Wikipedia

Michel Preud'homme

Michel Georges Jean Ghislain Preud'homme (born 24 January 1959) is a Belgian retired footballer and manager who played as a goalkeeper. Currently, he is vice-president and sports director at Standard Liège.

Michel Preud'homme
Preud'homme in 2008
Personal information
Full name Michel Georges Jean Ghislain Preud'homme[1]
Date of birth (1959-01-24) 24 January 1959 (age 65)
Place of birth Ougrée, Belgium
Height 1.83 m (6 ft 0 in)
Position(s) Goalkeeper
Team information
Current team
 Standard Liège (vice-president & sports director)
Youth career
1969–1977 Standard Liège
Senior career*
Years Team Apps (Gls)
1977–1986 Standard Liège 240 (0)
1986–1994 Mechelen 263 (0)
1994–1999 Benfica 147 (0)
Total 650 (0)
International career
1979–1994 Belgium 58 (0)
Managerial career
2001–2002 Standard Liège
2006–2008 Standard Liège
2008–2010 Gent
2010–2011 Twente
2011–2013 Al-Shabab
2013–2017 Club Brugge
2018–2020 Standard Liège
Medal record
Representing  Belgium
UEFA European Championship
Runner-up 1980 Italy
*Club domestic league appearances and goals

He was considered one of the world's best and most consistent goalkeepers during his professional career;[2] he was the first winner of the Yashin Award as the best goalkeeper at the 1994 FIFA World Cup.

At club level, Preud'homme played for Standard Liège, Mechelen and Benfica. With Mechelen, he won the Belgian Cup in 1987, the Cup Winner's Cup and the European Super Cup in 1988 and the Belgian league title in 1989. He also won the Portuguese Cup with Benfica in 1996. He retired as a player in 1999, aged 40. For Belgium, Preud'homme was capped 58 times, from 1979 to 1994. Other than the 1994 World Cup, he also played in the 1990 tournament.[3]

Club career

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Standard Liège

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Preud'homme is a product of Standard Liège's youth system, which he joined at 10 years old in 1969. He was first called up to the first team in 1977 and made his senior debut in August 1977 after early injuries to the main goalkeeper Christian Piot and his successor Jean-Paul Crucifix.[4] With Standard Liège Preud'homme 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.

KV Mechelen

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Preud'homme was transferred to KV Mechelen in 1986. The following seasons would become the most successful for the player (as well for the club), winning the 1986-87 Belgian Cup, the 1987-88 European Cup Winners' Cup, the 1988 European Super Cup and the 1988-89 Belgian First Division. In June 1993, there were negotiations by Sporting CP to sign him, but the transfer never happened.[5]

Benfica

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Preud'homme moved to Portuguese club Benfica in 1994, making his debut on 21 August, against Beira-Mar. On 18 May 1996, Michel won his first trophy in Portuguese football as Benfica defeated Lisbon rivals Sporting CP 3–1 in the Taça de Portugal final.[6]

For his outstanding performances and almost impossible saves, he was nicknamed "Saint Michel" by supporters of Benfica. On 10 August 1999, he played his last match, an off season friendly against Bayern Munich. After his retirement, at age 40, he became Benfica's director of international relations.[7]

International career

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Preud'homme made his senior debut on 2 May 1979 in a 0–0 draw with Austria in a UEFA Euro 1980 qualifying match.[8] He served as third keeper behind Jean-Marie Pfaff and Theo Custers in the UEFA Euro 1980 as Belgium lost in the final against West Germany.[9]

Preud'homme represented Belgium in two consecutive FIFA World Cups: 1990 and 1994 – the latter being his last competition at international level, where he was awarded with the Yashin Award for best goalkeeper,[10] and was included in the FIFA World Cup All-Star Team,[11] as Belgium reached the round of 16 of the tournament, only to be eliminated by defending champions Germany following a 3–2 defeat.[12]

