Luis Enrique facts for kids
Luis Enrique coaching Barcelona in 2015
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| Personal information | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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| Full name | Luis Enrique Martínez García | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Date of birth | 8 May 1970 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Place of birth | Gijón, Spain | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Height | 1.80 m | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Playing position | Midfielder, forward | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Club information | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Current club | Paris Saint-Germain (manager) | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Youth career | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 1981–1988 | Sporting Gijón | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 1984–1988 | → La Braña (loan) | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Senior career* | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Years | Team | Apps† | (Gls)† | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 1988–1990 | Sporting Gijón B | 27 | (5) | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 1989–1991 | Sporting Gijón | 36 | (14) | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 1991–1996 | Real Madrid | 157 | (15) | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 1996–2004 | Barcelona | 207 | (73) | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Total | 427 | (107) | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| National team | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 1990–1991 | Spain U21 | 5 | (0) | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 1991–1992 | Spain U23 | 14 | (3) | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 1991–2002 | Spain | 62 | (12) | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 1999–2000 | Asturias | 2 | (0) | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Teams managed | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 2008–2011 | Barcelona B | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 2011–2012 | Roma | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 2013–2014 | Celta | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 2014–2017 | Barcelona | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 2018–2019 | Spain | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 2019–2022 | Spain | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 2023– | Paris Saint-Germain | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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Honours
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Luis Enrique Martínez García (born 8 May 1970), known as Luis Enrique, is a Spanish football manager and former player. He is currently the manager for the Ligue 1 club Paris Saint-Germain.
Luis Enrique was a very flexible player. He could play in many different positions, usually as a midfielder or forward. He was known for his good skills, strong will, and energy. From 1991 to 2004, he played for two of Spain's biggest clubs, Real Madrid and Barcelona. He played over 500 official games and scored more than 100 goals. He also played for the Spanish national team in three World Cups and one European Championship.
In 2008, Luis Enrique started his coaching career with Barcelona B. Three years later, he moved to Roma. In the 2013–14 season, he managed Celta. Then, he returned to Barcelona as coach. In his first year, he helped them win the treble (three major trophies). In his second year, they won the double (two major trophies). In 2018, he became the head coach for the Spanish national team. He stepped down for personal reasons in 2019 but returned later that year. He led Spain to the semi-finals of Euro 2020 and second place in the 2020–21 Nations League. He left the national team after the 2022 World Cup. In July 2023, he joined Paris Saint-Germain and won three domestic trophies in his first season.
Contents
Playing Career
Club Career
Luis Enrique was born in Gijón, Asturias, Spain. He started his football journey with his local club, Sporting de Gijón. There, he earned the nickname Lucho. He then spent most of his playing time with Spain's two biggest clubs. First, he played for Real Madrid for five seasons. In 1996, his contract with Real Madrid ended. He then moved to their big rivals, Barcelona, for free.
At first, Barcelona fans were not sure about him. But he quickly won their hearts. He stayed for eight years and became the team captain. He scored several goals in El Clásico matches against his former club, Real Madrid. He famously celebrated a goal at the Santiago Bernabéu Stadium, Real Madrid's home ground.
Luis Enrique scored 46 La Liga goals in his first three seasons with Barcelona. The team finished second in 1996–97 and then won two league titles in a row. He was also named the Spanish Player of the Year in 1997–98. He scored the first goal in the 1997 UEFA Super Cup, which Barcelona won.
In his last years at Barcelona, Luis Enrique was often injured. He decided not to renew his contract. He chose to retire on 10 August 2004, at age 34. He finished his career with 400 league games and 102 goals. Pelé even named him one of the top 125 greatest living footballers.
International Career
Luis Enrique played for the Spanish national team in three FIFA World Cups: 1994, 1998, and 2002. He also played in UEFA Euro 1996. He scored 12 goals in 62 games for Spain. He was part of the team that won the gold medal at the 1992 Summer Olympics in Barcelona. He played his first game for the main national team on 17 April 1991.
In the 1994 World Cup in the United States, Luis Enrique scored his first international goal. This was in a 3–0 win against Switzerland. In the quarter-final match against Italy, an accidental elbow hit his face. The player, Mauro Tassotti, was later banned for eight games. Luis Enrique later said he wanted his team to play strongly against Italy in Euro 2008. Tassotti said he was tired of being reminded of the incident and never meant to hurt him.
