Michael Laudrup

At 59 years old, Michael Laudrup has this physical status:

Michael Laudrup (born 15 June 1964) is a Danish professional football coach and former athlete.

He is regarded as one of the finest players of his time.

He is Brian Laudrup's older brother, who also retired. Laudrup obtained league titles with Ajax, Barcelona, Real Madrid, and Juventus, mainly as an attacking midfielder, but he was also able to play in other offensive positions during his playing career.

He was a member of Johan Cruyff's "Dream Team" in Barcelona, where he won nine trophies, including four consecutive La Liga titles from 1991 to 1994, as well as the European Cup in 1992.

Laudrup retired from La Liga in 1994, beating Real Madrid, who claimed his fifth title in a row. Laudrup made his Danish national team debut on his 18th birthday in 1982 and scored 37 goals in 104 appearances.

He appeared in the 1986 FIFA World Cup and captained Denmark for a total of 28 games, including the triumphant 1995 Confederations Cup tournament.

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Club career

Michael Laudrup, a boy from Frederiksberg, Copenhagen, started playing football in father Finn Laudrup's childhood team Vanl's. Finn Laudrup became the team's captain/coach of Brndby IF in 1973, and Michael and his brother Brian Laudrup joined the club as well. Michael joined him in 1976 for the top-flight Danish 1st Division club Kbenhavns Boldklub, while Brian remained at Brndby.

Laudrup made his senior debut for KB (Kjbenhavns Boldklub) in 1981 and made his debut for the Danish under-19 national team in February 1981. He scored a total of 14 goals in 25 games at various youth levels, which included 13 goals in a row. He played for Brndby in 1982, where his father had finished his career in 1981, and he was promoted to the 1st Division.

Laudrup scored two goals in the club's 1st Division debut game, as neighbour Boldklubben 1909 was defeated 7-1. In 1982, he scored 15 goals in the league and finished the season as the third top goal scorer of the 1st Division. He was named the Danish Player of the Year in 1982 for his achievements. He was a member of Brndby's 1983 season and scored nine goals before being sold to Italy's defending Serie A champions Juventus in June 1983. It was the biggest transfer deal in Danish football at the time, with a price tag of about $1 million. He was expected to sign for Liverpool on a three-year deal, but Liverpool refused to sign a four-year deal and Laudrup declined not to commit.

Juventus loaned Laudrup to newly promoted Rome club Lazio for a single season, something he had not heard about until signing for Juventus. He was under the restrictions of a maximum of two international players in the squad, of which the club had Polish midfielder Zbigniew Boniek and Michel Platini. In his Serie A debut, he scored two goals in Lazio, a 2–4 loss to Hellas Verona. Lazio's first year in Lazio, Lazio barely escaped relegation, but Lazio's Milanese Poiu in his first year stayed for another year. Lazio started the 1984–85 season poorly, before being relegated to Serie B. Laudrup scored just one goal on the season.

Laudrup returned to Juventus in 1985 to replace Zbigniew Boniek, while playing with Michel Platini. He won the 1985–86 Serie A and the Intercontinental Cup trophy, as well as the Intercontinental Cup trophy, scoring the equalizing goal in the final of the second tournament, but later named Danish Player of the Year in 1985. However, Laudrup's following season was not a success, despite multiple injuries. Laudrup was supposed to lead the team in his place when Platini left in 1987, as he was introduced to the team by new Welsh forward Ian Rush. Despite playing all 30 matches of the 1987–88 season, Laudrup failed to live up to Platini's expectations and did not score any goals.

Laudrup decided it was time to leave after a turbulent season with Juventus, and embarking on a new opportunity after six years in Italy. He joined Barcelona in 1989 on the understanding that Netherlands coach Johan Cruyff, his childhood role model, was building a team aiming for success. Laudrup's leadership immediately saw significant growth under Cruyff's leadership, blaming the Dutchman's philosophy and perception of the game as one of the key elements that aided in his growth. He was one of the Barça "Dream Team's restricted three foreign players allowed into the team, as well as Dutch defender Ronald Koeman and Bulgarian striker Hristo Stoichkov, along with rising stars Pep Guardiola, José Mari Bakero, and Txiki Begiristain.

