure – Proving Themselves on the Big Stage

Union’s fairy tale continued in 2023/24 as they once again made waves in European football.

Drawn into a tough Europa League group with Liverpool, Toulouse, and LASK Linz, Union managed to secure third place, earning a place in the UEFA Conference League knockout rounds.

In the playoff stage, they knocked out Eintracht Frankfurt, a formidable opponent, before falling to Fenerbahçe in the Round of 16.

A Fairytale Ending in Sight?

Although Union’s Cinderella story is still being written, the dream ending is within reach.

The team dominated the regular season, finishing with a seven-point lead. Due to Belgium’s league format, points were halved for the championship round, meaning Union entered the playoffs with a three-point cushion.

After years of turbulence, relegations, and rebuilding, Royale Union Saint-Gilloise is now closer than ever to capping off their remarkable resurgence with a long-awaited championship.

If they succeed, it will be a historic triumph, a testament to visionary leadership, innovative scouting, and resilience. The Stade Joseph Mariën will once again echo with the cheers of champions—a fitting reward for the dedication of Jürgen Baatzsch, Tony Bloom, and everyone involved in this incredible journey.