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

Style of play

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A world-class, elegant, efficient, and consistent goalkeeper, regarded as one of the greatest goalkeepers of all time, Preud'homme was mainly known for his excellent shot-stopping abilities, quick reflexes, agility, strength, tenacity, handling and his ability to come off his line to collect crosses, as well as his tendency to produce spectacular and decisive saves.[13][14][15][16][17][18][19][20][21]

Managerial career

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After his professional football career, Michel Preud'homme stayed at Benfica to become technical director. In September 2000, he suggested the club approach José Mourinho to become the head coach.[22]

Standard Liège

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Preud'homme has been 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. After leaving his technical director duties at Benfica, he replaced Tomislav Ivić on 20 December 2000.[23] In May 2002, he left his coaching position to become Standard's sporting director.[24]

On 30 August 2006, after Dutchman Johan Boskamp was sacked due to poor results, Preud'homme left his sporting director duties and became Standard's manager for the second time in his career.[25] After his return to the club, Standard Liège won in 2008 its first Belgian Championship in 25 years,[26] and it therefore came as a surprise when he was appointed manager of Gent for the 2008–09 season.[27]

Gent

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Michel Preud'homme after winning the Belgian cup with Gent in 2010

Preud'homme moved to Gent on 27 May 2008. With Gent he finished second in the Jupiler Pro League, this was their highest place ever (together with the 1954–1955 season). He also won the Belgian Cup, it was the third time in the history of the club that they won that trophy.

Twente

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On 23 May 2010, it was confirmed that Preud'homme would replace Steve McClaren as the head coach of Twente,[28] despite the interest of Porto and Milan. On 31 July 2010, he won his first trophy in Dutch football as Twente defeated Ajax 1–0 in the Johan Cruyff Shield match. In the last league match of the season, Twente lost to Ajax, which meant the Dutch title went to Amsterdam and Twente finished runners-up. On 8 May 2011, Twente defeated Ajax 3–2 after extra time in the KNVB Cup final held at the De Kuip in Rotterdam.

Al-Shabab Riyadh

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On 13 June 2011, FC Twente confirmed Preud'homme's departure to Saudi Arabian club Al-Shabab Riyadh on its website .[29] By the end of the transfer window, he brought Brazilian central midfielder Fernando Menegazzo and Uzbekistani midfielder Server Djeparov.

On 10 September 2011, Al-Shabab won 3–1 at Al-Faisaly in Preud'homme's first Saudi Professional League game as manager. On 10 March 2012, he succeeded Anderlecht coach Ariel Jacobs on winning the Guy Thys Award, the prize for the coach who most contributed to the image of his profession and football.[30]

On 14 April 2012, after a 1–1 draw against Al-Ahli, Al-Shabab clinched the Saudi Professional League title after six years since they had won it for the last time. Shabab finishing the league undefeated, with 19 victories and 7 draws.[31] At the end of the season, he was won the Saudi Arabia Manager of the Year award.[32]

On 10 May, Preud'homme was rewarded with a new contract extension, running until 2016.[33] On 18 September 2013, he and Al-Shabab agreed to part ways, allowing him to sign for Club Brugge one day later.[34]

Club Brugge

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After Juan Carlos Garrido was fired, Preud'homme was appointed head coach of Club Brugge on 19 September 2013.[35] Six days later, he made his debut in a 1–0 win against Oudenaarde. At the end of the season, Preud'homme signed a new contract to remain as Club Brugge manager until 2019.[36]

On 11 February 2015, Preud'homme reached his third Belgian Cup Final, after eliminating rivals Cercle Brugge 8–3 on aggregate. On 22 March 2015, he won that final against rivals Anderlecht. It was the first trophy for Club Brugge in eight years. At the end of the season, he was voted Belgian Professional Manager of the Year for the second time.[37]

Preud'homme started the new season losing the 2015 Belgian Super Cup to Gent. In the Belgian Cup, Brugge won 0–2 in the quarter-final against Westerlo. On 3 February 2016, they eliminated Gent on the away goals rule to reach the Cup Final for the second year in a row.[38] Brugge lost the match 2–1 to Standard Liège.

