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Javier Clemente facts for kids

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In this Spanish name, the first or paternal family name is Clemente and the second or maternal family name is Lázaro.
Quick facts for kids
Javier Clemente
JaviClemente.jpg
Clemente in 2008
Personal information
Full name Javier Clemente Lázaro
Date of birth (1950-03-12) 12 March 1950 (age 75)
Place of birth Barakaldo, Spain
Height 1.71 m (5 ft 7 in)
Position(s) Midfielder
Youth career
Barakaldo
1966–1968 Athletic Bilbao
Senior career*
Years Team Apps (Gls)
1968–1973 Athletic Bilbao 47 (6)
1973–1974 Bilbao Athletic 7 (0)
Total 54 (6)
International career
1968 Spain U18 2 (0)
1969–1970 Spain U23 2 (1)
Managerial career
1975–1976 Arenas Getxo
1976–1978 Basconia
1979–1981 Bilbao Athletic
1981–1986 Athletic Bilbao
1986–1989 Español
1989–1990 Atlético Madrid
1990–1991 Athletic Bilbao
1991–1992 Español
1992–1996 Spain U21
1992–1998 Spain
1998–1999 Betis
1999–2000 Real Sociedad
2000–2001 Marseille
2002 Tenerife
2002–2003 Espanyol
2005–2006 Athletic Bilbao
2006–2007 Serbia
2008 Murcia
2010 Valladolid
2010–2011 Cameroon
2012 Sporting Gijón
2013–2016 Libya
2019–2021 Basque Country
2021–2022 Libya
Medal record
Men's football
Representing  Spain (as manager)
UEFA European Under-21 Championship
Runner-up 1996
Representing  Libya (as manager)
African Nations Championship
Winner 2014
*Club domestic league appearances and goals

Javier Clemente Lázaro, born on March 12, 1950, is a famous Spanish football manager and former player. He used to play as a midfielder.

Sadly, a serious injury forced him to stop playing football when he was only in his early 20s. After that, he started a new career as a coach in 1975. For over 40 years, he coached many different club teams and national teams. This included Athletic Bilbao, where he also played, as well as Espanyol and the Spanish national team. He even won the top Spanish league, La Liga, twice in a row in 1983 and 1984 with Athletic Bilbao.

People often called him El rubio de Barakaldo, which means "The blond from Barakaldo," because of his hair color and where he was born. Clemente coached the Spanish national team in two World Cups and the Euro 1996 tournament.

Playing Career Highlights

Javier Clemente was born in Barakaldo, Biscay, Spain. He joined the youth team of Athletic Bilbao when he was 16 years old. Before that, he played for his local team, Barakaldo CF.

At just 18, his manager, Agustín Gaínza, brought him up to the main team. His first official game was against Liverpool in a European competition. He also played in the 1969 Copa del Generalísimo final, where his team won 1–0 against Elche CF.

In the 1969–70 season, he played 18 games in La Liga, which was his best year as a player. However, on November 23, 1969, he got a very bad leg injury during a game. He had four operations, but he never fully recovered. Because of this, he had to retire from playing football at the young age of 24.

Coaching Journey Begins

Early Coaching Days and Athletic Bilbao Success

Right after he stopped playing, Clemente started coaching. His first coaching jobs were with local teams like Arenas Club de Getxo, CD Basconia, and Bilbao Athletic, which is Athletic Bilbao's reserve team.

In the summer of 1981, when he was 31, Clemente became the manager of Athletic Bilbao. He led the team to win the national championship two years in a row, in 1983 and 1984. During this time, he had a strong rivalry with César Luis Menotti, who coached FC Barcelona. This rivalry became very intense, especially during the 1984 Copa del Rey final, which ended with a big fight between the players.

Clemente left Athletic Bilbao during the 1985–86 season after a disagreement with a star player. He then became the manager of RCD Español. He helped them achieve their best-ever third-place finish in 1987. The next year, they reached the final of the UEFA Cup, a big European competition. However, he was fired in March 1989 after he questioned his team's effort. That season, the team ended up being relegated to a lower league.

