Ernst Happel facts for kids
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Happel in a commemorative banner
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| Personal information | |||||||||||||||||||||||||
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| Full name | Ernst Franz Hermann Happel | ||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Date of birth | 29 November 1925 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Place of birth | Vienna, Austria | ||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Date of death | 14 November 1992 (aged 66) | ||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Place of death | Innsbruck, Austria | ||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Height | 1.78 m (5 ft 10 in) | ||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Playing position | Defender | ||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Youth career | |||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 1938–1942 | Rapid Wien | ||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Senior career* | |||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Years | Team | Apps† | (Gls)† | ||||||||||||||||||||||
| 1942–1954 | Rapid Wien | 177 | (8) | ||||||||||||||||||||||
| 1955–1956 | RC Paris | 42 | (9) | ||||||||||||||||||||||
| 1956–1959 | Rapid Wien | 63 | (17) | ||||||||||||||||||||||
| Total | 282 | (34) | |||||||||||||||||||||||
| National team | |||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 1947–1958 | Austria | 51 | (5) | ||||||||||||||||||||||
| Teams managed | |||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 1962–1969 | ADO Den Haag | ||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 1967 | San Francisco Gales | ||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 1969–1973 | Feijenoord | ||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 1973–1974 | Sevilla | ||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 1974–1978 | Club Brugge | ||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 1977–1978 | Netherlands | ||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 1979 | Harelbeke | ||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 1979–1981 | Standard Liège | ||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 1981–1987 | Hamburger SV | ||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 1987–1991 | Swarovski Tirol | ||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 1992 | Austria | ||||||||||||||||||||||||
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Honours
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Ernst Franz Hermann Happel (born November 29, 1925 – died November 14, 1992) was a famous Austrian football player and manager. He is known as one of the greatest football managers of all time.
Happel won many league titles and domestic cups in different countries like the Netherlands, Belgium, West Germany, and Austria. He also won the top European club competition, the European Cup, twice. He led Feyenoord to victory in 1970 and Hamburger SV in 1983.
He also guided Club Brugge to the European Cup final in 1978. In the same year, he led the Netherlands national team to the final of the 1978 FIFA World Cup, where they finished second. Happel was the first manager to win the European Cup with two different clubs.
Contents
Ernst Happel's Playing Career
Playing for Clubs
Ernst Happel began his professional football journey at Rapid Wien in Austria. He was only 17 years old when he played his first game for the team. He was a strong defender.
He played for Rapid Wien for 14 years, from 1943 to 1954, and again from 1956 to 1959. During this time, he helped Rapid Wien win the Austrian Championship title six times. In 1999, he was chosen as one of the best players in Rapid's Team of the Century.
For two years, between his times at Rapid Wien, Happel played for Racing Club de Paris in France.
Playing for His Country
Happel first played for the Austrian national team in September 1947. He represented Austria at the 1948 Summer Olympics.
He also played in two World Cups. In the 1954 FIFA World Cup in Switzerland, he helped Austria finish in third place, which was a great achievement. He also played in the 1958 FIFA World Cup. His last game for Austria was in September 1958. Overall, he played 51 games for his country and scored 5 goals.
Ernst Happel's Managerial Success
After he stopped playing, Happel became one of the most successful football coaches ever. He won league titles in four different countries. He also led two clubs to win the European Champions' Cup (now called the UEFA Champions League).
In 1978, he coached the Netherlands national team at the World Cup in Argentina. They made it all the way to the final against Argentina. The Dutch team lost the final 3–1 after extra time, but reaching the final was a huge success.
Winning Trophies with Clubs
Happel's first coaching job was with ADO Den Haag in 1962. He won the Dutch Cup with them in 1968.
After that, he coached Feyenoord. With Feyenoord, he won the European Cup in 1970, beating Glasgow Celtic in the final. He also won the Intercontinental Cup in 1970 and the Dutch championship in 1971.
He also coached Club Brugge in Belgium, where he won the Belgian Championship title several times. Later, he managed Hamburger SV in Germany from 1981 to 1987. With Hamburger SV, he won the German championship in 1982 and 1983, and the German Cup in 1987.
In 1983, he won the European Cup again, this time with Hamburger SV. They defeated Juventus in the final. This made him one of only five coaches to win the European Cup with two different clubs. The others are Ottmar Hitzfeld, José Mourinho, Jupp Heynckes, and Carlo Ancelotti.
In 1987, Happel returned to Austria to coach Swarovski Tirol. He won the Austrian Championship title twice with them, in 1989 and 1990. In 1992, he became the coach of the Austrian national team.
Ernst Happel's Life Story
When Ernst Happel was young, he faced challenges during World War II. In 1938, when he was a youth player at Rapid Vienna, he was expected to join the Hitler Youth. He bravely refused to sing their songs and was eventually removed from their meetings.
He was called to serve in the army in 1943. He was arrested by American forces in 1945 but managed to escape. He made his way back to Vienna, showing great determination.
Ernst Happel never married. He was known for being a bit of a private person. He enjoyed playing card games, pool, and darts with his Austrian friends.
Ernst Happel's Legacy
Ernst Happel passed away in 1992 at the age of 66 from lung cancer. To honor his memory, the largest football stadium in Austria, the Praterstadion in Vienna, was renamed the Ernst-Happel-Stadion.
Just four days after his death, the Austrian national team played against Germany. As a tribute, Happel's cap was placed on the bench throughout the entire match. The game ended in a 0–0 draw.
Honours and Achievements
As a Player
Rapid Wien
- Austrian Football Bundesliga: 1945–46, 1947–48, 1950–51, 1951–52, 1953–54, 1956–57
- Austrian Cup: 1945–46
- Zentropa Cup: 1951
Austria National Team
- FIFA World Cup third place: 1954
As a Manager
ADO Den Haag
- Dutch Cup: 1967–68
Feyenoord
- Eredivisie: 1970–71
- European Cup: 1969–70
- Intercontinental Cup: 1970
Club Brugge
- European Cup runners-up: 1977–78
- UEFA Cup runners-up: 1975–76
- Belgian Championship: 1975–76, 1976–77, 1977–78
- Belgian Cup: 1976–77
Standard Liège
- Belgian Cup: 1980–81
Netherlands National Team
- FIFA World Cup runners-up: 1978
Hamburger SV
- European Cup: 1982–83
- UEFA Cup runners-up: 1981–82
- European Super Cup runners-up: 1983
- Bundesliga: 1981–82, 1982–83
- DFB-Pokal: 1986–87
Swarovski Tirol
- Austrian Championship: 1988–89, 1989–90
- Austrian Cup: 1988–89
Individual Awards
- European Coach of the Year—Sepp Herberger Award: 1978, 1983
- European Coach of the Season: 1982–83
- France Football 9th Greatest Manager of All Time: 2019
- World Soccer 9th Greatest Manager of All Time: 2013
- ESPN 14th Greatest Manager of All Time: 2013
See also
In Spanish: Ernst Happel para niños
