Jorge Valdano

In this Spanish name, the first or paternal surname is Valdano and the second or maternal family name is Castellanos.

Jorge Valdano
Valdano in 2018
Personal information
Full name Jorge Alberto Francisco Valdano Castellanos
Date of birth (1955-10-04) 4 October 1955 (age 69)
Place of birth Las Parejas, Argentina
Height 1.88 m (6 ft 2 in)
Position(s) Forward
Senior career*
Years Team Apps (Gls)
1973–1975 Newell's Old Boys 46 (11)
1975–1979 Alavés 105 (20)
1979–1984 Real Zaragoza 143 (46)
1984–1987 Real Madrid 85 (40)
Total 379 (117)
International career
1975–1990 Argentina 23 (7)
Managerial career
1991–1992 Real Madrid (youth)
1992–1994 Tenerife
1994–1996 Real Madrid
1996–1997 Valencia
Medal record
Men's football
Representing  Argentina
FIFA World Cup
Winner 1986 Mexico
*Club domestic league appearances and goals

Jorge Alberto Francisco Valdano Castellanos (born 4 October 1955) is an Argentine former football player, coach, and the former general manager of Real Madrid. He is currently working as a commentator for beIN Sports. Nicknamed "The Philosopher of Football",[1] he played as a forward.

With the Argentina national team, Valdano took part at the 1975 Copa América as well as the 1982 and 1986 FIFA World Cups, the latter of which Argentina won. He had a major influence in the 1986 win, scoring four goals in the tournament, including Argentina's second goal against West Germany in the final. In total, he earned 23 caps for his nation between 1975 and 1990, scoring seven goals.

Although he initially played for Newell's Old Boys, Alavés and Real Zaragoza, his most successful period at club level was at Real Madrid, where he won La Liga twice, the Copa de la Liga and two UEFA Cups. As a manager, he coached Spanish sides Tenerife, Real Madrid and Valencia. Considered a benchmark for the way he addressed various football clubs, Valdano participated in 2013 at the World Leadership Forum and in the World Business Forum in Mexico City, where he associated the world of sports and business behind it, where he listed the 11 powers of leadership, based on his last book.

Playing career

Club

Valdano started playing when he was 16 years old for Rosario's club Newell's Old Boys, where he also started playing professionally, as well as with the Argentina national football team, in 1972.

In 1975, he was transferred to Alavés of the Spanish Segunda División, where he played until 1979. In that year, he moved to Real Zaragoza of the Primera División, and then to Real Madrid in 1984, playing with the Quinta del Buitre. He helped them win the UEFA Cup in 1985 and 1986, scoring once in the 1985 final and twice in the 1986 final.

Stricken by hepatitis, he decided to retire in 1988 and became a sports commentator.

International

Valdano playing for Argentina in 1985

Valdano played 23 times for the Argentina national team between 1975 and 1990, scoring seven goals, four of them in the 1986 FIFA World Cup, including one against West Germany in the final, which Argentina went on to win. Other than the 1986 triumph, he also took part in the 1975 Copa América and the 1982 World Cup, but missed most of the latter tournament after being injured in Argentina's second game, against Hungary.

Managerial career

Valdano began his management career as the Real Madrid youth team coach. In April 1992, just before the end of the 1991–92 season, he became head coach of Tenerife, replacing fellow Argentinian Jorge Solari.[2] He helped Tenerife avoid relegation at the end of 1991–92, and then the following season helped them qualify for the UEFA Cup. He also twice led Tenerife to final day victories that denied his former club Real Madrid winning the La Liga title (Barcelona winning it instead on both occasions).[3] He then returned to Real Madrid in 1994, now as a coach, and led them to the 1994–95 Liga title.

He finally coached Valencia in 1996–97 before becoming Real Madrid's sporting director until his resignation in June 2005. In June 2009, he again returned to Real Madrid as director general and presidential aide. He was sacked from the position on 25 May 2011, however, after his relationship with the coaching staff, particularly head coach José Mourinho, had deteriorated.

Personal life

Valdano wrote the book Sueños de fútbol ("Dreams of football") and edited the book Cuentos de fútbol ("Football short stories") by diverse authors.