After this, Clemente had short coaching periods with Atlético Madrid and returned to coach Athletic Bilbao and Espanyol again.

Coaching the Spanish National Team

In 1992, Javier Clemente was chosen to manage the Spanish national team. He took over after Spain did not qualify for the Euro 1992 tournament. His first game was a 1–0 friendly win against England.

He led Spain to three major international tournaments: the 1994 and 1998 FIFA World Cups, and Euro 1996. Spain was knocked out in the group stage of the 1998 World Cup. During his time, Spain had an amazing run of 31 matches without losing.

Clemente's last game as Spain's coach was on September 5, 1998. Spain lost 3–2 to Cyprus in a qualifying match for Euro 2000.

Club Coaching in Spain and France

After leaving the national team, Clemente went back to coaching club teams. He managed Real Betis, Real Sociedad, CD Tenerife, and Espanyol for a second time. He also had a season coaching in France with Olympique de Marseille.

He returned to Athletic Bilbao again in 2005. He helped them avoid being relegated in the 2005–06 season. But he was fired before the next season started because of a disagreement with the club's chairman.

Over his three times coaching at San Mamés, Clemente managed 289 official matches. This was a club record for the most games managed. Another coach, Ernesto Valverde, later broke this record in 2017.

Coaching Serbia

On July 21, 2006, Clemente became the manager of the Serbian national team. His first game was a 3–1 friendly win against the Czech Republic. He brought in new players and changed the team.

The team started their Euro 2008 qualifying campaign well, with three home wins and a draw. However, things went wrong after a 2–1 loss in Kazakhstan in March 2007. Serbia did not qualify for Euro 2008, finishing behind Poland and Portugal in their group. Because of this, Clemente's contract was ended on December 6, 2007.

Cameroon and Return to Spain

On August 17, 2010, Clemente was named the new coach of Cameroon. This was after he had coached Real Murcia CF and Real Valladolid in Spain. He took over from the previous coach after Cameroon lost all their games in the 2010 World Cup.

His first game with Cameroon was a 3–1 away win against Mauritius. However, Cameroon finished second in their qualifying group and did not reach the 2012 Africa Cup of Nations finals. He was dismissed on October 25, 2011.

On February 13, 2012, Clemente signed to manage Sporting de Gijón until the end of the season. He left the team in May after they were relegated. During this time, he celebrated his 500th game as a manager in the Spanish first division.

Coaching Libya

On September 20, 2013, Clemente became the manager of Libya. He led Libya to win their first major trophy, the 2014 African Nations Championship. They won the final against Ghana in a penalty shootout. Later that year, Libya could not host the 2017 Africa Cup of Nations because of a civil war.

Clemente was fired by Libya in October 2016, after winning only three out of 14 matches.

Basque Country and Second Time in Libya

On March 6, 2019, Clemente was appointed manager of the Basque Country's unofficial national team. He talked about inviting players with Basque family history to play for the team.

Clemente was re-appointed as Libya's head coach in May 2021. After the team did not qualify for the 2021 FIFA Arab Cup and the 2022 World Cup, his contract ended in 2022.

Managerial Statistics

Javier Clemente has managed many teams throughout his long career. Here is a summary of his coaching record:

Team Nat Year Record
P W D L Win %
Arenas Getxo Spain 1975–1976 &&&&&&&&&&&&&038.&&&&&038 &&&&&&&&&&&&&020.&&&&&020 &&&&&&&&&&&&&&09.&&&&&09 &&&&&&&&&&&&&&09.&&&&&09 &&&&&&&&&&&&&052.63000052.63
Basconia Spain 1976–1978 &&&&&&&&&&&&&076.&&&&&076 &&&&&&&&&&&&&026.&&&&&026 &&&&&&&&&&&&&011.&&&&&011 &&&&&&&&&&&&&039.&&&&&039 &&&&&&&&&&&&&034.21000034.21
Bilbao Athletic Spain 1979–1981 &&&&&&&&&&&&&076.&&&&&076 &&&&&&&&&&&&&030.&&&&&030 &&&&&&&&&&&&&021.&&&&&021 &&&&&&&&&&&&&025.&&&&&025 &&&&&&&&&&&&&039.47000039.47
Athletic Bilbao Spain 1981–1986 &&&&&&&&&&&&0213.&&&&&0213 &&&&&&&&&&&&0117.&&&&&0117 &&&&&&&&&&&&&044.&&&&&044 &&&&&&&&&&&&&052.&&&&&052 &&&&&&&&&&&&&054.93000054.93
Español Spain 1986–1989 &&&&&&&&&&&&0124.&&&&&0124 &&&&&&&&&&&&&041.&&&&&041 &&&&&&&&&&&&&027.&&&&&027 &&&&&&&&&&&&&056.&&&&&056 &&&&&&&&&&&&&033.&6000033.06
Atlético Madrid Spain 1989–1990 &&&&&&&&&&&&&032.&&&&&032 &&&&&&&&&&&&&015.&&&&&015 &&&&&&&&&&&&&&08.&&&&&08 &&&&&&&&&&&&&&09.&&&&&09 &&&&&&&&&&&&&046.88000046.88
Athletic Bilbao Spain 1990–1991 &&&&&&&&&&&&&031.&&&&&031 &&&&&&&&&&&&&011.&&&&&011 &&&&&&&&&&&&&&03.&&&&&03 &&&&&&&&&&&&&017.&&&&&017 &&&&&&&&&&&&&035.48000035.48
Español Spain 1992 &&&&&&&&&&&&&022.&&&&&022 &&&&&&&&&&&&&010.&&&&&010 &&&&&&&&&&&&&&04.&&&&&04 &&&&&&&&&&&&&&08.&&&&&08 &&&&&&&&&&&&&045.45000045.45
Spain U21 Spain 1992–1996 &&&&&&&&&&&&&012.&&&&&012 &&&&&&&&&&&&&&04.&&&&&04 &&&&&&&&&&&&&&04.&&&&&04 &&&&&&&&&&&&&&04.&&&&&04 &&&&&&&&&&&&&033.33000033.33
Spain Spain 1992–1998 &&&&&&&&&&&&&062.&&&&&062 &&&&&&&&&&&&&036.&&&&&036 &&&&&&&&&&&&&020.&&&&&020 &&&&&&&&&&&&&&06.&&&&&06 &&&&&&&&&&&&&058.&6000058.06
Betis Spain 1998–1999 &&&&&&&&&&&&&036.&&&&&036 &&&&&&&&&&&&&015.&&&&&015 &&&&&&&&&&&&&015.&&&&&015 &&&&&&&&&&&&&&06.&&&&&06 &&&&&&&&&&&&&041.67000041.67
Real Sociedad Spain 1999–2000 &&&&&&&&&&&&&037.&&&&&037 &&&&&&&&&&&&&010.&&&&&010 &&&&&&&&&&&&&013.&&&&&013 &&&&&&&&&&&&&014.&&&&&014 &&&&&&&&&&&&&027.&3000027.03
Marseille France 2000–2001 &&&&&&&&&&&&&027.&&&&&027 &&&&&&&&&&&&&&08.&&&&&08 &&&&&&&&&&&&&&05.&&&&&05 &&&&&&&&&&&&&014.&&&&&014 &&&&&&&&&&&&&029.63000029.63
