Jorge Valdano facts for kids
Valdano in 2018
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| Personal information | ||||||||||||||||
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| Full name | Jorge Alberto Francisco Valdano Castellanos | |||||||||||||||
| Date of birth | 4 October 1955 | |||||||||||||||
| Place of birth | Las Parejas, Argentina | |||||||||||||||
| Height | 1.88 m (6 ft 2 in) | |||||||||||||||
| Position(s) | Forward | |||||||||||||||
| Senior career* | ||||||||||||||||
| Years | Team | Apps | (Gls) | |||||||||||||
| 1973–1975 | Newell's Old Boys | 46 | (11) | |||||||||||||
| 1975–1979 | Alavés | 105 | (20) | |||||||||||||
| 1979–1984 | Real Zaragoza | 143 | (46) | |||||||||||||
| 1984–1987 | Real Madrid | 85 | (40) | |||||||||||||
| Total | 379 | (117) | ||||||||||||||
| International career | ||||||||||||||||
| 1975–1990 | Argentina | 23 | (7) | |||||||||||||
| Managerial career | ||||||||||||||||
| 1991–1992 | Real Madrid (youth) | |||||||||||||||
| 1992–1994 | Tenerife | |||||||||||||||
| 1994–1996 | Real Madrid | |||||||||||||||
| 1996–1997 | Valencia | |||||||||||||||
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Medal record
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| *Club domestic league appearances and goals | ||||||||||||||||
Jorge Alberto Francisco Valdano Castellanos (born on October 4, 1955) is a famous Argentine football player, coach, and former manager. He used to be the general manager for the well-known club Real Madrid. Today, he works as a sports commentator for beIN Sports. People often call him "The Philosopher of Football" because of his thoughtful ideas about the game. He played as a forward, which means he was one of the main goal scorers for his teams.
Valdano was a key player for the Argentina national team. He played in the 1975 Copa América and two FIFA World Cups, in 1982 and 1986. Argentina won the World Cup in 1986, and Valdano played a big part in that victory. He scored four goals during the tournament, including an important goal against West Germany in the final match. Overall, he played 23 games for his country between 1975 and 1990, scoring seven goals.
Before joining Real Madrid, Valdano played for Newell's Old Boys, Alavés, and Real Zaragoza. His most successful time as a player was with Real Madrid, where he helped them win the Spanish league (La Liga) twice. He also won the Copa de la Liga and two UEFA Cups. After his playing career, he became a coach for Spanish teams like Tenerife, Real Madrid, and Valencia. Valdano is known for his smart approach to football, both on and off the field. He has even spoken at big events like the World Leadership Forum, connecting sports with the world of business.
Contents
Playing Football
Starting His Club Career
Jorge Valdano began his football journey at the age of 16 with Newell's Old Boys, a club in Rosario, Argentina. He started playing professionally for them in 1972.
In 1975, he moved to Spain to play for Alavés, which was in the Spanish Segunda División (Second Division). He stayed there until 1979. After that, he joined Real Zaragoza in the Primera División (First Division).
Success with Real Madrid
Valdano made a big move to Real Madrid in 1984. With Real Madrid, he achieved great success, helping them win the UEFA Cup twice in a row, in 1985 and 1986. He scored a goal in the 1985 final and two goals in the 1986 final, showing how important he was to the team.
Sadly, Valdano had to retire from playing football in 1988 because he became ill with hepatitis. His last official game for Real Madrid was on March 4, 1987. After retiring, he started working as a sports commentator.
Playing for His Country
Valdano played 23 games for the Argentina national team between 1975 and 1990. He scored seven goals for his country. Four of these goals came during the 1986 FIFA World Cup, including one in the final against West Germany, which Argentina won.
Besides the 1986 World Cup win, he also played in the 1975 Copa América and the 1982 World Cup. However, he missed most of the 1982 tournament because he got injured in Argentina's second game against Hungary.
Becoming a Manager
Coaching Different Teams
After his playing career, Valdano started coaching. He first worked as a youth team coach for Real Madrid. In April 1992, he became the head coach of Tenerife. He helped Tenerife avoid being moved down to a lower league in 1992 and then helped them qualify for the UEFA Cup the next season. He also famously led Tenerife to wins on the last day of the season twice, which stopped his old club Real Madrid from winning the La Liga title.
In 1994, Valdano returned to Real Madrid, this time as their coach. He led them to win the La Liga title in the 1994–95 season.
Later Roles in Football
After coaching Real Madrid, he managed Valencia during the 1996–97 season. Later, he became Real Madrid's sporting director, a role he held until 2005. In June 2009, he came back to Real Madrid again as the director general and an assistant to the president. However, he left this position on May 25, 2011, because his relationship with the coaching staff, especially head coach José Mourinho, became difficult.
Life Outside Football
Jorge Valdano has also written books. He wrote a book called Sueños de fútbol ("Dreams of Football") and helped edit another book called Cuentos de fútbol ("Football Short Stories"), which featured stories by different writers.
Interestingly, Raúl, a former captain of Real Madrid, named his first son after Valdano to honor him.
Achievements and Awards
As a Player
Newell's Old Boys
Real Madrid
Argentina Youth Team
- Toulon Tournament: 1975
Argentina National Team
Individual Awards
- Copa del Rey Top Scorer: 1981-82
- La Liga Foreign Player of the Year: 1985–86
As a Manager
Real Madrid
- La Liga: 1994–95
See also
In Spanish: Jorge Valdano para niños