At the 1998 World Cup, Luis Enrique played a big part in a 6–1 win over Bulgaria. He scored a goal and helped with another. However, Spain was still eliminated from the tournament. On 5 June 1999, he scored three goals in a 9–0 win against San Marino in a Euro 2000 qualifier.
On 23 June 2002, Luis Enrique decided to stop playing for the national team. He wanted to give younger players a chance and focus only on his club career.
Player Style
Luis Enrique was known for being very flexible and consistent. He could play almost anywhere in midfield or as a forward. Throughout his career, he played in all positions except central defender and goalkeeper. He was a strong, brave, and energetic team player with good technical skills.
His usual position was as an attacking midfielder in the center. This was because he was good at connecting the forwards and the midfield. He also often played as a right winger. Sometimes, he even played as an attacking full-back or wing-back, or even a left winger.
Because he had a good eye for goal and made smart runs into the box, Luis Enrique often played as a forward. He could be a second striker or even a main striker. Besides his playing skills, he was also known for his commitment, strong will, and leadership.
Coaching Career
Barcelona B
On 26 May 2008, Luis Enrique returned to Barcelona to coach their B team. He took over from his former teammate, Pep Guardiola. He said, "I have come home" and "I finished playing here and now I will start coaching here." In his second season, he helped the club return to Segunda División after 11 years.
In March 2011, Luis Enrique announced he would leave the team at the end of that season. He led the team to the playoffs, but they could not be promoted.
Roma
On 8 June 2011, Luis Enrique agreed to become the new head coach for Italian club Roma. He signed a two-year contract.
Roma was eliminated from the UEFA Europa League early on. They also lost their first game in the domestic league. Even though he still had two years left on his contract, Luis Enrique decided to leave Roma at the end of the season. This was because the team did not qualify for any European competitions.
Celta
On 8 June 2013, Luis Enrique became the new manager for Celta. He led the team to ninth place in his only season. A big highlight was a 2–0 home win against Real Madrid. This win ended Real Madrid's chances of winning the league title that year.
On 16 May 2014, Luis Enrique announced that he would be leaving Celta.
Barcelona Coach
On 19 May 2014, Luis Enrique returned to Barcelona as a manager. He signed a two-year deal. His first official match was a 3–0 home league win. He gave new players like Claudio Bravo and Ivan Rakitić their first games. He also gave young players like Munir El Haddadi their first league appearances.
Luis Enrique's team lost their first league game on 25 October 2014, against Real Madrid. Even though Barcelona had a good year, his coaching style was questioned. This was because he often changed the lineup in games. Also, some challenges with Lionel Messi and other players affected the team's performance.
After a loss to Real Sociedad, the club's sporting director was fired. This made Luis Enrique's position at the club weaker. However, the team's performance greatly improved after this. The coach decided on a more stable lineup and changed the team's formation. Messi and Neymar played as wingers, and Luis Suárez was the main striker. The team soon matched Pep Guardiola's record of 11 wins in a row. They went on to win the Copa del Rey and returned to the top of the league table.
On 21 April 2015, Luis Enrique achieved his 42nd win in 50 games as Barcelona coach. This was the best record for any manager at the club. He led the club to the Champions League final. On 17 May, Barcelona won their 23rd national championship. On 6 June, the team completed a treble by beating Juventus 3–1 in the Champions League final. Three days later, he signed a new contract until 2017.
On 11 August 2015, Barcelona won the 2015 UEFA Super Cup against Sevilla. In his first two seasons, Luis Enrique used different goalkeepers for different competitions. Claudio Bravo played league games, and Marc-André ter Stegen played cup and European matches. Both goalkeepers did not like this system. On 22 May 2016, the team won a second double. They beat Sevilla 2–0 in the Copa del Rey final after extra time.
On 1 March 2017, Luis Enrique announced that he would not continue as Barcelona's manager after his contract ended on 30 June.
Spain Coach
Luis Enrique was named coach of the Spanish national team on 9 July 2018. His first match was on 8 September, a 2–1 win against England at Wembley Stadium.
In November 2019, Luis Enrique returned to the national team after a break. He had stepped down for personal reasons four months before.