Tenerife Spain 2002 &&&&&&&&&&&&&012.&&&&&012 &&&&&&&&&&&&&&04.&&&&&04 &&&&&&&&&&&&&&02.&&&&&02 &&&&&&&&&&&&&&06.&&&&&06 &&&&&&&&&&&&&033.33000033.33
Espanyol Spain 2002–2003 &&&&&&&&&&&&&035.&&&&&035 &&&&&&&&&&&&&&09.&&&&&09 &&&&&&&&&&&&&014.&&&&&014 &&&&&&&&&&&&&012.&&&&&012 &&&&&&&&&&&&&025.71000025.71
Athletic Bilbao Spain 2005–2006 &&&&&&&&&&&&&031.&&&&&031 &&&&&&&&&&&&&011.&&&&&011 &&&&&&&&&&&&&&03.&&&&&03 &&&&&&&&&&&&&017.&&&&&017 &&&&&&&&&&&&&035.48000035.48
Serbia Serbia 2006–2007 &&&&&&&&&&&&&016.&&&&&016 &&&&&&&&&&&&&&07.&&&&&07 &&&&&&&&&&&&&&07.&&&&&07 &&&&&&&&&&&&&&02.&&&&&02 &&&&&&&&&&&&&043.75000043.75
Murcia Spain 2008 &&&&&&&&&&&&&031.&&&&&031 &&&&&&&&&&&&&&06.&&&&&06 &&&&&&&&&&&&&&06.&&&&&06 &&&&&&&&&&&&&019.&&&&&019 &&&&&&&&&&&&&019.35000019.35
Valladolid Spain 2010 &&&&&&&&&&&&&&08.&&&&&08 &&&&&&&&&&&&&&03.&&&&&03 &&&&&&&&&&&&&&03.&&&&&03 &&&&&&&&&&&&&&02.&&&&&02 &&&&&&&&&&&&&037.50000037.50
Cameroon Cameroon 2010–2011 &&&&&&&&&&&&&&08.&&&&&08 &&&&&&&&&&&&&&04.&&&&&04 &&&&&&&&&&&&&&03.&&&&&03 &&&&&&&&&&&&&&01.&&&&&01 &&&&&&&&&&&&&050.&&&&&050.00
Sporting Gijón Spain 2012 &&&&&&&&&&&&&016.&&&&&016 &&&&&&&&&&&&&&05.&&&&&05 &&&&&&&&&&&&&&03.&&&&&03 &&&&&&&&&&&&&&08.&&&&&08 &&&&&&&&&&&&&031.25000031.25
Libya Libya 2013–2016 &&&&&&&&&&&&&013.&&&&&013 &&&&&&&&&&&&&&03.&&&&&03 &&&&&&&&&&&&&&06.&&&&&06 &&&&&&&&&&&&&&04.&&&&&04 &&&&&&&&&&&&&023.&8000023.08
Basque Country Spain 2019–2021 &&&&&&&&&&&&&&02.&&&&&02 &&&&&&&&&&&&&&01.&&&&&01 &&&&&&&&&&&&&&01.&&&&&01 &&&&&&&&&&&&&&00.&&&&&00 &&&&&&&&&&&&&050.&&&&&050.00
Libya Libya 2021–2022 &&&&&&&&&&&&&011.&&&&&011 &&&&&&&&&&&&&&04.&&&&&04 &&&&&&&&&&&&&&01.&&&&&01 &&&&&&&&&&&&&&06.&&&&&06 &&&&&&&&&&&&&036.36000036.36
Career total &&&&&&&&&&&&0969.&&&&&0969 &&&&&&&&&&&&0400.&&&&&0400 &&&&&&&&&&&&0233.&&&&&0233 &&&&&&&&&&&&0336.&&&&&0336 &&&&&&&&&&&&&041.28000041.28

Awards and Trophies

As a Player

Javi Clemente futbolista
Clemente playing for Athletic Bilbao in 1970

Athletic Bilbao

As a Manager

Athletic Bilbao

Spain U21

Libya

  • African Nations Championship: 2014

Individual Awards

  • Don Balón Award: 1982–83, 1983–84, 1986–87

See also

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