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Thomas Buffel (; born 19 February 1981) is a Belgian professional football coach and a former player who played as an attacking midfielder or forward. He is the manager of Jong Genk in Challenger Pro League. He represented the Belgium national team at international level.
Buffel played for the Dutch team Feyenoord in the 1999–2000 season, before moving to their feeder team Excelsior Rotterdam from 2000 to 2002. He returned to Feyenoord for the 2002–03 Eredivisie season. He reportedly fell out with then-manager Ruud Gullit in the next season "after refusing to sign a new contract".
Buffel featured in the Champions League and helped Rangers reach the last 16 of the tournament, where they lost to Villarreal CF 3–3 on aggregate and were knocked out on away goals rule. Across all competitions, he scored seven goals in 38 appearances during the 2005–2006 season mostly playing in the midfield.
In the 2007 January transfer window, German club Hannover 96 expressed an interest in him, with Rangers manager Walter Smith saying Buffel was free to leave. However, the deal fell through when Buffel was unable to agree personal terms with the Bundesliga side. It was announced on 9 February 2007 that Buffel would undergo surgery on a long-term knee injury and would not take any further part in the 2006–07 season. He returned to action on 26 September as a substitute in a Scottish League Cup tie against East Fife. He would go on to make just five appearances in all competitions in his final season at Rangers.
In the 2010–11 season he won the Belgian league title with Genk.
His contract was not renewed at the end of the 2017–18 season.
Buffel retired at the end of the 2018–19 season. Afscheid van Thomas Buffel zal hem nog lang heugen: compleet bestickerde auto, bloem en rode haarkleur, gva.be, 16 May 2019
On 3 February 2021, Buffel was also hired as an assistant manager for former club Cercle Brugge under newly appointed manager Yves Vanderhaeghe, next to his job at the national team. Officieel: Yves Vanderhaeghe is de nieuwe trainer van Cercle Brugge, Thomas Buffel wordt assistent, voetbalkrant.com, 3 February 2020 However, on 5 October 2021, Buffel decided to leave the position, as he was going to start his Pro License course and he therefore no longer could combine his two jobs. Cercle Brugge neemt afscheid van assistent-coach Thomas Buffel, sporza.be, 5 October 2021
On 18 June 2024, Buffel was hired as head coach of Jong Genk, the reserve team of Genk that plays in the second-tier Challenger Pro League.
| + Appearances and goals by club, season and competition | ||||
| Excelsior (loan) | 2000–01 | Eerste Divisie | 12 | |
| 2001–02 | 15 | |||
| Feyenoord | 2002–03 | Eredivisie | 18 | |
| 2003–04 | 17 | |||
| 2004–05 | 2 | |||
| Rangers | 2004–05 | Scottish Premier League | 4 | |
| 2005–06 | 5 | |||
| 2006–07 | 4 | |||
| 2007–08 | 0 | |||
| Cercle Brugge | 2008–09 | Belgian First Division | 3 | |
| 2009–10 | Belgian Pro League | 5 | ||
| Genk | 2009–10 | Belgian Pro League | 7 | |
| 2010–11 | 1 | |||
| 2011–12 | 9 | |||
| 2012–13 | 7 | |||
| 2013–14 | 7 | |||
| 2014–15 | 6 | |||
| 2015–16 | 10 | |||
| 2016–17 | Belgian First Division A | 8 | ||
| 2017–18 | 4 | |||
| Cercle Brugge | 2018–19 | Belgian First Division A | 4 | |
| + List of international goals scored by Thomas Buffel |
| Friendly |
| Euro 2004 Qualification |
| Friendly |
| 2–1 |
| 2006 World Cup Qualification |
| 2006 World Cup Qualification |
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