Michael Laudrup

Michael Laudrup (born June 15, 1964 in Frederiksberg, Copenhagen, Denmark) is a Danish former professional football player and newly resigned coach of childhood club Brøndby IF in the Danish Superliga. He was known as one of the most skilful and elegant players of the game and is still hugely popular amongst fans. He scored 37 goals and played a total 104 appearances for the Denmark national football team, which is only topped by Peter Schmeichel's 129 games, and from November 1994, he captained his country for a total of 28 matchesMichael Laudrup started his last 27 matches as captain, while he had taken over the armband in the June 1 1994 1-2 loss to , when then captain Lars Olsen was substituted. before his retirement in June 1998.

In 1999 he was voted the Best Foreign Player in Spanish Football the previous 25 yearsIFHOC, The Gala in Barcelona, February 1, 1999 and in April 2000 he was knighted, as he received the Order of the Dannebrog.

On May 21 2006 it was published that he was resigning as manager of Brøndby IF.

Footballing family

Michael Laudrup is a part of family with three generations of footballers. He is the son of former Danish national team player Finn Laudrup and Michael's oldest son Mads is currently the captain of the Danish under-17 national team and his youngest son Andreas Laudrup is a part of the under-16 national team.Thomas Møller Johansen, "Laudrup d. V", B.T. article, March 11, 2006

Michael Laudrup has a younger brother, Brian Laudrup, who was also a professional football player. Brian Laudrup was a part of the trophy winning Danish national team in 1992 European Championship (Euro 1992), but Michael did not play in that championship due to differences with the national team coach Richard Møller Nielsen.Kvist (2001), p. 155 In 2004, both Laudrup brothers were named in the FIFA 100, a list of the 125 greatest living footballers chosen by Pelé as part of the celebration of FIFA's 100th anniversary.

Playing style

Michael Laudrup is the most technically accomplished football player to emerge from Denmark, and in January 2006, he was named Denmark's finest footballer through the past 50 years as he received the UEFA Jubilee Award.Frits Ahlstrøm, Laudrup is greatest Dane, UEFA, January 1, 2006 He was ranked amongst the best players in Europe, and his talent was exceptional, with the French three time European footballer of the year award winner Michel Platini describing him as one of the most talented players ever, only lamenting his lack of selfishness causing him to score too few goals. His team mate in Real Madrid, Raúl has in an interview in 2006 called Laudrup the best player he has ever played with. His team mate in Barcelona, Romario has stated the same and added that Laudrup in his opinion is the fourth best player in the history of the game (behind Pele, Maradona, and himself). It remains a mystery why he never won the best player of the world award. Laudrup was known as a gentleman on the field and never received a red card. He preferred to out-play his immediate opponent rather than knock him down.

He was hugely admired for his outstanding technique, elegance, deep passes and dribbling. His vision was second to none. Jorge Valdano, the Argentinian coach of Laudrup in Real Madrid, said "he has eyes everywhere". His trademark move — looking one way and passing the other — fooled countless opponents during his career. The Laudrup dribble was perhaps the best-known part of his game, as he quickly moved the ball from one foot to the other away from the defender. His outstanding skills were combined with an immense creativity, which made him capable of playing the game like noone had seen it before (or after). He always played the attack in the least obvious way leaving the defence stranded. This has led to the expression "Made in Laudrup", widely used in Spain about his unique play. Numerous teammates of Laudrup have said:"Just run, he will always find a way of passing you the ball".

In FC Barcelona he played alongside Hristo Stoichkov, who scored many goals from Laudrup's passes, like Ivan Zamorano (who called Laudrup el genio, the genius) during Laudrup's time at Real Madrid. Throughout his career his number of assists was impressive and almost always the highest of his team.

Biography

He started his career in Danish clubs Kjøbenhavns Boldklub (KB) and Brøndby IF before being sold to Juventus in Italy in 1982, at the age of 18. Under restriction of the number of foreign players, Juventus initially loaned him to struggling Rome club Lazio for two seasons. Despite playing for the relegation battlers, Laudrup starred for the Danish national team at the , playing all four Denmark matches. He returned in 1985 to replace Polish Zbigniew Boniek in the Juventus side, playing alongside Michel Platini and Welsh forward Ian Rush. In his time at Juventus, he took part in the 1986 FIFA World Cup in Mexico, a performance which is best remembered for his exceptional solo dribble and goal in the 6-1 defeat of Uruguay. He was also a part of a disappointing tournament, though Laudrup scored one of Denmark's two goals.

Dream Team

In 1989 he joined FC Barcelona of Spain where he enjoyed tremendous success, with former Dutch national team captain Johan Cruyff the coach. Michael Laudrup was one of the restricted three foreign players allowed in the team, alongside Dutch defender Ronald Koeman and Bulgarian striker Hristo Stoichkov, who were the pillars of Barça coach Johan Cruyff's Dream Team. The team won four consecutive La Liga championships from 1991 to 1994, as well as the 1992 European Cup, and Laudrup was twice elected the best player of the year in Spain during his Barcelona years. When Barça hired a fourth foreign star player, Brazilian striker Romario, in 1994 it meant the four foreigners would rotate as the three foreign players allowed in each match, and when Laudrup wasn't selected for the 1994 European Cup final 0-4 loss to AC Milan, his time at Barcelona was over.

