Nicknamed the “white Pelé,” Paul van Himst is synonymous with Belgian football. He led the Royal Sporting Club Anderlecht (whom he later coached, to the Belgian championship eight times) and scored 30 goals in 81 matches for the national team. In World Cup year, he talks to Redhot about football and travelling with Virgin Express

Where do you live and how do you spend your time these days?
In Grand-Bigard/Groot-Bijgaarden outside of Brussels, and for the past 15 years I’ve run a coffee-roasting business near Zellik called Brésor. I don’t play football anymore, but in my spare time I enjoy cycling.

Do you ever miss playing professional football?
At my age it would be difficult to play, so I can’t say I miss it. But I follow the matches of Anderlecht and do public relations work for the Belgian football federation, which allows me to maintain ties to the sport that was my life’s work. I mainly work on getting sponsors for the teams. I also enjoy watching my grandsons, ages 10 and 11, play football. The youngest, aged five, will also probably start playing soon.

Do people recognise you often on the streets?
Sure they do. I had a long career as a player and coach, and from time to time there are articles in the newspaper and television interviews, so everybody knows me.

What do you think of Anderlecht this year?
I’m very proud of them. They are currently Belgium’s most talented team and are in first place. There are other excellent teams, of course, like Standard Liège and Club Brugge. The championship promises to be very captivating.

Who are your favourite teams outside Belgium?
In the Champions League the best teams are Barcelona, AC Milan and Chelsea, which has extremely talented players and an excellent team.

How has the sport changed since your day?
A lot. Today players get a lot of money, there are television broadcasting rights, player transfers. It’s hard to say whether players get too much money, because if clubs don’t have top-notch athletes then they don’t have a chance of attracting big audiences. It’s logical.

What would point to as the highlight of your own career?
It’s difficult to say. It’s more important to look back on a career spanning 15 or 16 years in totality rather than choose one or two special moments.

Do you think Belgian football will recover from the recent game-fixing scandal?
Yes it will. It was a real scandal and it’s unimaginable that it ever could have happened, but it’s now over and done with.

What are the teams to watch in this year’s World Cup?
Brazil are the favourites, but other good teams are Argentina, Italy, France and Germany. It’s too bad that Belgium didn’t qualify this year. I’ll be watching the games, mainly on television.

If Belgium and the Netherlands bid to jointly host the World Cup in 2012, what do you think of their chances for getting it?
They were successful at hosting the European championships in 2000, so there’s no reason why they would not be able to organise the World Cup. It will all depend on the strength of their application, of course.

If you had to choose another profession besides football, what would it have been?
Probably cycling.

What was it like playing a footballer in Victory, the 1981 film set during World War II alongside famous actors such as Michael Caine and Sylvester Stallone?
It was something very special – I had never done anything like it before. I played on the side of the Allies (against the Germans). Sylvester Stallone trained very hard for his role (as Capt. Robert Hatch) and played very well, but Michael Caine (as Capt. John Colby) was replaced by a double on the football field.

Where have you flown with Virgin Express?
I’ve travelled to Milan and Malaga. Virgin Express and SN Brussels Airlines are the two airlines I fly with most often because they’re the most convenient to fly out of Brussels, where I often have meetings with clients. I also often travel with the Belgian national football team.

What advice would you give to the teams playing in this year’s World Cup?
That one would hope to have an exciting World Cup with plenty of goals and good sportsmanship. May the best team win!