When Luis Enrique chose his 24-man Euro 2020 team, he faced criticism for his team choices. However, he led Spain to the tournament's semi-finals. They lost to Italy in a penalty shootout after a 1–1 draw.
At the 2022 World Cup, Luis Enrique's team was knocked out in the round of 16. They lost 3–0 to Morocco in another penalty shootout. After this, he stepped down from his position.
Paris Saint-Germain Coach
On 5 July 2023, Luis Enrique officially became the manager of Ligue 1 club Paris Saint-Germain. He signed a two-year contract. In his first season, he won three domestic trophies. He also led the team to the Champions League semi-finals.
Coaching Style
Tactics
Luis Enrique is known as one of the most successful coaches of his time. His Barcelona team played direct football, moving quickly from defense to attack. This was different from the "possession-heavy" style of previous Barcelona managers. His team, especially with Messi, Suárez, and Neymar, was very effective. In his first two years, his Barcelona team scored more goals and conceded fewer than Pep Guardiola's team. They also had a higher win percentage. Guardiola himself called them the best counter-attacking team in the world.
In his first two seasons at Barcelona, Luis Enrique used a 4–3–3 formation. The team improved when he stopped changing the starting lineup so much. The team's creative play came from the wings, with Neymar and Messi playing as inside forwards next to Suárez. Players like Ivan Rakitić were key in moving the ball from defense to attack.
In his third and final year, Luis Enrique changed to a 3–4–3 attacking formation, which became a 4–4–2 when defending. Messi played at the top of the midfield, creating plays. Sergio Busquets was the only defensive midfielder. This system especially helped Neymar, who played as a left forward. This change in formation was important when Barcelona made a huge comeback against PSG in the Champions League. They won 6–1 after losing the first game 0–4.
Luis Enrique continued to prefer the 4–3–3 formation for Spain. Sometimes, he used a riskier 3–4–3 when needed. Spain's play focused on good positioning and moving the ball forward. Midfielders like Koke or Pedri helped with attacks. The central forward, usually Álvaro Morata, would drop deep to involve the wide forwards. Full-backs also moved forward to help with attacks.
Luis Enrique is known for his brave and strong coaching style. He quickly deals with anything that might challenge his authority. For example, he had disagreements with Messi at Barcelona and Totti at Roma. Both players had a lot of power at their clubs. His ability to use different playing styles, even if they were not typical for Barcelona, showed his confidence. He remained calm even when facing criticism. The president of the Spanish Football Federation appointed him to improve team discipline. He said they needed a clear leader who would set the path for everyone.
Endorsements
Luis Enrique was sponsored by the sportswear company Nike. He appeared in their commercials. In a big ad campaign before the 2002 World Cup, he was in a "Secret Tournament" commercial. He appeared with famous footballers like Luís Figo, Thierry Henry, and Ronaldinho.
Achievements
As a Player
Real Madrid
- La Liga: 1994–95
- Copa del Rey: 1992–93
- Supercopa de España: 1993
Barcelona
- La Liga: 1997–98, 1998–99
- Copa del Rey: 1996–97, 1997–98
- Supercopa de España: 1996
- UEFA Cup Winners' Cup: 1996–97
- UEFA Super Cup: 1997
Spain U23
- Summer Olympic Games: 1992
Individual Awards
- La Liga Breakthrough Player: 1990–91
- ESM Team of the Year: 1996–97
- FIFA 100 (one of the top 125 greatest living footballers chosen by Pelé)
As a Coach
Barcelona
- La Liga: 2014–15, 2015–16
- Copa del Rey: 2014–15, 2015–16, 2016–17
- Supercopa de España: 2016
- UEFA Champions League: 2014–15
- UEFA Super Cup: 2015
- FIFA Club World Cup: 2015
Paris Saint-Germain
- Ligue 1: 2023–24
- Coupe de France: 2023–24
- Trophée des Champions: 2023, 2024
Individual Awards
- La Liga Coach of the Year: 2015
- FIFA World Coach of the Year: 2015
- IFFHS World's Best Club Coach: 2015
- World Soccer Manager of the Year: 2015
- La Liga Manager of the Month: May 2016
Images for kids
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Luis Enrique coaching Barcelona in 2015
See also
- List of FC Barcelona players (100+ appearances)
- List of La Liga players (400+ appearances)
- List of Real Madrid CF players
