Polleunis was an attacking midfielder at Sint-Truiden and RWDM, with beautiful technique, a wonderful kick and sublime pass. He won the Golden Boot in 1968 while at STVV. He also made his Red Devils debut that year in a 1-2 victory in The Netherlands, where he scored after only ten minutes. He would go on to score ten goals for the national team. He played in both the 1970 World Cup and the European Championship in 1972.