Bruno Metsu facts for kids
Metsu in 2012
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| Personal information | ||||||||||||||||
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| Full name | Bruno Jean Cornil Metsu | |||||||||||||||
| Date of birth | 28 January 1954 | |||||||||||||||
| Place of birth | Coudekerque-Branche, France | |||||||||||||||
| Date of death | 15 October 2013 (aged 59) | |||||||||||||||
| Place of death | Coudekerque-Branche, France | |||||||||||||||
| Height | 1.79 m | |||||||||||||||
| Playing position | Midfielder | |||||||||||||||
| Youth career | ||||||||||||||||
| 1969–1970 | Hazebrouck | |||||||||||||||
| 1970–1973 | Anderlecht | |||||||||||||||
| Senior career* | ||||||||||||||||
| Years | Team | Apps† | (Gls)† | |||||||||||||
| 1973–1974 | Dunkerque | 27 | (1) | |||||||||||||
| 1974–1975 | Hazebrouck | 34 | (6) | |||||||||||||
| 1975–1979 | Valenciennes | 119 | (13) | |||||||||||||
| 1979–1981 | Lille | 57 | (3) | |||||||||||||
| 1981–1983 | Nice | 64 | (5) | |||||||||||||
| 1983–1984 | Roubaix | 20 | (0) | |||||||||||||
| 1984–1987 | Beauvais | |||||||||||||||
| Teams managed | ||||||||||||||||
| 1987–1988 | Beauvais (youth team) | |||||||||||||||
| 1988–1992 | Beauvais | |||||||||||||||
| 1992–1993 | Lille | |||||||||||||||
| 1993–1994 | Valenciennes | |||||||||||||||
| 1995–1998 | Sedan | |||||||||||||||
| 1998–1999 | Valence | |||||||||||||||
| 2000 | Guinea | |||||||||||||||
| 2000–2002 | Senegal | |||||||||||||||
| 2002–2004 | Al Ain | |||||||||||||||
| 2004–2006 | Al-Gharafa | |||||||||||||||
| 2006 | Al-Ittihad | |||||||||||||||
| 2006–2008 | United Arab Emirates | |||||||||||||||
| 2008–2011 | Qatar | |||||||||||||||
| 2011–2012 | Al-Gharafa | |||||||||||||||
| 2012 | Al Wasl | |||||||||||||||
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Honours
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Bruno Jean Cornil Metsu (born January 28, 1954 – died October 15, 2013) was a famous French footballer and football manager. He played for seven different clubs in France during his career from 1973 to 1987. After that, he became a manager, leading nine clubs in France and the Arab Gulf region. He also coached the national teams of Guinea, Senegal, United Arab Emirates, and Qatar. Bruno Metsu is best known for coaching the Senegal team to the quarter-finals of the 2002 FIFA World Cup. This included a surprising win against the defending champions, France, in the very first match of the tournament.
Contents
Bruno Metsu's Football Journey
Playing Football
Before becoming a professional footballer, young Bruno Metsu worked as a delivery person at the docks in Dunkirk. He played as an attacking midfielder. Most of his playing career, both as a youth and a senior player, was in France. He spent three years as a youth player in Belgium with Anderlecht.
For 14 years, from 1973 to 1987, he played for French clubs. He played in 366 matches in France's top two leagues and 28 cup matches. He scored 30 goals in league games and 2 goals in cup games. While playing for Lille, Metsu played 63 matches and scored 3 goals. His best time as a player was with Valenciennes from 1975 to 1979. There, he scored 14 goals in 134 matches. After his first season with Beauvais in 1984–85, his team moved up to a higher league.
Becoming a Manager in France
Bruno Metsu spent over ten years managing five different clubs in France. This was before he started coaching teams in other countries in the year 2000.
After he stopped playing for Beauvais in 1987, Metsu became the youth team manager for the same club. In 1988, he led the Beauvais youth team to second place in a competition called the Coupe Gambardella. From 1988 to 1992, he managed Beauvais's main team. During this time, the team played in France's second division. In the 1988–1989 season, his team reached the quarter-finals of the Coupe de France for the first time ever.
