Mustapha Hadji facts for kids
Hadji in 2012
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| Personal information | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Date of birth | 16 November 1971 | ||
| Place of birth | Ifrane Atlas-Saghir, Morocco | ||
| Position(s) | Midfielder | ||
| Senior career* | |||
| Years | Team | Apps | (Gls) |
| 1991–1996 | Nancy | 243 | (98) |
| 1996–1997 | Sporting CP | 27 | (3) |
| 1997–1999 | Deportivo la Coruña | 31 | (2) |
| 1999–2001 | Coventry City | 62 | (12) |
| 2001–2004 | Aston Villa | 35 | (2) |
| 2004 | Espanyol | 16 | (1) |
| 2004–2005 | Emirates Club | 15 | (5) |
| 2005–2007 | Saarbrücken | 54 | (10) |
| 2007–2010 | Fola Esch | 44 | (25) |
| Total | 518 | (155) | |
| International career | |||
| 1993–2002 | Morocco | 63 | (12) |
| Managerial career | |||
| 2012–2013 | Umm Salal (assistant) | ||
| 2014–2022 | Morocco (assistant) | ||
| *Club domestic league appearances and goals | |||
Mustapha Hadji (Arabic: مصطفى حجي; born 16 November 1971) is a Moroccan football coach and a former player. He was known for his amazing skills on the field. An expert in African football, Ed Dove, once called him the 50th greatest African player of all time.
Contents
Early Life and Moving to France
Mustapha Hadji was born in a place called Ifrane Atlas-Saghir in Morocco. When he was ten years old, his family moved to France. This meant he grew up with both Moroccan and French backgrounds.
Playing Football: Club Career Highlights
Hadji started his football journey in France. He signed his first professional contract with a club called Nancy. He spent his first year there as a youth player, learning and growing. After that, he joined the main team.
Becoming a Star at Coventry City
After playing five seasons for Nancy, Hadji moved to other big clubs like Sporting Lisbon and Deportivo la Coruña. But it was at Coventry City in England where he really became famous. He joined them in 1999.
Hadji was an exciting player. He was an attacking midfielder who could score goals. He was very fast and had incredible skills. At Coventry, he played alongside another Moroccan player, Youssef Chippo. Their teamwork was so popular that some fans even started wearing traditional Moroccan hats called fezzes to games!
Moving to Aston Villa and Other Teams
In 2001, Coventry City was moved down to a lower league. Hadji then joined their local rivals, Aston Villa. He had actually scored against Aston Villa three times in the season before! After playing for Aston Villa, he moved to Espanyol in Spain in 2004.
Hadji also played for Al Ain in the United Arab Emirates for a year. In 2005, he returned to Europe and signed with Saarbrücken in Germany. He played alongside another Moroccan player, Faysal El Idrissi, in the midfield. Mustapha Hadji finished his playing career in July 2010, after playing for Fola Esch in Luxembourg.
Playing for His Country: International Career
Mustapha Hadji proudly played for the Morocco national team.
World Cup Appearances
He played in the 1994 FIFA World Cup. Even though Morocco didn't win any games, Hadji showed his skill. In one game against the Netherlands, he helped set up a goal right after coming onto the field.
He also played in the 1998 FIFA World Cup. In a match against Norway, Hadji scored a fantastic goal. Morocco drew that game 2-2. After this World Cup, he was named the African Footballer of the Year, which is a huge honor! He played in 13 World Cup qualification matches throughout his career.
Beyond Playing: Other Projects
Hadji has been involved in many important projects outside of playing football.
Ambassador for Football
FIFA chose Hadji to be an ambassador for the 2010 FIFA World Cup. This meant he helped represent Africa for the big tournament. He also supports the charity Show Racism The Red Card, which works to fight racism.
He was also considered to be an ambassador for the 2026 FIFA World Cup if Morocco had been chosen as the host country.
Coaching Career
After his playing days, Mustapha Hadji moved into coaching.
Assistant Coach Roles
He worked as an assistant manager for the Qatari club Umm Salal in 2012-2013. Later, from 2014 to 2022, he was an assistant manager for the Morocco national team. In 2022, he faced some issues regarding his coaching license.
Family Life
Football runs in the Hadji family!
- His younger brother, Youssouf Hadji, was also a Moroccan international player. He played for Nancy in France.
- Mustapha's son, Samir Hadji, plays football for Fola Esch in Luxembourg.
- Another son, Zachary Hadji, plays for SLO in the Swiss Super League.
Career Statistics
Mustapha Hadji scored many goals for Morocco. Here's a look at some of his international goals:
| No. | Date | Venue | Opponent | Score | Result | Competition |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 15 November 1995 | Rabat, Morocco |  Mali |
1–0 | 2–0 | Friendly |
| 2 | 29 August 1996 | Settat, Morocco |  Zaire |
3–0 | 7–0 | Friendly |
| 3 | 12 January 1997 | Kumasi, Ghana |  Ghana |
2–1 | 2–2 | 1998 FIFA World Cup qualification |
| 4 | 14 January 1998 | Casablanca, Morocco |  Angola |
2–1 | 2–1 | Friendly |
| 5 | 17 February 1998 | Ouagadougou, Burkino Faso |  Egypt |
1–0 | 1–0 | 1998 African Cup of Nations |
| 6 | 4 June 1998 | Avignon, France |  Chile |
1–0 | 1–1 | Friendly |
| 7 | 10 June 1998 | Montpellier, France |  Norway |
1–0 | 2–2 | 1998 FIFA World Cup |
| 8 | 24 January 1999 | Kamsar, Guinea |  Guinea |
1–0 | 1–1 | 2000 African Cup of Nations qualification |
| 9 | 28 February 1999 | Lomé, Togo |  Togo |
2–1 | 3–2 | 2000 African Cup of Nations qualification |
| 10 | 17 November 1999 | Marrakech, Morocco |  United States |
2–1 | 2–1 | Friendly |
| 11 | 18 January 2000 | El Jadida, Morocco |  Trinidad and Tobago |
1–0 | 1–0 | Friendly |
| 12 | 30 June 2001 | Rabat, Morocco | Egypt |
1–0 | 1–0 | 2002 FIFA World Cup qualification |
Honours and Awards
Mustapha Hadji won several awards and trophies during his career:
Sporting CP
- Supertaça Cândido de Oliveira: 1995 (a Portuguese Super Cup)
Aston Villa
- UEFA Intertoto Cup: 2001 (a European club competition)
Individual Awards
- African Footballer of the Year : 1998 (This is a very prestigious award for the best African player)
- CAF Legends award: 2011 (Recognizing his legendary status in African football)
- IFFHS All-time Morocco Men's Dream Team (Being part of the best Moroccan team ever)
See also
In Spanish: Mustapha Hadji para niños
