Michel Preud'homme

At 65 years old, Michel Preud'homme has this physical status:

Michel Georges Jean Ghislain Preud'homme (born 24 January 1959), also known as Michel Preud'homme, is a Belgian former professional footballer who competed as a goalkeeper and is the current manager of Standard Liège in the Belgian Pro League. During his career, he was named one of the world's best and most consistent goalkeepers; he was the first winner of the Yashin Award as the best goalkeeper at the 1994 FIFA World Cup. Preud'homme played for Standard Liège, Mechelen, and Benfica on a club basis.

He won the Belgian Cup in 1987, the Cup Winner's Cup and the European Super Cup in 1988, as well as the Belgian league championship in 1989.

In 1996, he defeated Benfica in the Portuguese Cup.

He retired as a player in 1999 when he was 40 years old.

Preud'homme debuted in Belgium 58 times, from 1979 to 1995.

He appeared in the 1990 tournament rather than the 1994 World Cup.

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Club career

Preud'homme is a product of Standard Liège's youth service, which he joined at ten years old in 1969. He was first called up to the first squad in 1977 and made his senior debut in August 1977 after early injuries to the main goalkeeper Christian Piot and his replacement Jean-Paul Crucifix. Standard Liège Preudhomme won the Belgian First Division in 1981–82 and 1982–83. He was also runner-up in the 1981-82 UEFA Cup Winners' Cup, losing against F.C. Barcelona is a city in Barcelona, Spain.

In 1986, Preud'homme was transferred to KV Mechelen. The following seasons would be the most profitable for the player (as well for the club): winning the 1986-87 Belgian Cup, the 1988 European Super Cup, and the 1988 Belgian First Division all proved to be the most profitable for the player.

In 1994, Preudhomme joined Benfica, becoming the first foreign goalkeeper in Benfica's history. Against Beira-Mar, he made his debut on August 21st. Michel won his first trophy in Portuguese football on May 18, 1996, when Benfica defeated Lisbon rival Sporting CP 3–1 in the Taça de Portugal final.

By supporters of Benfica, he was dubbed "Saint Michel" for his superb performances and nearly impossible saves. He played his last match, an off-season friendly against Bayern Munich, on August 10, 1999. He became Benfica's director of international affairs after his retirement, at the age of 40.

International career

Preud'homme made his senior debut on May 2nd, 1979, a 0–0 draw with Austria in a UEFA Euro 1980 qualifier match. In the 1980 Euro Football Cup final against West Germany, he served as the third keeper behind Jean-Marie Pfaff and Theo Custers.

Preud'homme played for Belgium in two FIFA World Cups: 1990 and 1994, the former being his last international tournament where he was voted with the Yashin Award for best goalkeeper and was included in the FIFA World Cup All-Star Team, with Belgium defeated by defending champions Germany after a 3–2 loss.

Preud'homme made his final appearance for Belgium on December 17th, 1994, losing 4–1 to Spain in a UEFA Euro 1996 qualifier match.

Managerial career

Michel Preudhomme continued to work at Benfica as a technical director after his time in football. In September 2000, he suggested that the club approach José Mourinho to replace him as the head coach.

Preud'homme has served as the head coach of Standard Liège twice, the first time from December 2000 to May 2002, and the second time from August 2006 to the end of the 2008 season. Tomislav Ivi was fired by Benfica after leaving his technical directorships. In May 2002, he resigned from his teaching job to become Standard's sports director.

Preudhomme left his sporting director positions and became Standard's boss for the second time in his career on August 30, 2006. Standard Liège won in 2008 its first Belgian Championship in 25 years, so it was a surprise when he was named manager of Gent for the 2008–09 season.

On May 27, 2008, Preud'homme was escorted to Gent. Gent finished second in the Jupiler Pro League, their highest position ever (together with the 1954-1955 season). He also won the Belgian Cup for the third time in the club's history, winning the trophy for the third time.

Despite the desire of Porto and Milan, Preud'homme will swap Steve McClaren for Twente's head coach. Twente defeated Ajax 1–0 in the Johan Cruyf Shield match on July 31, 2010, winning his first trophy in Dutch football. Twente lost to Ajax in the Dutch championship's last game of the season, leaving the Dutch crown in Amsterdam and Twente finishing runners-up. In the KNVB Cup final held at the De Kuip in Rotterdam on May 8, 2011, Twente defeated Ajax 3–2 after extra time.

FC Twente announced Preud'homme's transfer from Saudi Arabian side Al-Shabab Riyadh on its website on June 13th. Fernando Menegazzo, a Brazilian central midfielder, and Uzbek midfielder Server Djeparov were both bringing Fernando Menegazzo and Uzbekistani midfielder Djeparov by the end of the transfer window.

Al-Shabab's first Saudi Professional League game as boss was 3–1 at Al-Faisaly on September 10, 2011. He succeeded Anderlecht coach Ariel Jacobs on winning the Guy Thys Award, the award for the coach who has contributed to his profession and football on Monday.

After a 1–1 draw with Al-Ahli, Al-Shabab clinched the Saudi Professional League crown for the first time on April 14, 2012. Shabab won 19 victories and 7 draws in the league, keeping the league undefeated. He was named the Saudi Arabia Manager of the Year at the end of the year.

Preud'homme was given a new contract extension on May 10th, which will continue until 2016. He and Al-Shabab decided to part ways on September 18, allowing him to join Club Brugge the next day.

Preud'homme was appointed head coach of Club Brugge on September 19, 2013 after Juan Carlos Garrido was fired. In a 1–0 victory over Oudenaarde, he made his debut six days later. Preud'homme has signed a new deal with the Club Brugge boss until 2020, which is the end of the season.

Preud'homme reached his third Belgian Cup Final on February 11, 2015, beating Cercle Brugge 8–3 on aggregate, beating them Cercle Brugge 8–3. He lifted the final against rival Anderlecht on March 22, 2015, defeating them on March 22, 2015. It was the first trophy for Club Brugge in eight years. For the second time this year, he was named Belgiumn Professional Manager of the Year.

Preud'homme debuted the 2015 Belgian Super Cup to Gent in the new season. Brugge defeated Westerlo 0–2 in the quarter-finals of the Belgian Cup. Gent was not banned under the away goals rule in order to make the Cup Final for the second year in a row on February 3rd. Brugge lost the match 2–1 to Standard Liège.

Preud'homme won the Jupiler Pro League with Club Brugge on May 15, defeating Anderlecht 4–0. It was 11 years since the club's last victory in the Belgian competition. For the third time in a row, he was named Manager of the Year on May 23rd.

Preud'homme signed with Standard Liège on May 23rd.

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