The Dream Team had good football from 1991 to 1994, as well as the 1991–92 European Cup, 1989–90 Copa de Espaa titles. Laudrup was twice named the best player of the year in Spain during his Barcelona years. When Barça hired Brazilian striker Romário in 1993, it meant the four foreigners would revolve as the three international players allowed in each match, and when he was not chosen for the 1994 European Cup final 0–4 loss to Milan (amid clashes with Cruyff), it was effectively over. Fabio Capello, Milan's head, remarked after the match: "Laudrup was the guy I feared but Cruyff left him out, and that was his mistake."

Laudrup's departure from Barcelona was a major blow to the fans and his colleagues alike. Pep Guardiola was apparently so ill by the news that he cried and begged Laudrup to reconsider his mind. "I think we played some really good football," Laudrup said, and I think we showed that even without having the top players in the country, you can still have the best team. We all remember Begiristain, Bakero, Guardiola, Stoichkov, and Koeman, but we found perhaps the world's best team, perhaps alongside AC Milan in that period."

After falling out with Johan Cruyff, Laudrup made a turbulent move from Barça to Real Madrid in 1994. Laudrup denied that he did not have a concealed agenda in this regard. It was the year after the 1994 FIFA World Cup, and because players usually suffer a decline in results after a big international tournament, he correctly predicted that Barcelona would not win major trophies the next year.

Despite widespread belief that Laudrup joined arch-rivals Real Madrid in an effort to "get back" at Cruyff, the decision was based on the fact that Real Madrid had been struggling for a long time and wanted to return to glory, as he arrived in Barcelona. "People say I wanted to go to Real Madrid just to get revenge," Laudrup said.

I say revenge from what?

I've had a fantastic time; five years here [at Barcelona]. I went to Madrid because the team was so eager to win, and they had four or five players who had qualified to the World Cup. I said it would be amazing; new head coach, young players, and hungry to win." In a 4–2 victory over Atlético Madrid on 5 November 5, 1994, he assisted Ral's first professional goal.

Laudrup continued to coach Real Madrid in a championship-winning season that would bring an end to Barça's stranglehold, making him the first player to win the Spanish league five times in a row while playing for two different clubs. After Real's initial success, the club will face a lackluster season. Despite only playing two seasons in Real Madrid, he was voted the 12th best player in the club's history in an internet poll conducted by Spanish newspaper Marca in 2002, the club's 100th anniversary. He appeared in the 5–0 victory over Real Madrid in the 1993–94 season while playing for Barcelona. He was instrumental in the revenge beating Madrid gave Barça over the holidays, while playing for Real Madrid in the first season, with the final score also ending 5–0. While Laudrup is remembered in both Barça and Madrid supporters, Daniel Storey wrote of Laudrup "no other player is loved on both sides of the clásico divide as much as Laudrup." "When Michael plays like a dream, a magical illusion, determined to demonstrate his new team his incredible skills, no one in the world comes anywhere near his level."

Laudrup quit Real Madrid in 1996 to play for Vissel Kobe in Japan. In a 4–2 victory over Brummell Sendai on August 18, he played his first match for Vissel Kobe and scored two goals. He helped Vissel move from the second-tier Japan Football League to the J1 League. In a turbulent signing in which he did not play any games for elik Zenica, but was signed as a player. He ended his playing career with Ajax's championship winning season in 1998 after the details were settled.

Laudrup used to play for Lyngby's Old Boys squad in his spare time after his retirement.

International career

Laudrup was called up for the Denmark national team during Brndby's debut season in the top-flight. He became the second youngest Danish national team player ever on his 18th birthday on June 15, 1982, after Harald Nielsen. Despite playing for the relegation warrs Lazio and Laudrup for the Denmark national team at UEFA Euro 1984, playing all four of Denmark's matches.

Laudrup was one of the top players in the 1986 FIFA World Cup in Mexico, a performance that is best remembered for his spectacular solo dribble and goal in Uruguay's 6–1 victory. He was also a member of the dismal Denmark squad at Euro 1988, but Laudrup found personal fulfillment in scoring one of Denmark's two goals.

Laudrup resigned from the national team in November 1990 (alongside his brother Brian Laudrup and Jan Mlby) due to differences with coach Richard Mller Nielsen after three matches in the qualification campaign for Euro 1992. The Danes attempted to qualify, but Yugoslavia was later given Yugoslavia's position as Yugoslavia was disqualified due to war in their region. Despite being educated, Laudrup rated Denmark's chances of a long term while on holiday. Nevertheless, Denmark pulled off one of the biggest upsets in football history by defeating the Netherlands in the semi-finals and then defeating Germany 21-0, thanks to goals from John Jensen and Kim Vilfort.