On 15 May 2016, after finishing first in the regular season, Preud'homme won the Jupiler Pro League with Club Brugge in a 4–0 win over Anderlecht. It took the club 11 years since their last victory in the Belgian competition.[39] On 23 May, he was voted Manager of the Year for the third time, the second consecutive.[40]

Return to Standard Liège

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On 23 May 2018, Preud'homme signed with Standard Liège.[41]

Career statistics

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International

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National
Team 		Year Friendlies World Cup European Championships Total
Pld GA Pld GA Pld GA Pld GA
Belgium

[42]

1979 0 0 0 0 1 0 1 0
1981 0 0 2 3 0 0 2 3
1987 0 0 0 0 2 2 2 2
1988 4 7 1 0 0 0 5 7
1989 2 0 6 5 0 0 8 5
1990 6 7 4 4 1 3 11 14
1991 2 0 0 0 5 3 7 3
1992 2 5 5 1 0 0 7 6
1993 1 1 4 4 0 0 5 5
1994 3 2 4 4 3 5 10 11
Total 20 22 26 21 12 13 58 56

Managerial statistics

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As of match played 7 March 2020[43]
Managerial record by team and tenure
Team Nat From To Record
G W D L Win %
Standard Liège   25 December 2000 10 May 2002 57 24 21 12 042.11
Standard Liège   31 August 2006 26 May 2008 229 117 59 53 051.09
Gent   1 July 2008 30 June 2010 89 46 20 23 051.69
Twente   1 July 2010 30 June 2011 53 29 14 10 054.72
Al-Shabab   13 June 2011 18 September 2013 75 48 15 12 064.00
Club Brugge   19 September 2013 22 May 2017 204 117 33 54 057.35
Total 649 356 141 152 054.85

Honours

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Player

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Standard Liège[44]

KV Mechelen[49]

