Fernando Hierro facts for kids
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Hierro as Spain manager at the 2018 FIFA World Cup
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| Personal information | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Full name | Fernando Ruiz Hierro | ||
| Date of birth | 23 March 1968 | ||
| Place of birth | Vélez-Málaga, Spain | ||
| Height | 1.87 m (6 ft 2 in) | ||
| Position(s) | Defender, defensive midfielder | ||
| Youth career | |||
| 1973–1978 | Vélez | ||
| 1979 | Málaga | ||
| 1980–1986 | Vélez | ||
| Senior career* | |||
| Years | Team | Apps | (Gls) |
| 1986–1987 | Valladolid B | ||
| 1987–1989 | Valladolid | 58 | (3) |
| 1989–2003 | Real Madrid | 439 | (102) |
| 2003–2004 | Al-Rayyan | 19 | (3) |
| 2004–2005 | Bolton Wanderers | 29 | (1) |
| Total | 545 | (109) | |
| International career | |||
| 1989–1990 | Spain U21 | 5 | (2) |
| 1989–2002 | Spain | 89 | (29) |
| Managerial career | |||
| 2014–2015 | Real Madrid (assistant) | ||
| 2016–2017 | Oviedo | ||
| 2018 | Spain | ||
| *Club domestic league appearances and goals | |||
Fernando Ruiz Hierro (born March 23, 1968) is a famous Spanish football player and manager. He played as a defender, a sweeper, or a midfielder.
He spent 14 years playing for Real Madrid, where he won many big trophies. These included five La Liga titles and three Champions League cups. He played in over 600 official matches for Real Madrid. He also played professionally in Qatar and England.
Hierro played for the Spanish national team 89 times. He took part in four World Cups and two European Championships. After retiring as a player, he became a manager. He coached Oviedo in 2016 and later managed the Spanish national team in 2018.
Contents
Playing Career
Starting Out and Joining Real Madrid
Fernando Hierro was born in Vélez-Málaga, Spain. He started his football journey at his local club, Vélez. For a short time, he also played for CD Málaga as a youth player. However, he was told he wasn't good enough and went back home.
He eventually made his first appearance in La Liga with Real Valladolid. After two strong seasons there, Real Madrid bought him in the summer of 1989.
Success at Real Madrid
At Real Madrid, Hierro quickly showed his talent. In his first season (1989–90), he scored seven goals in 37 games. His coach, Radomir Antić, later moved him further up the field. This change helped him score even more goals. He scored an amazing 44 league goals in three seasons, with 21 goals in the 1991–92 season alone.
For many years, he often played alongside Manolo Sanchís in the center of defense. He was a key player in Real Madrid winning five league titles and three UEFA Champions League trophies. After Sanchís retired, Hierro became the team's captain.
On March 24, 2002, Hierro scored three goals in one game against Real Zaragoza. He left Real Madrid at the end of the 2002–03 season. He had played in 497 top-division matches over 16 seasons, scoring 105 goals. After leaving Real Madrid, he moved to Qatar to play for Al-Rayyan.
Playing for Bolton Wanderers
After just one year in Qatar, Hierro returned to Europe. He joined Premier League team Bolton Wanderers in England. His former Real Madrid teammate, Steve McManaman, suggested he join the club. He also played with another former Real Madrid player, Iván Campo, at Bolton.
He scored one goal for Bolton in December 2004. Even though fans and his manager wanted him to stay, he announced his retirement from professional football on May 10, 2005.
International Career with Spain
Hierro played for the Spanish national team 89 times and scored 29 goals. Only a few players have scored more goals for Spain than him. He made his debut on September 20, 1989, in a friendly match against Poland.
He represented Spain in four World Cups: 1990, 1994, 1998, and 2002. He also played in two European Championships in 1996 and 2000.
One of his most important goals for Spain came during the 1994 World Cup qualifiers. He scored a header against Denmark that helped Spain qualify for the tournament in the United States. In the World Cup finals, he scored a goal against Switzerland in the round of 16. Spain was later knocked out by Italy in the quarter-finals.
Coaching and Management Career
Working with the Spanish Football Federation
In September 2007, Hierro became the sporting director for the Royal Spanish Football Federation. He stayed in this important role for four years.
In July 2011, Hierro returned to his home region to become the director of football for Málaga CF. He left this position in May 2012, even though the club had a great season and qualified for the Champions League for the first time.
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On July 10, 2014, Hierro became an assistant coach for Real Madrid. He worked with manager Carlo Ancelotti. Two years later, he got his first full manager job with Segunda División team Real Oviedo. He left Oviedo in June 2017 after they just missed out on the promotion playoffs.
Hierro returned to the Spanish Football Federation as sporting director in November 2017. He was then appointed as the manager of the Spanish national team on June 13, 2018. This happened just two days before their first match at the World Cup. He led the team to a 3–3 draw against Portugal. Spain was later knocked out of the tournament by hosts Russia in a penalty shootout. After the World Cup, Hierro stepped down as manager and also left his role as sporting director.
In October 2022, Hierro became the sporting director for Guadalajara in Mexico. In June 2024, he joined Saudi Pro League club Al Nassr in the same role.
Playing Style
Fernando Hierro was a very versatile player. He could play as a central defender, a sweeper, or a defensive midfielder. At his best, he was known for his strong defense, excellent passing, and surprising ability to score goals. This made him one of the most wanted players in the world.
He was a tall, strong, and tough defender. He was also known for knowing where to be on the field, being good at heading the ball, and being able to make tackles at just the right time. Hierro was considered a very competitive and hard-tackling defender. In 2007, The Times newspaper listed him as one of the 50 toughest footballers in history.
Personal Life
Fernando Hierro's older brothers, Antonio and Manuel, were also professional football players and defenders. Manuel even played alongside Fernando at Valladolid.
In September 2023, Hierro married Croatian television journalist Fani Stipković in Mexico. The following month, they welcomed their first child, Nicolás Valentín.
Honours and Awards
Real Madrid
- La Liga: 1989–90, 1994–95, 1996–97, 2000–01, 2002–03
- Copa del Rey: 1992–93
- Supercopa de España: 1990, 1993, 1997, 2001
- UEFA Champions League: 1997–98, 1999–2000, 2001–02
- Intercontinental Cup: 1998, 2002
- UEFA Super Cup: 2002
- Copa Iberoamericana: 1994
Al-Rayyan
- Emir of Qatar Cup: 2003–04
Individual Awards
- FIFA XI: 1996, 1997, 1998
- UEFA Club Defender of the Year: 1997–98
- ESM Team of the Year: 1996–97, 1997–98
- FIFA World Cup All-Star Team: 2002
Images for kids
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Hierro at the 2018 World Cup
See also
In Spanish: Fernando Hierro para niños