Laudrup regained his place in Nielsen's Danish squad in August 1993, but Spain and the Republic of Ireland qualified for the 1994 World Cup, ahead of Denmark. In the 2–0 victory over Argentina, he scored a goal, as Denmark defeated Argentina in the 1995 Internal Cup. In ten games as Denmark qualified for Euro 1996, he scored four goals in ten matches.

Laudrup's last matches for Denmark came at the 1998 World Cup, when he led the country to the quarter-finals. Laudrup scored in his 100th appearance for Denmark in the team's first game of the tournament, defeating Saudi Arabia 1–0 in Lens. In the quarter-finals, Denmark was defeated 23-23, and Michael and Brian Laudrup announced their international retirement after the demise. Both brothers retired from international service as a result of FIFA's All-Star Team selections.

Managerial career

Laudrup started as an assistant coach for Denmark's national team head coach Morten Olsen in 2000 after his playing career ended with Ajax. Depending on two quick wingers and with the intention to dominate games with a short-passing possession game, the national team will play a 4–2-3–1 formation. They guided Denmark to the 2002 World Cup's knockout stage together.

Laudrup, the former Denmark assistant manager, has been named as the head coach of Brndby, Denmark's top flight. John Jensen, the former Danish championship champion who had worked with him in the Denmark national team, was his assistant coach. He introduced a tactical plan similar to that of Olsen and he had coached at the national team at the start of his reign. He redesigned the Brndby team by allowing a large number of older and veteran players to leave in favour of a slew of new offensive players, as well as young talent from the club's youth program, and he also gave the opportunity to young talents from the club's youth program.

Laudrup signed veteran national team player Morten Wieghorst to ensure the team's defensive strength. Brndby boss Terry Jones started his tenure as the 2002 Danish Super Cup, his first trophy in his managerial career. Since Brndby defeated Midtjylland 3–0 in the final and runners-up in the Danish Superliga in his first season as head coach, he coached the team to win the Danish Cup. Laudrup's success led him to be nominated and named as the Year's Best Manager.

He finished the season runners-up to first place Copenhagen by just one point in the following year. However, he would not be barred in the 2004–05 season, where he eventually led the team to the Danish Superliga championship. He also won his second Danish Cup in four seasons in the same season. He was named as the second Danish Manager of the Year for his second year. Laudrup, the club's top-place finisher, declared that he and assistant Faxe Jensen could not reach an agreement on a one-year contract extension that was not offered by the club. The pair, who had won four trophies in four seasons, then moved to Brndby in June 2006.

Laudrup has worked with many new positions, including as the head coach of Sweden's national team.

Brndby proposed a new lounge at the stadium "The Michael Laudrup Lounge" in 2007, with Laudrup's permission. His success culminated in him being nominated for the Danish Manager of the Year title.

According to sports newspaper Marca, Laudrup was linked to a move to Madrid-based La Liga club Getafe on June 21. This was announced on September 9, 2007. During his time in Getafe, the club reached the final of the Copa del Rey, losing to Valencia and the quarter-finals of the UEFA Cup, losing in extra time to Bayern Munich. He introduced a new brand of exciting and free-flowing attacking football to the club during his time as Bernd Schuster's replacement, bringing back memories of Laudrup as a player. His team, which was not one of Spain's most established powers, had a comparative success. However, he only served as boss for one season before resigning in May 2008.

He was linked with jobs at Barcelona, Valencia, Benfica, Chelsea, Blackburn Rovers, Panathinaikos, CSKA Moscow, and West Ham United after Laudrup's departure from Getafe. He almost earned his Panathinaikos, but according to Danish media, he wanted an option to let him leave if he was given the chance from a Spanish club. The Greeks refused to recruit Henk ten Cate instead, despite this request.

Laudrup had signed a one-and-a-half-year deal to lead Spartak Moscow, replacing Stanislav Cherchesov after his dismissal after a string of poor performances on September 12, 2008. Laudrup got off to a slow start in his first four league games, losing just one of his first four games. In the aftermath of Spartak's quarter-final 3–0 loss to Dynamo Moscow in the Russian Cup, he was fired on April 15, 2009, only seven months on the job. "From this point forwards, head coach Michael Laudrup has been relieved of his positions due to unsatisfactory results," Spartak's official statement read.