Benfica

Belgium

Manager

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Standard Liège

Gent

Twente

Al-Shabab

Club Brugge

Individual

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Player

Manager

References

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  1. ^ "Michel Preud'homme". 16 November 2012. Archived from the original on 28 July 2013. Retrieved 13 November 2012.
  2. ^ "Courtois flying high for club and country". FIFA.com. 9 June 2013. Archived from the original on 22 October 2016. Retrieved 21 October 2016.
  3. ^ Michel Preudhomme – FIFA competition record (archived)
  4. ^ "Le miracle Preud'Homme". Archived from the original on 30 September 2013. Retrieved 3 February 2016.
  5. ^ "Sporting contrata Michel Preudhomme" (in European Portuguese). Retrieved 22 February 2024.
  6. ^ a b "Guarda Redes" [Goalkeepers]. S.L. Benfica. Archived from the original on 6 February 2016. Retrieved 6 February 2016.
  7. ^ a b Michel Preud'homme – UEFA coaching record (archived)
  8. ^ Austria - Belgium Archived 6 February 2016 at the Wayback Machine, Footballdatabase.eu, Retrieved 26 May 2013
  9. ^ "Belgium » Squad EURO 1980 Italy". worldfootball. Archived from the original on 14 February 2016. Retrieved 6 February 2016.
  10. ^ a b "FIFA World Cups: Awards" (PDF). FIFA.com. Archived from the original (PDF) on 30 June 2016. Retrieved 19 June 2007.
  11. ^ a b "WORLD CUP '94; Romario and Baggio Among First All-Star Cast". The New York Times. 16 July 1994.
  12. ^ "Germany–Belgium". FIFA.com. Archived from the original on 6 December 2017. Retrieved 10 February 2018.
  13. ^ "Mondiali, -1: da Yashin a Buffon, i portieri nella storia" (in Italian). Sky.it. Archived from the original on 20 October 2016. Retrieved 21 October 2016.
  14. ^ "Buffon crede nell'Italia: "Stiamo costruendo qualcosa d'importante"" (in Italian). Yahoo.com. 12 November 2015. Archived from the original on 22 October 2016. Retrieved 21 October 2016.
  15. ^ "Michel Preud'homme" (in Italian). Storie di Sport. Archived from the original on 29 March 2016. Retrieved 21 October 2016.
  16. ^ GRAHAME L. JONES (26 June 1994). "WORLD CUP USA '94 / THE FIRST ROUND : Preud'Homme Had the Feeling, so Dutch Get Burned". Los Angeles Times. Archived from the original on 31 January 2016. Retrieved 21 October 2016.
  17. ^ Alec Cordolcini. "UNA FAVOLA CHIAMATA MALINES" (in Italian). Storie di Calcio. Archived from the original on 4 November 2016. Retrieved 21 October 2016.
  18. ^ Karel Stokkermans (30 January 2000). "IFFHS' Century Elections". RSSSF. Archived from the original on 3 March 2009. Retrieved 21 February 2017.
  19. ^ Ian Hawkey (16 August 2015). "Man Utd news: Michel Preud'homme's star can rise again with victory over Louis van Gaal". The Telegraph. Archived from the original on 22 February 2017. Retrieved 21 February 2017.
  20. ^ Gianluca Minchiotti (4 December 2014). "Le Classifiche di CM: portieri, la top 10 di tutti i tempi. Chi è il più forte?" (in Italian). Calciomercato.com. Archived from the original on 22 February 2017. Retrieved 21 February 2017.
  21. ^ "Buffon, il miglior portiere della storia" (in Italian). Sky.it. 19 January 2009. Archived from the original on 22 February 2017. Retrieved 21 February 2017.
  22. ^ "Michel Preud'homme quits as coach of Standard Liege". Reuters. 8 June 2020. Retrieved 11 September 2020.[dead link‍]
  23. ^ "Preud'homme substitui Ivic" [Preud'homme replaces Ivic] (in Portuguese). TSF. 21 December 2000. Retrieved 3 February 2016.[permanent dead link‍]
  24. ^ "Preud'Homme deixa de ser treinador no final da época" [Preud'Homme will no longer be coach at the end of the season] (in Portuguese). TSF. 29 March 2002. Retrieved 6 February 2016.
  25. ^ "Preud'homme the man for Standard". UEFA. 30 August 2006. Archived from the original on 6 February 2016. Retrieved 6 February 2016.
  26. ^ Scholten, Berend (24 February 2006). "Preud'homme's high Standard". UEFA.com. Archived from the original on 2 November 2012. Retrieved 24 September 2007.
  27. ^ "Preud'homme to coach Ghent". FIFA. 27 May 2008. Archived from the original on 28 May 2008. Retrieved 23 May 2009.
  28. ^ "Talk - FC Twente appoint Michel Preud'homme as new coach". www.football-transfers.co.uk. Archived from the original on 20 October 2017. Retrieved 7 May 2018.
  29. ^ "Michel Preud'homme naar Al-Shabab". FC Twente (in Dutch). 13 June 2011. Archived from the original on 16 June 2011. Retrieved 13 June 2011.
