Raymond Domenech facts for kids

Quick facts for kids
Raymond Domenech

Domenech in 2007
Personal information
Full name	Raymond Manuel Albert Domenech
Date of birth	(1952-01-24) 24 January 1952 (age 73)
Place of birth	Lyon, France
Height	1.79 m (5 ft 10 in)
Position(s)	Full-back
Senior career*
Years	Team	Apps	(Gls)
1969–1977	Lyon	246	(7)
1977–1981	Strasbourg	128	(4)
1981–1982	Paris Saint-Germain	19	(1)
1982–1984	Bordeaux	40	(3)
1984–1985	Mulhouse	13	(0)
Total		433	(15)
International career
1973–1979	France	8	(0)
Managerial career
1984–1988	Mulhouse
1988–1993	Lyon
1993–2004	France U21
1996	France Olympic
2004–2010	France
2020–2021	Nantes
Medal record Men's football Representing  France (as manager) FIFA World Cup Runner-up 2006 UEFA European Under-21 Championship Runner-up 2002 Third 1996
*Club domestic league appearances and goals

Domenech playing football in 1976

Raymond Manuel Albert Domenech was born on January 24, 1952. He is a French football manager and a former player. He was the manager of the French national team from 2004 to 2010. During this time, his team reached the final of the 2006 FIFA World Cup. He was later removed from his role after the 2010 World Cup due to problems within the team.

Raymond Domenech's Coaching Journey

Raymond Domenech had a long career coaching different football teams. He started with younger teams before moving on to the main national team.

Coaching Young Talent: France U-21 Team

Domenech became the coach of the France national under-21 football team in 1993. He led the team in several important tournaments.

Early Tournaments and Close Calls

In the 1994 UEFA European Under-21 Championship, France hosted the event. They played well, beating Russia in the quarter-finals. However, they lost to Italy in a penalty shootout during the semi-finals. Italy went on to win the tournament.

Two years later, in the 1996 UEFA European Under-21 Championship, France again reached the semi-finals. They beat Germany in the quarter-finals. But once more, Italy knocked them out, winning by just one goal. France finished third in this tournament.

Olympic Games Experience

Because they finished third in the 1996 European Under-21 Championship, France qualified for the 1996 Atlanta Olympics. France did well in their group, winning against Australia and Saudi Arabia, and drawing with Spain. In the quarter-finals, they were defeated by Portugal in extra time.

Challenges in Qualification

France faced challenges in qualifying for later tournaments. They missed out on the 1998 UEFA European Under-21 Championship after a surprising loss to Norway. For the 2000 UEFA European Under-21 Championship, they reached the play-offs but lost to Italy in extra time.

Success with the Under-20 Team

Domenech also coached the France national under-20 football team briefly in 2001. They played in the 2001 FIFA World Youth Championship. The team made it out of their group and beat Germany in a thrilling match. However, they were stopped by the host team, Argentina, in the quarter-finals.

Reaching the Final Again

In the 2002 UEFA European Under-21 Championship, Domenech's team had a great run. They were undefeated in qualifying and won all their group matches in the tournament. They reached the final but lost to the Czech Republic in a penalty shootout.

Another Play-off Heartbreak

For the 2004 UEFA European Under-21 Championship, France had a very strong qualifying campaign, winning most of their games and not letting in any goals. They faced Portugal in the play-offs. After winning the first game, they lost the second, leading to a penalty shootout. Portugal won the shootout, with Cristiano Ronaldo scoring the winning penalty.

Leading the French National Team

In July 2004, Raymond Domenech was chosen to manage the main France national football team. This was a surprise choice for many.

The 2006 World Cup Journey

France had a tough time in the qualifiers for the 2006 FIFA World Cup. Domenech convinced experienced players like Zinedine Zidane, Claude Makélélé, and Lilian Thuram to return to the national team. This helped France qualify for the World Cup finals.

During the World Cup, France started slowly with two draws. But they improved, beating Togo, then Spain, Brazil, and Portugal in the knockout stages. France reached the final against Italy. The game ended in a 1-1 draw, and Italy won in a penalty shootout. Zidane was named the best player of the tournament.

Euro 2008 Challenges

In 2007, there was a disagreement between Domenech and José Mourinho, a club manager, about Claude Makélélé playing for France. Domenech insisted he had the right to pick any player. In the UEFA Euro 2008 tournament, France struggled and finished last in their group, failing to move forward. After France's elimination, Domenech made a personal proposal on live television, which he later admitted was unprofessional.

The Difficult 2010 World Cup

France qualified for the 2010 FIFA World Cup after a controversial play-off match against the Republic of Ireland. During the World Cup finals, France drew their first game. After a loss to Mexico, a player, Nicolas Anelka, was sent home due to a disagreement with Domenech.

This led to further problems within the team. The players refused to train one day in protest. France's World Cup journey ended with a loss to South Africa, and they finished last in their group without winning a single game. Domenech did not shake the opposing coach's hand after the final match. He was later removed from his position due to the team's issues.

Later Coaching Roles

After leaving the national team, Domenech coached an under-11 team at a club called Boulogne-Billancourt. He also donated some of his World Cup bonus money to the club and to charity.

In December 2020, after ten years away from managing a senior team, Domenech signed with Ligue 1 club Nantes. However, his time there was short. He was released from his duties in February 2021, as the team did not win any games during his eight matches in charge.

Raymond Domenech's Personal Life

Raymond Domenech was in a relationship with French TV presenter Estelle Denis. They have two children together, a daughter born in 2004 and a son born in 2007. They separated in 2020.

Domenech is interested in astrology, which is the belief that star signs can affect people's personalities. He has said that he did not pick his teams based on astrology.

Managerial Statistics

Honours and Achievements

As a Manager

France National Team

• FIFA World Cup runner-up: 2006

France Under-21 Team

• UEFA European Under-21 Championship runner-up: 2002
• UEFA European Under-21 Championship third place: 1996

Awards

• Officer of the National Order of Merit: 2007 (This is a special award from France)

See also

In Spanish: Raymond Domenech para niños