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 | ||
| Playing position | 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) | |
| National team | |||
| 1993–2002 | Morocco | 63 | (12) |
| Teams managed | |||
| 2012–2013 | Umm Salal (assistant) | ||
| 2014–2022 | Morocco (assistant) | ||
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Mustapha Hadji (born November 16, 1971) is a famous Moroccan football coach and former player. Many people consider him one of the greatest African football players 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 about ten years old, his family moved to France. This meant he grew up with both Moroccan and French backgrounds.
Playing for Different Clubs
Hadji started his football journey in France. He first joined a club called Nancy. He spent his first year there as a young player, learning the ropes, before joining the main team.
After playing for Nancy for five seasons, Hadji moved to other big clubs like Sporting Lisbon and Deportivo la Coruña. But he became really well-known when he joined Coventry City in England in 1999.
Becoming a Star at Coventry City
Hadji was an exciting player. He was an attacking midfielder who could score goals and was very fast and skillful. At Coventry, he played alongside another Moroccan player, Youssef Chippo. This was so popular that some Coventry City fans even started wearing traditional Moroccan hats called fezzes to games to show their support!
When Coventry City was moved to a lower league in 2001, Hadji joined their local rivals, Aston Villa. He had even scored against Aston Villa three times in the season before! After playing for Aston Villa, he moved to Espanyol in Spain.
Later Clubs and Retirement
Hadji also played for Al Ain in the United Arab Emirates for a year before coming back to Europe. In 2005, he signed with Saarbrücken in Germany. He finished his playing career in July 2010 after playing for Fola Esch in Luxembourg.
Playing for His Country: Morocco
Mustapha Hadji was a key player for the Morocco national team.
World Cup Appearances
He played in the 1994 FIFA World Cup. In one game against the Netherlands, he helped his team score a goal right after he came onto the field. Even though Morocco played well, they didn't make it past the first round in 1994.
Hadji also played in the 1998 FIFA World Cup. He scored an amazing goal in Morocco's game against Norway, which ended in a 2-2 draw. After this World Cup, he was named the African Footballer of the Year, which is a huge award for a player from Africa!
Other Important Work
Besides playing football, Hadji has been involved in other important projects.
Ambassador and Charity Work
He was chosen by FIFA to be an ambassador for the 2010 FIFA World Cup, representing Africa. This means he helped promote the World Cup. He also works on projects to help people in Morocco and reduce poverty in his home country.
Hadji is a strong supporter of the charity Show Racism The Red Card, which works to fight racism. He was also expected to be an ambassador for the 2026 FIFA World Cup if Morocco had been chosen to host it.
Coaching Career
After his playing career, Mustapha Hadji became a football coach.
Assistant Coach Roles
He worked as an assistant manager for the Qatari club Umm Salal in 2012. Later, in 2014, he became an assistant manager for the Morocco national team. He stayed in this role until 2022. After leaving this position, there was a discussion about his coaching license.
Family Life
Football runs in the Hadji family!
- His younger brother, Youssouf Hadji, was also a Moroccan international player.
- Mustapha's son, Samir Hadji, plays football for Fola Esch in Luxembourg.
- Another son, Zachary Hadji, plays in the Swiss Super League.
Career Statistics: International Goals
Here are the goals Mustapha Hadji scored for the Morocco national team:
| 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 |
Awards and Honours
Mustapha Hadji won several awards and honours during his career:
With Sporting CP
- Supertaça Cândido de Oliveira: 1995 (a Portuguese football super cup)
With Aston Villa
- UEFA Intertoto Cup: 2001 (a European club football competition)
Individual Awards
- African Footballer of the Year: 1998 (This is a very prestigious award for the best African player)
- CAF Legends award: 2011
- IFFHS All-time Morocco Men's Dream Team (He was chosen as one of the best Moroccan players ever)
See also
In Spanish: Mustapha Hadji para niños
