Extreme Football Tourism: LUXEMBOURG: FC The Belval Belvaux (1939-1940, ±1945-) / FV Bieles (1940-1944)

Terrain ‘Bei der Schoul’, Belvaux (FC The Belval Belvaux, formerly FV Bieles)

Luxembourg, canton: Esch-sur-Alzette

12 X 2025 / FC The Belval Belvaux - FC Lorentzweiler 3-0 / Promotion d'Honneur (= LUX level 2)

Timeline

1908 / Foundation of a football club in Belvaux, an industrial town situated halfway between Differdange and Esch-sur-Alzette in the far south of the Grand-Duchy of Luxembourg. The new club, of which the founding meeting is held in Café Bel-Val, situated at the Belval-Rédange train station, is given the appropriate name The Bel-Val Belvaux. The club is a founding member of the Luxembourg Football Association (FSLSA, also founded in 1908, renamed FLF in 1930). A pitch is laid out at Schwaarze Pad, alongside the railway track – with the facility being known locally as Terrain ‘Op Wäiterech’.
1909 / The Bel-Val Belvaux takes part in the first-ever league championship in Luxembourg, being placed in Klasse B against teams such as FC Mansfeldia Clausen (which clinches first place in this group), FC Résidence Walferdange, FC Marisca Mersch, DC Echternach, and FC Pfaffenthal.
1910 / Foundation of a second club in Belvaux, which takes on the name The Sportsmen Belvaux. It is unclear where this club’s ground was situated – possibly there was a groundsharing agreement with The Bel-Val Belvaux at Terrain ‘Op Wäiterech’.
± 1912 / Moving away from Terrain ‘Op Wäiterech’, The Bel-Val Belvaux settles on a newly laid-out pitch only a stone’s throw further down the road, Terrain ‘A Gadder Ändri seng Wiss’.
1914 / A merger is concluded between The Bel-Val Belvaux and The Sportsmen Belvaux, resulting in the foundation of FC The Belval Belvaux.
1917 / Having taken part in Division 3 Region Esch in the 1916-17 season, FC The Belval Belvaux withdraws from league football for the following two seasons – or the club may have been excluded by the Luxembourg FA due to an unplayable pitch.
1919 / After two years of inactivity, FC The Belval Belvaux returns to Division 3. Probably, this coincides with the club settling on a new pitch, Terrain ‘Um Bierg’, alternately known as Terrain ‘Op der Köppchen’, at Galgebierg, a hillside to the west of the town.
1920 / Champions in Division 3 South following a tie-break match for the title against SC Tétange, resulting in a 2-1 win, FC The Belval Belvaux wins promotion to Promotion, the second level of Luxembourg’s fledgling league pyramid.
1921 / Finishing bottom of the table in Promotion, FC The Belval Belvaux descends into Division 2 (level 3) along with the club in second-last place, FC Avenir Beggen.
1924 / FC The Belval Belvaux finishes as runners-up in Division 2 Group 3, 4 points behind champions US Esch.
1925 / Finishing bottom of the table in Division 2 Group 3, FC The Belval Belvaux goes on to finish in last place in a relegation play-off with Gold a Ro’t Wiltz and FC Swift Hesperange, with only the side from Wiltz saving its skin. As such, The Belval descends into Division 3, the fourth and lowest level of Luxembourg’s league system at that time.
1926 / Champions in Division 3 Group 2, 4 points ahead of runners-up FC Sporting Steinfort, FC The Belval Belvaux wins promotion to Division 2 (level 3).
1927 / FC The Belval Belvaux withdraws from competitive football for reasons unknown.
1929 / After two years of inactivity, FC The Belval Belvaux returns to first team football in Division 3 (level 4).
1930 / Champions in Division 3 Group 2, 5 points ahead of closest rivals SC Bettembourg, FC The Belval Belvaux wins promotion to Division 2 (level 3).
1931 / FC The Belval Belvaux finishes as runners-up in Division 2 Group 2, 8 points behind champions CS Alliance Dudelange.
1932 / Champions in Division 2 Group 2, 7 points ahead of closest followers FC Chiers Rodange, FC The Belval Belvaux wins promotion to Promotion, the second level of Luxembourg’s league pyramid – confusingly renamed Division 1 in the summer of 1932. Also in 1932, The Belval’s pitch, Terrain ‘Um Bierg’ is laid out anew and reinaugurated as a veritable ‘stade’.
1933 / Finishing in second-last place in Division 1, FC The Belval Belvaux suffers relegation to Promotion (level 3) along with bottom club SC Bettembourg.
1935 / Champions in Promotion, 1 point ahead of closest rivals US Rumelange, FC The Belval Belvaux wins promotion to Division 1 (level 2) along with the aforementioned club as well as FC Tricolore Muhlenweg and FC Progrès Grund.