On July 1, 1992, Metsu became the manager of the top-division club Lille when he was 38 years old. He was let go on February 28, 1993, because the team had only won 5 of its first 27 matches that season.
Metsu then managed Valenciennes for a year. After that, he coached Sedan from 1995 to 1998 and Valence from 1998 to 1999. In 2000, he successfully applied to become the manager of the Guinea national football team.
Coaching in Africa
Guinea National Team
In 2000, Metsu became a national team manager for the first time, taking charge of the Guinea national football team. He signed a simple contract. Metsu found some challenges in Guinea, like poor facilities and problems with the football association. However, he said that African players made him feel excited about football again. After less than a year, Metsu left Guinea to become the manager of the Senegal national football team.
Senegal National Team
When Metsu arrived in Senegal in 2000, he worked to inspire the "Lions of Teranga," which is the nickname for the Senegalese national football team. He wanted them to play better football. He brought back players who had been left out of the team. He didn't manage with strict rules, but instead brought the players together. He made them believe they could achieve something special.
Metsu's calm and inspiring coaching style quickly improved the team. He led Senegal to their first-ever final in the 2002 Africa Cup of Nations in Mali. Even though they lost to Cameroon in a penalty shootout, Metsu and his team were welcomed like heroes when they returned to Dakar. The local newspapers called him "The White Sorcerer."
Metsu also guided Senegal to qualify for the 2002 FIFA World Cup finals for the first time in their history. Many people expected them to finish last in their group, which included strong teams like Denmark, Uruguay, and the 1998 champions, France.
When the 2002 World Cup began, most of Senegal's players played for French clubs. Some French players and other famous players didn't think Senegal would do well. Before the opening match against France, Metsu used these comments to motivate his players. He showed them videos of France's weaknesses. Senegal then surprised everyone by beating the world and European champions 1–0. Papa Bouba Diop scored the only goal. The French team manager, Roger Lemerre, admitted that Senegal played better. Metsu later said that when he told his team that Pelé thought they were the weakest team, he saw a "revolt in their eyes," and he knew they would "fight like lions."
Metsu's team then drew their other group matches, 1–1 with Denmark and 3–3 with Uruguay. Senegal finished second in their group and moved on to the Round of 16. In this round, they beat Sweden 2–1 after extra time. Henri Camara scored both goals, including a "golden goal" in the 104th minute. This made Senegal the first African team to reach the quarter-finals since Cameroon in 1990. Senegal's journey ended in the quarter-finals, where they lost 1–0 to Turkey after another "golden goal."
After Senegal beat France, the Senegalese president declared a national holiday. When the team returned to Dakar after the World Cup, they received a hero's welcome. Metsu's connection to Senegal grew stronger when he married a Muslim woman named Viviane Dièye Metsu. After he converted to Islam, he was sometimes called Abdulkarim Metsu.
Metsu was seen in Senegal as a coach who taught the team to be brave and never give up. This spirit also inspired younger players and other clubs in the country. Metsu brought a new energy that helped Senegal's football grow. He left his job as Senegal's manager in 2002 due to disagreements with football officials. He said he learned a lot about life and coaching in Africa.
Coaching in the Persian Gulf Region
Metsu's success with Senegal led him to the United Arab Emirates. In August 2002, he became the head coach of Al Ain, a top club owned by the ruler of Abu Dhabi. He led the club to win the 2002–03 AFC Champions League, their first title in that competition. They also won the UAE Football League in the same year. Al Ain won the league again in 2004.
Al-Gharafa (First Time)
In July 2004, Metsu moved to the Qatari club Al-Gharafa. In 2005, he coached his new team to win the 2004–05 Qatar Stars League title in his first season. They won by a large margin. He also led his team to win the 2005–2006 Sheikh Jassem Cup. He left the club in April 2006.
Al-Ittihad
Next, Metsu had a short time in Saudi Arabia in 2006. He coached Al-Ittihad, a team that had won the league six times. He helped the club finish third in the league.
United Arab Emirates National Team
Metsu returned to the UAE in 2006 to manage the United Arab Emirates national football team. He led his team to win the 2007 Gulf Cup of Nations in front of a full stadium in Abu Dhabi. This was the country's first Gulf Cup win.
