Michel Hidalgo facts for kids
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Hidalgo as France head coach in 1981
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| Personal information | ||||||||||||||||
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| Full name | Michel François Hidalgo | |||||||||||||||
| Date of birth | 22 March 1933 | |||||||||||||||
| Place of birth | Leffrinckoucke, France | |||||||||||||||
| Date of death | 26 March 2020 (aged 87) | |||||||||||||||
| Place of death | Marseille, France | |||||||||||||||
| Height | 1.68 m | |||||||||||||||
| Playing position | Midfielder | |||||||||||||||
| Youth career | ||||||||||||||||
| US Normande | ||||||||||||||||
| Senior career* | ||||||||||||||||
| Years | Team | Apps† | (Gls)† | |||||||||||||
| 1952–1954 | Le Havre | 47 | (13) | |||||||||||||
| 1954–1957 | Reims | 66 | (23) | |||||||||||||
| 1957–1966 | Monaco | 256 | (26) | |||||||||||||
| Total | 369 | (62) | ||||||||||||||
| National team | ||||||||||||||||
| 1962 | France | 1 | (0) | |||||||||||||
| Teams managed | ||||||||||||||||
| 1967–1968 | Monaco (2nd team) | |||||||||||||||
| 1968–1969 | Menton (player-coach) | |||||||||||||||
| Monaco (2nd team) | ||||||||||||||||
| France (assistant) | ||||||||||||||||
| 1976–1984 | France | |||||||||||||||
| 1986–1991 | Marseille (director of football) | |||||||||||||||
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Honours
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Michel François Hidalgo (born March 22, 1933 – died March 26, 2020) was a famous French football player and coach. He is best known for leading the French national team as their head coach from 1976 to 1984. During his time, France won the UEFA Euro 1984 tournament, which was a huge achievement for the country. He also guided the team to the semi-finals of the 1982 FIFA World Cup.
Contents
Early Life and Football Beginnings
Michel François Hidalgo was born on March 22, 1933, in a town called Leffrinckoucke, in northern France. His father was from Spain, and his mother was French. He grew up in Normandy, where he started playing football. He was named after a Mexican hero, Miguel Hidalgo y Costilla.
Playing Career: Midfielder on the Field
Michel Hidalgo played as a midfielder. In 1952, he became the champion of Normandie Juniors with his team, US Normande. After that, he joined Le Havre for two seasons.
Playing for Reims and Monaco
Later, he played for Reims. With Reims, he played in the 1956 European Cup Final against Real Madrid and even scored a goal, though his team lost 4–3. He also won a league title with Reims in 1955.
Hidalgo then moved to Monaco. There, he had great success, winning two league titles and two national cup titles. From 1964 to 1970, he was in charge of the UNFP, which is a group that supports football players.
International Matches
Michel Hidalgo played one game for the French national team in 1962. It was a friendly match against Italy.
Coaching Career: Leading France to Glory
Hidalgo started his coaching career with the Monaco second team in 1967. He also worked as a player-coach for Menton from 1968 to 1969.
Becoming France's Head Coach
On March 27, 1976, he became the head coach of the French national team. Before this, he had been an assistant coach. At that time, the French team was struggling in big tournaments.
Hidalgo brought in talented players like Michel Platini, who became the team's captain. This helped the team start winning again.
World Cup and European Championship Success
In the 1978 FIFA World Cup, France was knocked out in the first round. But in the 1982 FIFA World Cup, Hidalgo led his team to the semi-finals. They had a thrilling game against West Germany, which ended 3–3 after extra time. France lost on penalties and finished fourth in the tournament.
In 1984, Hidalgo achieved his biggest success. He led France to win the European Championship on their home ground. They beat Spain 2–0 in the final in Paris. This was France's first major international football title!
"Champagne Football" and "Magic Square"
The exciting and attacking style of football Hidalgo's team played was called "champagne football" by the media. He also created the "carré magique," which means "magic square." This was the nickname for the four very creative and skilled midfielders in the French team during the 1980s: Michel Platini, Alain Giresse, Jean Tigana, and Luis Fernandez.
After his victory in 1984, he handed over his coaching role to his assistant, Henri Michel. Hidalgo then worked as the National Technical Director until 1986. Later, he became a manager at Marseille. Many Marseille fans consider him a hero. After 1991, he mostly stayed out of the spotlight, sometimes appearing as a football expert on TV shows.
Later Life and Passing
Michel Hidalgo passed away on March 26, 2020, in Marseille. He was 87 years old and had been battling a long illness.
Achievements and Awards
Michel Hidalgo had a very successful career both as a player and a manager.
As a Player
Reims
- Division 1: 1954–55
- Trophée des Champions: 1955
- European Cup runner-up: 1955–56
Monaco
- Division 1: 1960–61, 1962–63
- Coupe de France: 1959–60, 1962–63
- Trophée des Champions: 1961
As a Manager
France
Individual Awards
- French Manager of the Year: 1982
- European Coach of the Year—Sepp Herberger Award: 1984
- World Soccer World Manager of the Year: 1984
- Guerin Sportivo Manager of the Year: 1984
See also
In Spanish: Michel Hidalgo para niños
