Ľubomír Moravčík facts for kids
Moravcik (right) at the John Kennedy testimonial match in 2011
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| Personal information | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Date of birth | 22 June 1965 | ||
| Place of birth | Nitra, Czechoslovakia | ||
| Height | 1.72 m (5 ft 8 in) | ||
| Position(s) | Midfielder | ||
| Team information | |||
|
Current team
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Slovakia (vice-president) | ||
| Youth career | |||
| Nitra | |||
| Senior career* | |||
| Years | Team | Apps | (Gls) |
| 1983–1990 | Nitra | 119 | (30) |
| 1990–1996 | Saint-Étienne | 197 | (31) |
| 1996–1998 | Bastia | 33 | (8) |
| 1998 | MSV Duisburg | 5 | (0) |
| 1998–2002 | Celtic | 94 | (29) |
| 2002 | JEF United Ichihara | 2 | (0) |
| 2003–2004 | Nitra | ||
| Total | 432 | (98) | |
| International career | |||
| 1987–1993 | Czechoslovakia | 42 | (7) |
| 1994–2000 | Slovakia | 38 | (6) |
| Managerial career | |||
| 2004–2005 | Ružomberok | ||
| 2005–2008 | Slovakia U16 | ||
| 2008 | Zlaté Moravce | ||
| 2016–2017 | ŠKF Sereď (assistant) | ||
| 2017 | Zvolen (assistant) | ||
| *Club domestic league appearances and goals | |||
Ľubomír Moravčík (born on June 22, 1965) is a Slovak football manager and a former player. He was a creative midfielder known for his amazing skills. He could shoot powerfully and accurately, and pass the ball perfectly with both feet.
Moravčík played for teams in Czechoslovakia, Slovakia, France, Germany, Japan, and Scotland. While playing for the Scottish club Celtic, he played 129 games and scored 35 goals. He helped Celtic win two Scottish Premier League titles.
He also played for his country, representing Czechoslovakia (42 games, 7 goals) and later Slovakia (38 games, 6 goals). He was part of the Czechoslovak team that played in the 1990 FIFA World Cup.
Contents
Playing Career Highlights
Starting Out in Football
Moravčík started his football journey at Plastika Nitra in Czechoslovakia. He played his first league game on October 16, 1983. He was part of a very successful group of young players at Nitra.
He played over 170 games for Nitra before moving to France in 1990. He joined Saint-Étienne, where he played more than 230 matches. Later, he played for Bastia in France and then MSV Duisburg in Germany.
Time at Celtic
On October 27, 1998, Moravčík joined Scottish Premier League team Celtic. He cost £330,000 to transfer. He joined up with Jozef Vengloš, who was Celtic's manager at the time.
Even though he was 33 years old, Moravčík quickly became a fan favorite at Celtic. He formed a great partnership with fellow player Henrik Larsson.
Moravčík played his first league game for Celtic on November 7, 1998. It was a big 6–1 win against Dundee United. On November 21, 1998, he scored his first two goals against their big rivals, Rangers. Celtic won that game 5–1, which was a very memorable match.
Moravčík played for Celtic for four seasons. During this time, he won two Scottish league titles, one Scottish Cup, and two Scottish League Cups. Many of his teammates, like Larsson and Chris Sutton, have said he was one of the best players they ever played with. They often talked about his amazing ability to use both feet.
Moravčík himself said that his time at Celtic was his "most special time." He felt that Celtic was a "gift from God" to him. His last game for Celtic was on April 21, 2002. It was a 1–1 draw against Rangers.
Moving to Japan and Retirement
After leaving Celtic, Moravčík joined JEF United Ichihara in Japan's J-League. He joined up with Jozef Vengloš again, who had first brought him to Celtic.
However, Moravčík only played three games for JEF United Ichihara. He suffered an ankle injury and could not recover. Because of this injury, he announced his retirement from football on September 6, 2002.
International Football
Moravčík played a total of 80 games for his national teams between 1987 and 2000. He played for Czechoslovakia and later for Slovakia.
He played his first game for Czechoslovakia on November 11, 1987. It was a friendly match against Wales, which Czechoslovakia won 2–0. He scored his first goal in a 3–0 win against Switzerland during the qualifiers for the 1990 FIFA World Cup.
Moravčík played in the 1990 FIFA World Cup in Italy. His debut for the new Slovak team was on March 30, 1994. It was a 2–1 friendly win against Malta.
Life After Playing Football
After retiring as a player, Moravčík became a coach. He started by coaching the Slovak national U-17 team. Later, he became the coach of FC ViOn Zlaté Moravce, a team in Slovakia's top league.
He is also the vice-president of the Slovak Football Association. He has also worked as an assistant coach for ŠKF Sereď.
Playing Style
Moravčík was known for being a great free kick taker. He was also famous for being able to use both his left and right feet equally well. Many people, including his former teammate Henrik Larsson, said they couldn't tell if he was right-footed or left-footed. This made him very hard to play against.
See also
In Spanish: Ľubomír Moravčík para niños
