Mermans was an imposing figure. A man with presence both on and off the field. He is considered the man who made Anderlecht big. He had both a great header and a hard, well-placed shot. He scored often and many. His nickname was ‘the bombardier’ for a reason. A man of simplicity: control the ball and shoot. He was born too early really, in an era without much national team football. He played one match at the 1954 World Cup but, without a doubt, belongs among the best players in Belgian history.