  30. ^ a b "Preud'homme wint Guy Thys Award" [Preud'homme wins Guy Thys Award]. Voetbalprimeur. 10 March 2012. Retrieved 27 May 2016.
  31. ^ "Al-Shabab crowned Saudi champions". arabnews. 15 April 2012. Archived from the original on 15 April 2012. Retrieved 15 April 2012.
  32. ^ a b "Preud'homme pakt koffers bij Al Shabab" [Preud'homme packed suitcases at Al Shabab]. Voetbalprimeur. 19 September 2013. Archived from the original on 7 August 2016. Retrieved 27 May 2016.
  33. ^ "Preud'homme prolonge à Al-Shabab". footgoal. 10 May 2012. Archived from the original on 21 September 2013. Retrieved 8 April 2013.
  34. ^ "Preud'homme:"Work hard to make fans happy"". footgoal. 21 September 2013. Retrieved 22 September 2013.
  35. ^ "Club Brugge fire Garrido, enter Preud'homme". benefoot. 19 September 2013. Archived from the original on 12 February 2015. Retrieved 11 February 2015.
  36. ^ "Michel Preud'homme at Club until 2019". Club Brugge. 25 May 2014. Archived from the original on 11 February 2015. Retrieved 11 February 2015.
  37. ^ a b c "Preud'homme is "Coach of the Year"". De Redactie. 19 May 2015. Archived from the original on 26 January 2016. Retrieved 6 February 2016.
  38. ^ "Club slaat Gent knock-out en speelt bekerfinale". sporza.be. 3 February 2016. Archived from the original on 11 May 2016. Retrieved 27 May 2016.
  39. ^ "Club Brugge end 11-year Belgian title wait". uefa.com. 15 May 2016. Archived from the original on 23 May 2016. Retrieved 27 May 2016.
  40. ^ a b "Hanni is Profvoetballer van het Jaar, ook Preud'homme, Bailey, Sels, Ndidi en Simons bekroond" [Hanni's Football Player of the Year, also Preud'homme, Bailey, Sels, Ndidi and Simons won]. nieuwsblad.be. 23 May 2016. Archived from the original on 26 May 2016. Retrieved 27 May 2016.
  41. ^ "Michel Preud'homme de retour chez les rouches". Standard Liège (in French). 23 May 2018. Retrieved 21 July 2018.
  42. ^ "Michel Preud'homme - International Appearances". rsssf. 31 March 2011. Archived from the original on 9 March 2016. Retrieved 4 February 2016.
  43. ^ "Michel Preud'homme career sheet". footballdatabase. footballdatabase. Retrieved 24 February 2020.
  44. ^ "Standard de Liège | Palmares".
  45. ^ a b "Michel Preud'homme". Eurosport. Archived from the original on 6 February 2016. Retrieved 6 February 2016.
  46. ^ "Wildstat | Intertoto Cup 1980".
  47. ^ "Wildstat | Intertoto Cup 1982".
  48. ^ "Wildstat | Intertoto Cup 1984".
  49. ^ "KV Mechelen | Geschiedenis".
  50. ^ "Belgium - List of Cup Finals".
  51. ^ "UEFA Euro 1980".
  52. ^ a b "Winnaars Nationale Trofee voor Sportverdienste".
  53. ^ a b c d e Michel Preud'homme coach profile at Soccerway. Retrieved 7 September 2017.
  54. ^ a b "OVERZICHT. Wie waren de voorgangers van Gouden Schoen-winnaar Matias Suarez?". Het Nieuwsblad. 11 January 2012. Archived from the original on 6 February 2016. Retrieved 6 February 2016.
  55. ^ a b "Palmares Profvoetballer van het Jaar".
  56. ^ "1988 Ballon d'Or".
  57. ^ "1989 Ballon d'Or".
  58. ^ "1994 Ballon d'Or".
  59. ^ "Portret Michel Preud'Homme".
  60. ^ "IFFHS (International Federation of Football for History & Statistics". iffhs.de. Retrieved 9 November 2020.
  61. ^ "Soulier d'or belge du 20ème siècle".
  62. ^ "IFFHS' Century Elections". RSSSF. Retrieved 9 November 2020.
  63. ^ "Het beste Gouden Schoen-elftal ooit".
  64. ^ "The 50 Greatest Goalkeepers in History". Bleacher Report.
  65. ^ "RBFA - Discover our 125 Years Icons Team".
  66. ^ "12 Gouden Schoenen en meer dan 3.000 wedstrijden in België: dit is de Pro League Hall of Fame" [12 Golden Boots and more than 3,000 matches in Belgium: this is the Pro League Hall of Fame]. Sporza (in Dutch). 5 November 2024.
  67. ^ "Preud'homme winnaar Rinus Michels Award" [Preud'homme wins Rinus Michels Award]. voetbal primeur. 29 May 2011. Archived from the original on 6 February 2016. Retrieved 6 February 2016.
  68. ^ "Kampioenenmaker Michel Preud'homme verkozen tot 'Trainer van het Jaar'".
  69. ^ "Trofee Raymond Goethals".

Further reading

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  • Prata, João; Perdigão, Carlos (April 1995). Biografias: Michel Preud'Homme, experiência e classe inconfundíveis! [Biographies: Michel Preud'Homme, unmistakable class and experience!]. Lisgráfica. Depósito Legal [Deposit number]: 84768/94.
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