Monograph: Club Brugge — Football Case Study

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MONOGRAPH*

CLUB BRUGGE KV

Words and Photography by Raffael Manders
November 9, 2025

When I started working for Club Brugge, my football knowledge was practically non-existent.

Actually, I grew up in the beautiful city of Bruge trying to avoid football altogether; but the universe had other plans, and I’m glad it did.

Through my father, I occasionally watched matches from the Netherlands, but in Belgium, I was always a bit of an outsider when it came to football, even though it’s almost impossible not to notice the impact this club has on the city and its people. This energy and passion surrounding football in Belgium intrigued me, and ultimately inspired me to join the team to learn the ins and outs of this club and sport that unites so many.

The adjustment period at the club was challenging when I first joined during the Covid-19 period. I was the new kid on the block, so like most newcomers, I started out with the typical tasks nobody was eager to do. It was a learning process staying consistent and proving my reliability while slowly finding ways to build trust within the team.

Then came the opportunity to photograph a training session. This training was the first time I came into close contact with the players and staff; and instantly, I was hooked. Watching how the players pushed their bodies to the limit every day to perform at their best was truly inspiring, and it made me want to document everything I saw: the good, the bad, the sweat, the injuries. As I grew closer to the team, I watched the players give their all in training and then carry that same energy into the matches. It was beautiful to see.

But over time, as I got closer to the club, the losses started to feel more personal. At Club Brugge, the expectation is to dominate, to win every game. You could feel the weight of that pressure on the players as the season went on: every loss felt like one too many. It showed me both the beauty of the game and the hardships that come with being part of the number one team in Belgium.

There were many factors that set me up for success at this beginning stage, but one thing I’ll never forget is what my boss told me back then: “You’re a diamond in the rough, and it’s my job to make you shine.” Those words, as well as the trust he placed in me despite my inexperience, have stayed with me ever since.

From this point on, the learning process truly began both for the club and for me, and before I knew it, it wasn’t just a job anymore, it had become a lifestyle. And to truly document that lifestyle, I needed to be as close as possible, as often as possible.

Before I arrived, there wasn’t really a dedicated club photographer; most of the match photos came from a news agency. In that system, I saw an opportunity.

Why only show players kicking a ball on the pitch? Why not capture everything around it: the fans screaming, people braving every type of weather, the stadium filled to the brim with energy and emotion?

With that vision in mind, I was given the chance to shoot my first match. It was our last home game of the season, with perfect sunny weather. The club had organized its traditional event to thank the fans for their support throughout the year. That’s when I truly experienced the mentality of the fans, the people who live and breathe this club. Families bringing their kids to see their favorite players, elderly supporters who have been coming together for decades. For someone like me who was still quite new at the time, it was amazing to witness what these football matches mean to the community.

The more I learned about the club, the more I grew and the clearer my vision and style became. I traveled with the team to every away game, meeting the same die-hard fans wherever we went. I documented inspiring initiatives for our foundation and witnessed countless moments that showed what this club truly means to people.

At some point, it became impossible not to love football.

Everything came full circle when fans started recognizing me and going out of their way to tell me how much they appreciated my work. Now, I see my photos used as wallpapers on people’s phones, shared by fan accounts on social media, and even hanging in our museum.

This is why I love my job, knowing that I’m the one documenting this club’s story for generations to come, while hopefully inspiring people who, like me, never expected to fall in love with football.

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