1937 / Finishing bottom of the table in Division 1, FC The Belval Belvaux drops back into Promotion (level 3) along with FC Mansfeldia Clausen and CS Pétange.
1938 / Finishing in second-last place in Promotion, FC The Belval Belvaux descends into Division 2 (level 4) along with US Esch, AS Luxembourg, and bottom club CS Hollerich.
1939 / Champions in Division 2 Group 2, 5 points ahead of closest followers AS Schifflange, FC The Belval Belvaux manages an immediate return to Promotion (level 3). That same year, moving away from Terrain ‘Um Bierg’, the club settles on a newly laid-out pitch at the backside of the local primary school, aptly being referred to locally as Terrain ‘Bei der Schoul’ – i.e. the location where the club still plays its home matches nowadays. To allow the pitch to be laid out, the small lake situated on the location is filled up with industrial debris, topped by a layer of earth. At the time, the ground does not sport a terrace at its western touchline yet – a feature which would not be added earlier than in the second half of the 1960s, or possibly even later.
1940 / Finishing in ninth place in Promotion, FC The Belval Belvaux drops back into Division 2 (level 4) along with AS Schifflange, FC Blue Boys Muhlenbach, and bottom club CS Grevenmacher. As the German armed forces oppress Luxembourg in May 1940, all football clubs in the country have to shed references to the French and English languages – with FC The Belval Belvaux being renamed Fussballverein (FV) Bieles at the behest of German authorities.
1944 / As Luxembourg is liberated from the German yoke, FV Bieles reverts to its old name FC The Belval Belvaux. However, due to the American army having requisitioned Terrain ‘Bei der Schoul’ for a depot, the club is constrained to revert temporarily to Terrain ‘Um Bierg’.
± 1945 / As the American armed forces leave Belvaux, FC The Belval Belvaux returns to Terrain ‘Bei der Schoul’.
1946 / Runners-up in Division 2 Group 1, 3 points behind champions AS Schifflange, FC The Belval Belvaux wins promotion to Promotion (level 3) along with the aforementioned club as well as US Esch, FC Swift Hesperange, FC Red Star Merl, FC Tricolore Muhlenweg, and CS Hollerich.
1949 / Runners-up in Promotion Group 2, 3 points behind champions FC Progrès Grund, FC The Belval Belvaux wins promotion to Division 1 (level 2).
1950 / Finishing in third-last place in Division 1, FC The Belval Belvaux drops back into Promotion (level 3) after just one season, along with FC Progrès Grund, SC Bettembourg, and bottom club FC Jeunesse 07 Kayl.
1951 / Runners-up in Promotion , 3 points behind champions AS Differdange, FC The Belval Belvaux manages an immediate return to Division 1 alongside the aforementioned club as well as AS Schifflange.
1954 / FC The Belval Belvaux finishes as runners-up in Division 1 Group 2, 9 points behind champions CS Alliance Dudelange.
1957 / Runners-up in Division 1 Group 1, 9 points behind champions FC US Dudelange, FC The Belval Belvaux is placed in Promotion d’Honneur, the newly created second level of the Grand-Duchy’s league pyramid.
1960 / Finishing in third place in Promotion d’Honneur, FC The Belval Belvaux gets the opportunity to compete for an extra promotion place following the exclusion of CS Alliance Dudelange from the National Division (level 1) due to disciplinary reasons. Taking on the club in second-last place in National Division, CS Fola Esch, in a tie-breaker, The Belval draws the first match 1-1 (A.E.T.) – and a second match ends with the exact same result. Eventually, in a third encounter, Fola establishes its hegemony (6-1) – with The Belval thus missing out on a historic promotion. Also in or around 1960, The Belval’s star player Joseph Kunnert earns himself a transfer to top flight club FC Aris Bonnevoie; Kunnert would go on to win caps for Luxembourg’s national team.
1962 / Coached by Raymond Ceccotto, FC The Belval Belvaux finishes as runners-up in Promotion d’Honneur, with an equal number of points as champions FC Avenir Beggen, but with an inferior goal difference (+27 vs. +44); a tie-break match for the title ends in a 2-2 draw, resulting in Beggen being accorded the title once and for all. This result is academic, because both teams are promoted to the National Division directly. For The Belval, this entails a return to the top flight of Luxembourg’s football pyramid for the first time since the early 1910s. Moreover, the club from Belvaux reaches the quarterfinals of Luxembourg’s Cup for the first time, being eliminated in that round by Union Luxembourg (7-0).