Following Atlético's 4–0 UEFA Champions League group stage loss to Chelsea, Spanish media announced that Laudrup would be appointed as the new manager of Atlético Madrid, ending Abel Resino's short and painful run. However, Laudrup and Atlético were unable to reach an agreement, and the contract fell apart. Resino was dismissed on October 23rd, and Quique Sánchez Flores was named as the team's second-choice.

Laudrup was appointed as the head of Mallorca in July 2010, a term that would continue until June 2012. He saved the struggling Mallorca team from relegation in his first season, and the team was barred from the UEFA Europa League due to its poor financial situation. Laudrup resigned as boss on September 27, 2011, the resignation of his assistant, Erik Larsen, in the 2011-2012 season. Laudrup expressed dissatisfaction with Lorenzo Serra Ferrer, the club's director of football, causing a hostile work environment as the main reason for his departure.

Laudrup was appointed as the first Dane to lead Swansea City in the Premier League on June 15, 2012. Since arriving at Liberty Stadium, Michu, Chico Flores, Pablo Hernández, Jonathan de Guzmán, and Ki Sung-yueng have all signed. Swansea's first competitive match as the Swansea City manager was a 0–5 away triumph over Queens Park Rangers.

Despite being 48 years old, Alan Tate of Swansea said Laudrup was considered the best player in preparation. He has been lauded for his choice of signings, most notably with Michu, who scored 22 goals for Swansea in 2012 after being rewarded by Rayo Vallecano for a bargain €2.5 million. Swansea defeated Chelsea 2–0 on aggregate over two legs in the League Cup semi-finals on January 23, 2013.

Laudrup appointed Morten Wieghorst, a former Danish international midfielder, as his assistant after signing him as a player while Laudrup was governing Brndby on February 7, 2013. Laudrup will later admit that Wieghorst "should be boss" of Swansea because "he has knowledge of Scottish football and is familiar with English football." Laudrup said on February 24 that he had no "ambition to become the manager" of a major club because he could not "have done everything for ten years" in management and then be disciplined "after nine months" for not winning any trophies. He also said it gave him "much more pleasure to see how well" he could do where he didn't "have to win all the time."

Laudrup won the Football League Cup at Wembley on February 24, 2013 after his team defeated Bradford City 5–0 to win the Football League Cup. This was also Swansea's first major trophy in English football in the club's history.

Swansea United's 1–0 victory over Newcastle United on March 2nd, 2013; Lavator said the club wanted Swansea to finish eighth in the top-half of the Premier League table, with 40 points and ten games remaining; Lavington said he wanted Swansea to finish eighth, and Everton is a footballer who plays for the club; because "the first seven spots" were already full in the top-half of the Premier League table, with 40 points and hat Despite being reassured that his "intention" was "to remain" in south Wales for the next year, Swansea chairman Huw Jenkins said on March 3 that the club was in the "process of looking for the next manager" of the club in the event that Laudrup does not want to leave the club, even though he had stated that he would stay" in the club for the next year.

Laudrup signed a new deal with Swansea on March 8, 2013, extending his stay at the club until 2015. According to reports, he committed to a six-month contract with a release provision in the region of £5 million, much like the release clause where Brendan Rodgers agreed to when he signed a four-month contract extension at the Liberty Stadium four months before joining Liverpool. On May 10, however, he revealed that his "intention" was to remain Swansea "next season," adding that rumors that he wanted to leave Wales was "pure speculation."

Laudrup was fired by Swansea on February 4, 2014, despite the club's poor run of form that left the club two points clear of relegation. The team had lost six out of their last eight league games at the time of the decision.

Laudrup, the former Lekhwiya champions, became the new manager of the Qatar Stars League champions on June 30, 2014, after agreeing to a one-year contract. In his first season, he led the Lekhwiya to a club-record Qatar Stars League and a Crown Prince Cup double. During his time, the club qualified for the quarter-finals of the 2015 AFC Champions League. Laudrup announced on June 17th that he would not prolong his deal after leaving the club.

Laudrup was appointed as the next boss of Al Rayyan on a two-year contract on October 3rd, replacing Jorge Fossati. Al Rayyan defeated Al Sailiya in an away match in the league on October 15, 2016, the match drawing ending in a 1–1 draw. His first match in charge was on October 15, 2016.

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