The UAE team did not do well in the 2007 AFC Asian Cup. Metsu resigned from his job on September 22, 2008, after the UAE lost their first two matches in the World Cup qualifiers.
Qatar National Team
On September 25, 2008, Metsu went back to Qatar to manage the Qatar national football team. Qatar hosted the 2011 AFC Asian Cup in January 2011. In that tournament, Qatar finished second in their group. They were beaten 3–2 by Japan in the quarter-finals. Because of this, Metsu was let go in February 2011.
Al-Gharafa (Second Time)
Metsu quickly found a new job. In March 2011, he was appointed manager of Al-Gharafa again. He had led them to win the Qatar Stars League in 2005. His club won the 2011 Qatar Crown Prince Cup in April 2011. However, Metsu was let go on March 15, 2012, due to poor results.
Al Wasl
On July 12, 2012, Metsu was named the new head coach of Al Wasl FC, replacing Diego Maradona. On October 26, 2012, he resigned from Al Wasl after being hospitalized in Dubai.
Health Challenges and Passing
In October 2012, Bruno Metsu was diagnosed with colon cancer. The cancer had already spread to his lungs and liver. Doctors told him the cancer was very advanced. He received chemotherapy treatment. He spent his last few months fighting the cancer in his hometown in northern France. Bruno Metsu passed away on October 15, 2013, at a clinic in Coudekerque-Branche. He was survived by his wife, Viviane Dièye Metsu, and their three children, Enzo, Noah, and Maeva, as well as a son, Rémy, from his first marriage.
Tributes and Legacy
Many people shared their sadness and respect for Bruno Metsu after he passed away. Claude Le Roy, a French football manager and close friend of Metsu, said Metsu "fought like a lion." He remembered Metsu's "magnificent smile and his love of life."
The French Football Federation said Metsu was "a man and a coach who successfully shared the values of French football." The French minister of sports praised his determination and strength. She called him an "indefatigable globe-trotter of football who always pushed others to go beyond their limits."
Souleymane Camara, a Senegalese player who was part of the 2002 World Cup team, said Metsu was "more than a coach, he was a big brother to us." He remembered Metsu's inspiring speech before the France-Senegal match, saying, "He managed to motivate us so much that we could not lose."
Senegalese President Macky Sall said that Metsu "had given Senegalese football its finest hours" by leading the team to the 2002 Africa Cup of Nations final and the 2002 World Cup quarter-finals. Augustin Senghor, the president of the Senegalese Football Federation, said Metsu's death was "a great loss for Senegal." He added that Metsu made history for all of Senegal.
Some Vietnamese football fans were also thankful to Metsu. His team, the UAE, helped Vietnam qualify for the knockout stage of the 2007 AFC Asian Cup for the first time.
Funeral Services
On October 18, 2013, the French city of Dunkirk held a public ceremony to honor Metsu. About 400 people attended, including his wife and sister, Senegal's ambassador to France, and the Mayor of Dunkirk.
On October 21, 2013, Bruno Metsu had an Islamic funeral in Dakar, the capital of Senegal. His wife, children, Senegalese President Macky Sall, and many famous Senegalese footballers attended. Metsu's coffin was covered with the Senegalese flag and the green flag of Islam. During the funeral, President Sall called Metsu "a model of humanity and virtue" and a "hero among Senegalese heroes." Metsu was later buried in the Muslim cemetery of Yoff.
Achievements as a Manager
Club Titles
Al-Ain
- UAE Football League: 2002–03, 2003–04
- UAE Super Cup: 2003
- AFC Champions League: 2002–03
Al-Gharafa
- Qatar Stars League: 2004–05
- Sheikh Jassem Cup: 2005–06
- Qatar Crown Prince Cup: 2011
- Emir of Qatar Cup runner-up: 2006, 2011
International Team Titles
Senegal
- African Cup of Nations runner-up: 2002
United Arab Emirates
- Gulf Cup of Nations: 2007
Images for kids
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Metsu in 2012
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Metsu managing Al-Gharafa in 2011.
See also
In Spanish: Bruno Metsu para niños