1963 / Finishing bottom of the table in National Division with just 6 points (2 wins and 2 draws), FC The Belval Belvaux drops back into Promotion d’Honneur (level 2) after one season only, along with the club in second-last place, CS Fola Esch. The Belval has not managed a return to the top flight of Luxembourgian football since.
1965 / Finishing bottom of the table in Promotion d’Honneur, FC The Belval Belvaux descends into Division 1 (level 3) along with the club in second-last position, CS Oberkorn.
1966 / Finishing in third-last place in Division 1, FC The Belval Belvaux suffers back-to-back relegations, descending into Division 2 (level 4) along with FC Claravallis Clervaux, AS Differdange, and bottom club AS Schifflange.
1967 / Champions in Division 2 Group 2, 3 points ahead of closest rivals AS Schifflange, FC The Belval Belvaux manages an immediate return to Division 1 (level 3).
1968 / Reaching the quarterfinals of the Luxembourg Cup for the second time in club history, FC The Belval Belvaux is knocked out at that stage by National Division side US Rumelange (4-0).
1973 / Finishing in eleventh place in Division 1, FC The Belval Belvaux drops back into Division 2 along with FC Swift Hesperange, FC Sporting Steinfort, and bottom club FC Arminia Weidingen.
1979 / Champions in Division 2 Group 4, 3 points ahead of runners-up US Esch, FC The Belval Belvaux manages to retrace its steps to Division 1 (level 3) after six seasons.
1981 / Finishing bottom of the table in Division 1 Group 2, FC The Belval Belvaux is retrograded to Division 2 along with US Mondorf-les-Bains.
1983 / Champions in Division 2 Group 4, 3 points ahead of closest followers FC Tricolore Gasperich, FC The Belval Belvaux wins promotion to Division 1 (level 3).
1985 / Finishing in second-last place in Division 1 Group 2, FC The Belval Belvaux descends into Division 2 (level 4) along with bottom club FC Tricolore Gasperich.
1986 / Runners-up in Division 2 Group 3, 4 points behind champions SC Tétange, FC The Belval Belvaux manages an immediate return to Division 1 (level 3).
1991 / Champions in Division 1 Group 2, with an equal number of points as runners-up FC Mondercange, but with one goal more to its credit (32 vs. 31, goal difference equal at +9!), FC The Belval Belvaux wins promotion to Promotion d’Honneur (level 2) along with the aforementioned club, entailing a return to that level after an absence of 26 years.
1993 / Finishing bottom of the table in the regular Promotion d’Honneur season, FC The Belval Belvaux goes on to finish in second-last place in Relegation Group A, thus dropping back into Division 1 (level 3) along with bottom finishers FC Olympique Eischen.
1994 / Finishing in third-last place in Division 1 Group 2, FC The Belval Belvaux is retrograded into Division 2 (level 4) along with FC Jeunesse Biwer and bottom club FC Old Boys Consdorf.
1996 / Runners-up in Division 2 Group 4, 6 points behind champions US Mondorf-les-Bains, FC The Belval Belvaux qualifies for the promotion play-offs, in which the club finishes top in a group of four, thus winning promotion to Division 1 (level 3) along with runners-up FC Atert Bissen, at the expense of US Rambrouch and FC Jeunesse Biwer.
1999 / Finishing in third-last place in Division 1 Group 2, FC The Belval Belvaux drops back into Division 2 (level 4) after three years, along with FC ES Clemency and bottom club US Esch.
2000 / Runners-up in Division 2 Group 3, 4 points behind champions AS Differdange, FC The Belval Belvaux manages an immediate return to Division 1 (level 3).
2004 / Finishing in second-last place in Division 1 Group 2, FC The Belval Belvaux drops back into Division 2 (level 4) after four years, along with FC Blue Boys Muhlenbach and bottom club CS Hobscheid.
2005 / Runners-up in Division 2 Group 3, 4 points behind champions FC Red Star Merl-Belair, FC The Belval Belvaux manages an immediate return to Division 1 (level 3).
2006 / Finishing second from bottom in Division 1 Group 2, FC The Belval Belvaux drops back into Division 2 (level 4) immediately, along with FC Red Star Merl-Belair and bottom side FC Tricolore Gasperich.
