Rabah Madjer facts for kids

Quick facts for kids
Rabah Madjer

Madjer in 1987
Personal information
Full name	Rabah Mustapha Madjer
Date of birth	(1958-12-15) 15 December 1958 (age 66)
Place of birth	Hussein Dey, Algeria
Height	1.79 m
Playing position	Striker
Youth career
1972–1973	Onalait Hussein Dey
1973–1978	NA Hussein Dey
Senior career*
Years	Team	Apps†	(Gls)†
1978–1983	NA Hussein Dey	94	(58)
1983–1985	Racing Paris	50	(23)
1985	→ Tours (loan)	7	(2)
1985–1991	Porto	108	(50)
1988	→ Valencia (loan)	14	(4)
1991–1992	Qatar SC	9	(6)
Total		282	(143)
National team
1978–1992	Algeria	87	(28)
Teams managed
1993–1995	Algeria
1995–1997	Porto (youth)
1997–1998	Al Sadd
1998–1999	Al-Wakrah
1999	Algeria
2001–2002	Algeria
2005–2006	Al-Rayyan
2017–2018	Algeria
2017–2018	Algeria A'
Honours Representing  Algeria Men's football Africa Cup of Nations Winner 1990 Algeria Runner-up 1980 Nigeria Third 1988 Morocco Third 1984 Ivory Coast
Senior club appearances and goals counted for the domestic league only. † Appearances (Goals).

Rabah Mustapha Madjer (Arabic: رابح مصطفى ماجر) was born on December 15, 1958. He is a famous Algerian former footballer who played as a striker. He is known for his amazing skills and goals.

Madjer became a star player for FC Porto in the 1980s. Many people think he is one of the best Algerian football players ever. During his six years with Porto, he won nine big titles. These included three national championships and the 1987 European Cup.

He played many games and scored many goals for the Algeria national team. Madjer helped Algeria play in their first ever World Cup in 1982. After he stopped playing, he became a coach for several clubs. He also coached the Algeria national team many times.

Rabah Madjer's Club Journey

Madjer was born in Hussein Dey, a part of Algiers, Algeria. He started playing football in Europe in 1983. He joined Racing Club de France football Colombes 92 from his local team, NA Hussein Dey. He played there for about a year and a half. Then, he finished the 1984–85 season with another French team, Tours FC.

Madjer joined FC Porto for the 1985–86 season. The next year, he made history in the European Cup final. Porto played against Bayern Munich. Madjer scored the first goal for Porto, making it 1–1. Porto went on to win the game 2–1. He also helped set up the winning goal. Later that year, he scored in Porto's win of the Intercontinental Cup.

After his amazing year in 1987, Madjer won the African Player of the Year award. He was not allowed to win the European Golden Ball because he was not born in Europe. In the first part of the 1987–88 season, he scored ten goals in just 11 games. In 1988, he almost joined Inter Milan. But a past thigh injury stopped the deal.

Madjer then signed with La Liga team Valencia CF in January 1988. He returned to Porto after only a few months. He played three more seasons there. Johan Cruyff, a famous player and coach, also tried to sign Madjer for AFC Ajax. Madjer stopped playing football in 1992. He was almost 34 years old. His last team was Qatar SC.

Playing for Algeria: International Career

Madjer played for the Algeria national team for 19 years. He played in the 1982 and 1986 FIFA World Cup World Cups. He became Algeria's top goal scorer with 28 goals in 87 games. He also helped Algeria win the Africa Cup of Nations in 1990. Algeria hosted the tournament and beat Nigeria twice. They won 5–1 in the opening game and 1–0 in the final.

Madjer's most famous goal for Algeria was in the 1982 World Cup. Algeria beat Germany 2–1. Madjer scored the first goal in the 53rd minute.

After Playing: Coaching and More

In 1993, Madjer started coaching the Algeria national team. But the team did not qualify for the 1994 World Cup or the African Cup of Nations. So, he left and went back to Porto to work with their youth teams.

He then coached two clubs in Qatar: Al Sadd SC (1997–1998) and Al-Wakrah Sport Club (1998–1999).

Madjer coached the Algeria national team again in 1999. He returned two years later in 2001 but left in 2002.

In 2005, he became the coach of the Qatari club Al Rayyan SC.

He returned to coach the Algeria national team in October 2017. This was his first coaching job in over ten years. He was hired after the team failed to qualify for the 2018 FIFA World Cup. He was dismissed the next June. He had won two out of seven games, mostly friendly matches.

After his coaching career, Madjer became a sports analyst. He worked for Al-Jazeera Sports, which is now called beIN Sports.

In 2011, he became a UNESCO Goodwill Ambassador. This means he helps promote peace and understanding around the world.

About Rabah Madjer's Family

Rabah Madjer's son, Lotfi Madjer, is also a football player. He has played for the Qatar youth team.

Awards and Trophies

Hussein Dey

• Algerian Cup: 1978–79
• African Cup Winners' Cup: Runner-up 1978

Porto

• Primeira Liga: 1985–86, 1987–88, 1989–90
• Taça de Portugal: 1987–88, 1990–91
• Supertaça Cândido de Oliveira: 1986, 1990
• European Cup: 1986–87
• Intercontinental Cup: 1987
• European Super Cup: 1987

International

• Africa Cup of Nations: 1990
• Afro-Asian Cup of Nations: 1991
• African Games: 1978

Individual Awards

• Top goal scorer of the 1987–88 European Cup (with four goals).
• Africa Cup of Nations Team of the Tournament: 1982, 1990
• African Footballer of the Year: 1987
• Intercontinental Cup: Most Valuable Player of the Match Award 1987
• Best player of the Africa Cup of Nations: 1990
• MasterCard African Team of the 20th Century: 1998
• IFFHS World Player of the Century #62: 2000
• Arab Footballer of the 20th century: 2004
• Algerian Footballer of the 20th century: 2009 (with Lakhdar Belloumi)
• Algerian Footballer of the Year: Several awards
• African Footballer of the 20th century: Fifth place
• Golden Foot Legends Award: 2011
• IFFHS Legends: 2016

Images for kids

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  Madjer in 1987

See also

In Spanish: Rabah Madjer para niños