stated on several occasions that the Belgian was one of the best players, if not the best, he had ever played with. International career Nilis played 56 times for the Belgium national team, scoring 10 times. A prolific goalscorer with his clubs, he scored his first goal for Belgium only on his 24th cap (a 9–0 win against Zambia). Nilis played in the FIFA World Cups in 1994 and 1998. Qualification for the latter was sealed with Nilis' goals in each leg of Belgium's playoff against the Irish Republic. Nilis dropped out of international football after the 1998 Finals, reportedly in response to an "unhealthy atmosphere within the squad and their lack of achievement". However, with control of the Belgian national side having changed, Nilis returned to the international fold in November 1999, in time for Euro 2000, co-hosted by his birth-country Belgium and the Netherlands. Coaching career After his playing career Beringen-Heusden-Zolder were his next port of call, becoming technical director in 2005, not long before the club's liquidation after financial difficulties. Nilis took a job with PSV, first as a scout and then training the club's forwards. In January 2011, Nilis became assistant manager with Turkish club Kasımpaşa S.K., followed by another assistant manager stint with Gençlerbirliği S.K., also in Turkey. In April 2015 he was re-hired by PSV as a striker coach. In August 2021, Nilis became the head coach of Belgian Division 2 club Belisia Bilzen, which had been founded earlier that year from a merger between Spouwen-Mopertingen and Bilzerse Waltwilder. It was his first assignment as head coach. In the round of 16 of the Belgian Cup, Belisia were drawn against Gent. At the end of October 2021, they lost that cup match 4–0. In addition to his position as manager of Belisia Bilzen, Nilis was also hired as striker trainer at the Talent Academy of KRC Genk on 10 March 2022. Personal life Nilis's father, Roger (1938–2011), played as a professional footballer in Belgium in the 1960s. Career statistics Club International Scores and results list Belgium's goal tally first, score column indicates score after each Nilis goal. Honours Anderlecht Belgian First Division: 1986–87, 1990–91, 1992–93, 1993–94 Belgian Cup: 1988–89, 1989–90, 1993–94 Belgian Supercup: 1987, 1993 European Cup Winners' Cup runner-up: 1989–90 Bruges Matins: 1988 PSV Eredivisie: 1996–97, 1999–2000 KNVB Cup: 1995–96; runner-up:1997–98 Johan Cruyff Shield: 1996, 1997, 1998 Individual Belgian Bronze Shoe: 1990, 1991