2008 / The pitch of Terrain ‘Bei der Schoul’ – mostly referred to simply as Stade The Belval – is laid out anew with a synthetic surface; a logical move, given that FC The Belval Belvaux disposes of one pitch only.
2009 / Finishing in third-last place in Division 2 Group 2, FC The Belval Belvaux goes on to stave off relegation in a promotion-relegation play-off against FC Luna Oberkorn after a penalty shoot-out (3-3 A.E.T.); thus, the club avoids an unprecedented relegation to Division 3, the fifth and lowest level of Luxembourg’s league pyramid. In the summer of 2009, The Belval signs former FC La Jeunesse d’Esch and Luxembourg international striker, 36-year-old Paolo Amodio, who joins the club from FC Differdange 03. Amodio would stay in Belvaux for two seasons, hanging up his boots in 2011.
2010 / Runners-up in Division 2 Group 2, with an equal number of points as champions FC Schifflange 95, but with an inferior goal difference (+28 vs +34), FC The Belval Belvaux wins promotion to Division 1 (level 3) along with the aforementioned club and US Esch.
2012 / For the first time in club history, FC The Belval Belvaux conquers a tangible piece of silverware, winning the Coupe FLF, the cup competition for clubs in the lowest three divisions of Luxembourg’s league pyramid. In the final, The Belval has the better of FC ES Clemency (1-0).
2013 / Finishing in third-last place in Division 1 Group 2, FC The Belval Belvaux goes on to suffer defeat in a promotion-relegation play-off against AS Wincrange following a penalty shoot-out (1-1 A.E.T.). As such, the club drops back into Division 2 (level 4) along with FC Munsbach and bottom side DC Echternach.
2015 / Finishing in third place in Division 2 Group 2, FC The Belval Belvaux goes on to defeat SC Steinfort in a promotion-relegation play-off (3-1), resulting in the club acceding to Division 1 (level 3) along with champions FC Munsbach and runners-up DC Echternach.
2018 / Finishing in third-last place in Division 1 Group 2, FC The Belval Belvaux fails to stave off relegation in a play-off against US Berdorf-Consdorf (2-1 A.E.T.). As such, the club drops back into Division 2 (level 4) after three years, along with FC Jeunesse Biwer and bottom club FC Avenir Beggen.
2022 / Champions in Division 2 Group 2, 2 points ahead of closest rivals FC Schengen, FC The Belval Belvaux wins promotion to Division 1 (level 3) along with the aforementioned club and play-off winners FC Red Star Merl-Belair. In the summer of 2022, The Belval signs former FC Differdange 03 and Luxembourg international midfielder, 33-year-old Michel Kettenmayer, from UN Käerjéng 97. Kettenmayer would stay with the club for one season only, giving up competitive football in 2023.
2023 / FC The Belval Belvaux signs 35-year-old Nigerien international striker Moussa Maâzou (55 caps for his country). Maâzou has a rather colourful career behind him, with spells at – among other clubs – KSC Lokeren Oost-Vlaanderen, CSKA Moskva, AS Monaco, FC Girondins de Bordeaux, SV Zulte Waregem, Vitória Guimarães, AC Ajaccio, RC Lens, and FC La Jeunesse d’Esch. In the end, Maâzou would stay in Belvaux for one season only, managing 5 goals in 12 matches.
2025 / Champions in Division 1 Group 2, 5 points ahead of closest followers FC Syra Mensdorf, FC The Belval Belvaux wins promotion to Promotion d’Honneur (level 2) – entailing a return to that level after an absence of 32 years.

Note 1 – Part of the information above has been derived from a book published on the occasion of the 100th anniversary of the club: “100 Joer FC The Belval Bieles”, by Simone Asselborn-Bintz / Nicolas Block / Raymond Conter / Henri Dondelinger / Roland Fritsch / Marc Olinger / Alex Reuter / Jean-Pierre Schlesser, ed. Heintz: Pétange 2008

Note 2 – On my match visit in October 2025, the match ball was offered by 86-year-old Arthur Reuter (cp. pictures 6-7 & 9 below). Mr Reuter was part of the only team in the history of FC The Belval Belvaux which played in the top flight of Luxembourg football (1962-63) – and in fact the last survivor of this team by 2025. Apart from his merits as a player, Mr Reuter served FC The Belval Belvaux in various other capacities, notably as a youth academy coach and as a stadium speaker

Note 3 – Below, a compilation of photos of two different visits: pictures 1-4 & 6-26 = match visit, October 2025 / picture 5 = non-matchday visit, March 2011. Picture 22 courtesy of Anneke te Boekhorst