Real Madrid's former captain Raúl named his first-born son in honour of Valdano.[4]

Career statistics

Club

Appearances and goals by club, season and competition
Club Season League National Cup Continental Other Total
Division Apps Goals Apps Goals Apps Goals Apps Goals Apps Goals
Newell's Old Boys 1973[5] Primera División 2 1 – – – 2 1
1974[5] 19 4 – – – 19 4
1975[5] 25 6 – 4 3 – 29 9
Total 46 11 0 0 4 3 0 0 50 14
Alavés 1975–76[6] Segunda División 24 3 0 0 – 2[a] 1 26 4
1976–77[6] 30 8 0 0 – – 30 8
1977–78[6] 26 4 8 1 – – 34 5
1978–79[6] 25 5 6 0 – – 31 5
Total 105 20 14 1 0 0 2 1 121 22
Real Zaragoza 1979–80[6] La Liga 34 9 6 4 – – 40 13
1980–81[6] 17 3 0 0 – – 17 3
1981–82[6] 29 9 9 9 – – 38 18
1982–83[6] 34 17 4 3 – 6[b] 4 44 24
1983–84[6] 29 8 4 5 – – 33 13
Total 143 46 23 21 0 0 6 4 172 71
Real Madrid 1984–85[6] La Liga 26 17 2 0 10 4 2[b] 2 40 23
1985–86[6] 32 16 4 1 11 7 – 47 24
1986–87[6] 27 7 2 1 4 1 – 33 9
Total 85 40 8 2 25 12 2 2 120 56
Career total 379 117 45 24 29 15 10 7 463 163
  1. ^ Appearances in Segunda División relegation play-offs
  2. ^ a b Appearances in Copa de la Liga

International

Appearances and goals by national team and year[5]
National team Year Apps Goals
Argentina 1975 2 2
1982 5 0
1985 5 1
1986 8 4
1987 1 0
1990 2 0
Total 23 7
Scores and results list Argentina's goal tally first, score column indicates score after each Valdano goal.
List of international goals scored by Jorge Valdano
No. Date Venue Opponent Score Result Competition Ref.
1 18 July 1975 Estadio Centenario, Montevideo, Uruguay  Uruguay – 3–2 Friendly [7]
2 –
3 16 June 1985 Estadio Monumental, Buenos Aires, Argentina  Colombia 1–0 1–0 1986 FIFA World Cup qualification [8]
4 2 June 1986 Estadio Olímpico Universitario, Mexico City, Mexico  South Korea 1–0 3–1 1986 FIFA World Cup [9]
5 3–0
6 10 June 1986 Estadio Olímpico Universitario, Mexico City, Mexico  Bulgaria 1–0 2–0 1986 FIFA World Cup [10]
7 29 June 1986 Estadio Azteca, Mexico City, Mexico  West Germany 2–0 3–2 1986 FIFA World Cup [11]

Managerial statistics

Managerial record by team and tenure
Team From To Record Ref.
P W D L Win %
Tenerife 13 April 1992 30 June 1994 96 40 26 30 041.7
Real Madrid 1 July 1994 22 January 1996 78 39 17 22 050.0
Valencia 25 November 1996 15 September 1997 36 11 11 14 030.6
Total 210 90 54 66 042.9

Honours

Player

Newell's Old Boys

Real Madrid

Argentina Youth

Argentina

Individual

Awards

Manager

Real Madrid

References

  1. ^ Gorris, Lothar; Hüetlin, Thomas (30 June 2006). "Interview with Football Philosopher Jorge Valdano: "The Pitch Is a Jungle"". Spiegel. Retrieved 6 July 2018.
  2. ^ "Se cumplen 26 años del debut de Valdano en el banquillo insular". as.com. 19 April 2018. Retrieved 18 March 2020.
  3. ^ "Barcelona and Real Madrid set for more last day drama in La Liga". espn.co.uk. 10 May 2016. Retrieved 18 March 2020.
  4. ^ "Ya es el cuarto máximo goleador del Madrid. AULA". Archived from the original on 11 February 2007. Retrieved 26 October 2006.
  5. ^ a b c d Jorge Valdano at National-Football-Teams.com
  6. ^ a b c d e f g h i j k l Jorge Valdano at BDFutbol
  7. ^ "Uruguay v Argentina, 18 July 1975". 11v11. Retrieved 1 November 2024.
  8. ^ "Argentina vs. Colombia". National Football Teams. Retrieved 1 November 2024.
  9. ^ "Argentina vs. South Korea". National Football Teams. Retrieved 1 November 2024.
  10. ^ "Argentina vs. Bulgaria". National Football Teams. Retrieved 1 November 2024.
  11. ^ "Argentina vs. Germany". National Football Teams. Retrieved 1 November 2024.

Further reading

  • Martin, Carmelo (1996). Valdano: Sueños de fútbol [Valdano: Football Dreams] (in Spanish). p. 179. ISBN 84-03-59703-7.
  • Valdano, Jorge. Cuentos de fútbol [Football Tales] (in Spanish).
  • Valdano, Jorge. Cuentos de fútbol II [Football Tales II] (in Spanish).
  • Valdano, Jorge. Los cuadernos de Valdano [Valdano's Notebooks] (in Spanish).
  • Valdano, Jorge. El miedo escénico y otras hierbas (in Spanish).
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