Mustapha Hadji
Mustapha Hadji ( 2012)
Mustapha Hadji (Arabic: مصطفى حاجي, DMG Mustafa Ḥāǧǧī; born November 16, 1971 in Ifrane ) is a former Moroccan football player. The World Cup qualifiers in 1994 and 1998, was active throughout his career in French, Portuguese, Spanish, English and German professional football, usually held the position of creative and attacking midfielder. He came either directly behind the storm center or as a winger for use. Hadji, the African Football Association has named 1998 CAF African Footballer of the Year has been known to a wider audience especially with his goal to make it 1-0 for Morocco in the opening match of the 1998 World Cup against Norway ( Full 2:2 ).
Career
Association
Hadji had emigrated as a child from Morocco and left his African homeland to go to Europe to immigrate to France, where the family and Hadji himself settled in Creutzwald, Moselle, Lorraine. With the football Hadji began in offspring of AS Nancy. He left the club before the season 1996/97 to Portugal, where he played one and a half years in the first division side Sporting Lisbon. At the beginning of 1998 he joined Spanish side Deportivo La Coruña.
In 1999 he joined the English Premier League club Coventry City, with whom he succeeds Gary McAllister was as team captain. At the end of the 2000/01 season the club got off to the second division. In the summer of 2001, he was held in Aston Villa an employer who could guarantee him major league football. After two good years under coach John Gregory, however, he found himself more and more often on the bench or in the stands again.
He joined the Spanish La Liga Espanyol Barcelona. However, Hadji and the club could not agree on a longer commitment, so he decided to sign a contract with Al Ain Club in the United Arab Emirates.
Before the season 2005/ 06 Hadji returned to Europe. The first FC Saarbrücken, who played his time in the 2nd Bundesliga, Hadji took during the summer break in 2005 for at least one year under contract. His transfer to Saarbruecken founded Hadji, who had other offers, with the proximity to Lorraine. At the request of then- coach Horst Ehrmantraut Hadji should make with Faysal El Idrissi his compatriot a midfield duo. On August 4, 2005 Hadji finally came in the first, 0-4 lost season game against VfL Bochum in the initial formation to use. After another defeat coach Horst Ehrmantraut was dismissed; on interim coach fox followed Rudi Bommer. However different the 1 FC Saarbrücken in the 2nd round of the cup against league rival Unterhaching. Hadji met in this game for interim 1-0 lead his Saarbrücken, however, looked after 85 minutes, the red card has been blocked by the DFB sports court for three Cup games.
After descending from the Regional Hadji left the club and went in 2007 to the first division club CS Fola Esch Luxembourg. In 2010, he finished his career.
National
Hadji was active in the Moroccan national team. In the 1994 World Cup, he retired with his team after three narrow defeats against Belgium, Saudi Arabia and the Netherlands from.
In qualifying for the 1998 World Cup, he prepared many goals against, scored one himself and was very dominant on the court. At the World Cup tournament in France, he scored a spectacular goal in the group game against Norway (2-2 ). After an expected defeat against the then reigning world champions Brazil ( 0-3 ) beat the team in the final match Scotland 3-0. The team was eliminated anyway, as the Brazilians had lost the second match of the night against Norway 1-2.
After this tournament and the Africa Cup in the same year he was elected to the African Footballer of the Year in 1998.
His eight years younger brother Youssef is also a professional footballer and Moroccan national team. His son ( Samir ) and the youngest brother ( Farid ) play at the 1 FC Saarbrücken in youth.
Title / Awards
- African Footballer of the Year: 1998