Jacques Santini facts for kids

Quick facts for kids
Jacques Santini

Santini with Saint-Étienne in 1974
Personal information
Full name	Jacques Jean Claude Santini
Date of birth	(1952-04-25) 25 April 1952 (age 73)
Place of birth	Delle, France
Position(s)	Midfielder
Youth career
1964–1969	Fesches
Senior career*
Years	Team	Apps	(Gls)
1969–1981	Saint-Étienne	324	(50)
1981–1983	Montpellier	43	(4)
1983–1985	Lisieux (fr)
Managerial career
1983–1985	Lisieux (fr)
1985–1989	Toulouse
1989–1992	Lille
1992–1994	Saint-Étienne
1994–1995	Sochaux
2000–2002	Lyon
2002–2004	France
2004	Tottenham Hotspur
2005–2006	Auxerre
Medal record Men's football Representing  France (as manager) FIFA Confederations Cup Winner 2003
*Club domestic league appearances and goals

Jacques Jean Claude Santini (born 25 April 1952) is a French former professional footballer and manager. He played as a midfielder for Saint-Étienne in the 1970s. With Saint-Étienne, he reached the final of the European Cup (a big football tournament) in 1976. Later, he became a manager, coaching the French national team and other famous clubs like Lyon.

Jacques Santini's Coaching Career

Santini with Saint-Étienne in 1976

Jacques Santini is known as one of France's most successful football managers. He played a key role in making Lyon a top football club in France. From 1997 to 2000, he worked as the Sports Director, helping to build a strong foundation for the team.

Success with Lyon

As the manager of Lyon from 2000 to 2002, Santini led the team to great victories. In 2001, they won the French League Cup. The next year, in 2002, he guided Lyon to win the French Championship. This was a major achievement for the club.

Because of his success, Santini was named "The best French coach" in 2002 by France Football magazine. In 2003, the International Federation of Football History & Statistics (IFFHS) also recognized him as the "World's The Best National Coach of the Year."

Managing the French National Team

In 2002, Santini became the manager of the French national team, taking over from Roger Lemerre. Under his leadership, France won the 2003 FIFA Confederations Cup. This was a big international tournament.

However, before the Euro 2004 tournament, Santini announced he would leave his role. At Euro 2004, France surprisingly lost to Greece in the quarter-finals. Greece went on to win the championship.

Time in England and Later Roles

After Euro 2004, Santini moved to England to manage Premier League club Tottenham Hotspur. However, he left the club after only 13 games. Officially, he said he left due to personal reasons. But many reports suggested there were disagreements within the club.

In 2005, Santini explained that he felt some agreements with the club were not kept. He also admitted that joining the club before Euro 2004 ended might have been a mistake.

Later, in 2005, he became the head coach of AJ Auxerre in France. He left Auxerre in 2006 due to disagreements with the club's vice-president. In 2008, he was offered a job to manage a Scottish club called Hearts, but he decided not to take it.

Jacques Santini's Coaching Records

Here is a summary of Jacques Santini's coaching record for some of the teams he managed:

Honours and Achievements

Jacques Santini achieved many honours both as a player and as a manager.

As a Player

With Saint-Étienne

• French League (Division 1):
  • 1969–70
  • 1973–74
  • 1974–75
  • 1975–76
  • 1980–81
• French Cup (Coupe de France):
  • 1969–70
  • 1973–74
  • 1974–75
  • 1976–77

As a Manager

With Lyon

• French League (Division 1):
  • 2001–02
• French League Cup (Coupe de la Ligue):
  • 2000–01

With France National Team

• FIFA Confederations Cup:
  • 2003

See also

In Spanish: Jacques Santini para niños