'51' with the lowdown on Union Saint-Gilloise

In a small, indomitable neighbourhood in the heart of Brussels, a traditional club has been defying the established clubs for years. Union Saint-Gilloise has its roots in the narrow streets of Saint-Gilles, among cafés and cobblestones, yet it's connected to the wider world of football. And after making history in 2025, they'll now test their mettle at the Allianz Arena on 21 January.

It’s been 128 years since Union Saint-Gilloise was founded in 1897, but for the majority of that time, the club languished between the second and fourth divisions in the lower echelons of Belgian professional football. This made the impact with which USG made history in May 2025 all the greater. The club, which had only returned to the top tier in 2021 after almost half a century, quickly developed into a top team and then dramatically imploded just before reaching its goal three seasons in a row, finally fulfilled its dream of winning the title.

For 90 years, there had been nothing to celebrate in Saint-Gilles, a district of Brussels with a population of just under 50,000. The record goal scorers and club legends, such as the Vanderstappen brothers Gustave and Charles, had often been born in the 19th century. The club had been on the brink of collapse several times. Twenty years ago, it only escaped relegation to the fourth division thanks to the insolvency of a rival. In the neighbourhood, known for its village-like charm, the large Brussels-Midi station with direct connections to London and the Church of Saint-Gilles, which gave the neighbourhood and the club their name, the level of euphoria was unsurprisingly huge.

Built in 1919, USG's Joseph-Marien Stadium holds just 9,400 spectators. One stand is a listed building, its rows of seats blending into the adjacent hill – a scene from another era. "The stadium is old and village-like," says Belgian TV pundit Alex Teklak, who covers many Union SG matches. "The fans talk about this place as if it were paradise. Saint-Gilloise is another world." The Marien has a unique family atmosphere that is more reminiscent of a village festival than a high-profile football match. Beer steins, smoke bombs, the smell of pyrotechnics, but with no hostility. The crowd includes many women, children and older people – all of whom adhere to a code of honour that prohibits verbal abuse, aggression or derogatory gestures. So far, so idyllic. But USG is a highly interesting club for other reasons too.

Data analysis and gut feeling

In 2014, German entrepreneur Jürgen Baatzsch bought the then lower-league club for the symbolic price of €1. The stadium was dilapidated and the infrastructure was crumbling. Baatzsch initially invested in basic repairs, initiating USG's renaissance. In 2018, Baatzsch sold his shares to Tony Bloom, a British entrepreneur who has built up an international club network and holds majority stakes in Brighton & Hove Albion and minority stakes in Heart of Midlothian (Scotland) and Melbourne Victory (Australia). To comply with UEFA regulations, the clubs remain formally independent, but his philosophy shapes them all: data-driven, strategic, long-term.

Bloom, who made his fortune through poker and sports betting, runs one of the world's most renowned sports data analysis platforms with his company Starlizard. Data is his capital – and at Union SG, it became a competitive advantage. In 2020, thanks to analytical algorithms, they discovered Deniz Undav, then a striker in Germany’s third division at Meppen. Undav scored 17 goals in 26 appearances in Belgium, led USG back to the first division and later moved to Brighton for €7,000,000 – the network was effective.

Union immediately reinvested the money, for example, in Victor Boniface, who joined for €6.1 million, made a name for himself in the Europa League and then moved to Bayer Leverkusen for €22.6 million. It's a transfer model based on a system, not on chance. Noah Sadiki arrived in 2023 for €900,000 and was sold to Sunderland two years later for €17 million. Mohammed Amoura arrived for €4 million and, for three times that amount, moved to Wolfsburg, where he's currently doing very well in the Bundesliga.

At the same time, sporting success remained a constant. Promotion, then runners-up, then the Europa League, and finally their first Champions League campaign this season. "The club's rise is based on a philosophy all of its own," explains Teklak. "At first, the whole of Belgium liked Union, but now the club commands respect." Home games in the Champions League are played at Anderlecht's stadium across Brussels. But even there, tickets are often sold out within a few hours.

Despite its professional structures and clear commercial goals, the club has not lost its down-to-earth attitude. "The fans are calm and peaceful, they never cause any trouble," says Teklak. "There's a mix of old fans and a new generation who find something here that no longer exists elsewhere: joie de vivre. There are no hooligans or ultras. No external pressure, none from within. The club can operate with complete confidence."

Sustainability as an identity

One of the club's distinctive features is its clear stance. Union SG employs a full-time sustainable development officer, is considering building a new, environmentally friendly stadium and tries to avoid unnecessary waste and the squandering of resources. "Union plays in the same jersey design year after year," says former player Nicolas Rajsel, who knows the club from the second and third divisions. The planned stadium will have a modular main stand so it complies with European standards without losing the character of the club.

To ensure this philosophy remains firmly anchored in everyday life, the club focuses on unity. In pre-season, the entire team – including all 90 staff – travelled to Spain for a training camp. This is a rare example of togetherness that goes far beyond the first team. At the same time, USG invested in infrastructure: a modern training centre, under-soil heating and targeted reinforcements for the squad. Fans are impressed that the British investors are focusing on sustainable progress rather than quick profits.

Global vision, local expertise

One of the masterminds behind their success is sporting director Chris O'Loughlin. The 47-year-old Irishman had limited success as a player, then worked as a coach in South Africa, the Congo and Australia before finding his footballing fortune in Belgium. Thanks to his global CV, O'Loughlin has an excellent network. While Union SG initially scouted talent mainly in Scandinavia and Germany, the club has long since begun to operate globally. For example, Kevin Mac Allister, brother of Argentine World Cup winner Alexis Mac Allister, plays in central defence and has almost doubled his market value in two years. Before moving to Liverpool, Alexis also played for Bloom's club Brighton. It’s that network is action again.

USG's real skill is that during every summer transfer window they sell young stars to bigger clubs – without leaving any major gaps. "We don't just sign a bunch of young players from all over the world who all speak different languages, throw them together and hope that it'll somehow work out," club president Alex Muzio told the New York Times. "We look for the right mix of characters for our team." The club has a clear operating system and talented coaches. Four different ones have sat in the Union SG dugout in the past four years, with Karel Geraerts moving to Schalke and Alexander Blessin to St. Pauli, where he replaced Fabian Hürzeler, who moved to Brighton. That link again...

Modern structures, brilliant scouting and a clear playing system prevent the club from losing its bearings despite the frequent changes, even though they only managed one win from nine games in autumn 2024 and suddenly found themselves mid-table. In the spring of 2025, they embarked on an irresistible winning run, which ended with them securing the title of the century.

Today, the club's history presents a rare contrast: a neighbourhood club deeply rooted in Saint-Gilles and at the same time an example of modern, data-driven club management in European football. A club that, step by step, continues to grow with limited resources, a clear strategy and a culture of togetherness. "Now, on 21 January, Union SG face the biggest game in their history at the Allianz Arena," says TV pundit Teklak. The trip to Munich is not only a sporting highlight, but also a kind of reward for this special club, which draws strength from its past and ideas from its future.

The full article appeared in the January issue of the FC Bayern members' magazine ‘51’