In 1994 he completed a controversial move from Barça to Real Madrid after he fell out with Johan Cruyff, and Laudrup went on to guide Real Madrid in a championship winning season that would end the Barça stranglehold, making Laudrup the only player ever to win the Spanish league five times in a row playing for two different clubs. After the initial success at Real, a lacklustre season would be in store for club, as well as country, and the would leave no positives for him. Despite only playing two seasons at Real Madrid, Laudrup was voted the 12th best player in Real history in an internet survey by Spanish newspaper Marca when the club celebrated its 100th anniversary in 2002.

He went on to play for Vissel Kobe in Japan, before he ended his playing career in a championship winning season at Dutch team Ajax in 1998. His last games would come at the 1998 FIFA World Cup, when he captained Denmark to the quarter-final, a tournament performance he crowned in the knock-out stage when he looked to his left, then launched a magnificient lob to his right, over the defenders, to find substitute Ebbe Sand who converted the chance to the 3-0 goal in the 4-1 win against Nigeria. Following his retirement, he turned to play for Lyngby Boldklub's Old Boys team in his spare time.

Coaching career

After his playing career ended with Ajax Amsterdam, Laudrup became a coach at age 36 when he started serving as an assistant coach for the Danish national team coach Morten Olsen in 2000. The national team would play a 4-2-3-1 formation, depending on two fast wingers and with the aim to dominate games with a short-passing possession game. Together they led Denmark to the knock-out stage of 2002 FIFA World Cup, after which Michael Laudrup took his current job as head coach for Brøndby IF in the Danish Superliga. As his assistant coach, Laudrup paired up with former Danish championship winning coach John "Faxe" Jensen, who had played alongside him in the Danish national team.

At the start of his reign, Laudrup proclaimed a tactical scheme close to that which Olsen and he had coached at the national team. Laudrup renovated the Brøndby team by letting a large contingent of older and experienced players go, in favour of several new offensive players, and he gave the chance to young talents from the club's youth scheme. To ensure the defensive strength of the team, he hired the proven national team player Morten Wieghorst. In his first year as head coach, he managed the team to a Danish Cup win against Odense BK in the final. After finishing runners up twice, he finally led the team to The Double in 2005.

After a disappointing season in 2006 were Brøndby became second in the Danish National League (SAS Ligaen) Michael Laudrup left Brøndby along with assistant coach John ‘Faxe’ Jensen. Apparently he couldn’t come to an agreement with Brøndy on renewing his contract and therefore decided to leave the club. At the same time Laudrup was associated with Real Madrid as their new coach, but later this was declined. Latest rumours says that Michael Laudrup may become the new head coach for the Swedish National Team replacing Lasse Lagerbäck after an disappoing FIFA World Cup 2006 in Germany.

Titles

Player

League championships
- Serie A with Juventus 1985-86
- La Liga 1990-91, 1991-92, 1992-93, 1993-94 with Barcelona; 1994-95 with Real Madrid
- Eredivisie 1997-98 with Ajax
Domestic cups
- Spanish Cup 1990 with Barcelona
- Spanish Super Cup 1990 and 1992 with Barcelona
- Dutch Cup 1998 with Ajax
European cups
- Intercontinental Cup 1985 with Juventus
- European Cup 1992 with Barcelona
- European Super Cup 1985 with Juventus, 1992 with Barcelona
Individual awards
- Danish Player of the Year 1982 and 1985
- La Liga Player of the year 1992 and 1993
- Best Foreign Player in Spanish Football the last 25 years (1974-1999)

Coach

Danish Cup: 2002-03, 2004-05 with Brøndby
Danish Manager of the Year: 2003, 2005
Danish Superliga: 2004-05 with Brøndby
Danish Supercup: 2002 and 2005 with Brøndby

Literature

Bruno Bernardi, "Michael Laudrup", Italy, 1986
Flemming Nielsen and Vagn Nielsen, "Fodboldkunstneren Michael Laudrup : rundt om en stjerne", Denmark, 1986
Michael Laudrup, "Mod nye mål", Denmark, 1989, ISBN 87-559-0848-9
Jakob Kvist, "Ambassadøren - en bog om Michael Laudrup" (The ambassador - a book about Michael Laudrup), Denmark, 1996 (4th edition, 2001), ISBN 87-583-1285-4
Palle "Banks" Jørgensen, "Landsholdets 681 profiler fra 1908 til i dag" (The national team's 681 profiles from 1908 until today), Danmark, 2002, ISBN 87-91264-01-4

Footnotes

External links

Gourt Home::Gourt :: Michael Laudrup