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Ľubomír Moravčík

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Ľubomír Moravčík
Moravcik (right) at the John Kennedy testmonial match in 2011
Personal information
Date of birth (1965-06-22) 22 June 1965 (age 59)
Place of birth Nitra, Czechoslovakia
Height 1.72 m (5 ft 8 in)
Position(s) Midfielder
Team information
Current team
 Slovakia (vice-president)
Youth career
Nitra
Senior career*
Years Team Apps (Gls)
1983–1990 Nitra 119 (30)
1990–1996 Saint-Etienne 197 (31)
1996–1998 Bastia 33 (8)
1998 MSV Duisburg 5 (0)
1998–2002 Celtic 94 (29)
2002 JEF United Ichihara 2 (0)
2003–2004 Nitra
Total 432 (98)
International career
1987–1993 Czechoslovakia 42 (7)
1994–2000 Slovakia 38 (6)
Managerial career
2004–2005 Ružomberok
2005–2008 Slovakia U16
2008 Zlaté Moravce
2016–2017 ŠKF Sereď (assistant)
2017 Zvolen (assistant)
*Club domestic league appearances and goals

Ľubomír Moravčík (born 22 June 1965) is a Slovak football manager and former player. A creative midfielder renowned for his technical ability, he was capable of unleashing powerful, accurate shots, and pinpoint crosses with both feet.[1] He played for teams in Czechoslovakia and Slovakia, France, Germany, Japan, and Scotland. During his time at Scottish club Celtic, Moravčík made 94 appearances, scoring 35 goals and winning two Scottish Premier League titles.

At international level, Moravčík played for Czechoslovakia (42 appearances; seven goals) and Slovakia (38 appearances; six goals). He was a member of the Czechoslovak team at the 1990 FIFA World Cup.

Club career

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Early career

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Moravčík began his career at Czechoslovak First League club Plastika Nitra, making his league debut on 16 October 1983 against FK Teplice.[2] He spoke about his early career in an interview with the Slovak podcast, Podcast Výkrok: "I grew up in a very successful generation of Nitra, with whom we became champions of Slovakia in pupils, as younger teenagers we finished third and again became masters as older teenagers. But during my time in Shala, I never dreamed of the first league. However, when Nitra was on the verge of falling out, the club's management decided to give the young players a chance. And that meant my entry into the Premier League scene."[3]

Moravčík went on to make over 170 appearances for the club before leaving 1990 to join French Ligue 1 club Saint-Étienne, where he played over 230 matches.[4] He later moved to Bastia and then MSV Duisburg in Germany.[5]

Celtic

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On 27 October 1998, Moravčík signed for Scottish Premier League side Celtic for a fee of £330,000.[6] The transfer linked him up with fellow Slovak Jozef Vengloš, who was Celtic manager at the time.[7] Initially sceptical of the impact a then-33-year-old footballer could have,[8] Moravčík became a hero in the eyes of the Parkhead faithful, forming an outstanding partnership with Henrik Larsson.[9]

Moravčík made his league debut in a 6-1 victory against Dundee on 7 November 1998.[10] The same year on 21 November, he scored his first two goals against Old Firm rivals Rangers, wwhich ended in a memorable 5–1 victory.[11]

Moravčík stayed at Celtic Park for a total of four seasons, winning two Scottish championships, one Scottish Cup and two Scottish League Cups. All of his former teammates Larsson, Chris Sutton and Stiliyan Petrov have named him in their One to Eleven highlighting his two-foot, his ability with both feet.[12][13][14] In 2015, Moravčík said of his time in Glasgow: "My favourite time, my most special time, was at Celtic. They said I was a 'gift from God' but it was the opposite – Celtic was a gift from God to me... Celtic is unique."[15]

JEF United Ichihara

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Moravčík played his last game for Celtic on 21 April 2002, a 1–1 draw with Rangers in which he assisted Alan Thompson's equaliser and came off as a substitute for Steve Guppy on the 72nd minute.[16] On 4 May, the day before the 2002 Scottish Cup Final against Rangers, he announced his departure from the club to join JEF United Ichihara in the J-League, a move that would link him up with Jozef Vengloš, who first brought him to Parkhead in 1998.[17] Moravčík told the Daily Record: "I don't want to play in the last league game at Aberdeen [the following week] so I will be leaving Celtic and Scotland after the Cup final. Because I am going to Japan I will have to start pre-season training at the beginning of June and, before that, I need a holiday."[18] Moravčík spent the entire final on the bench as Celtic lost the match 3–2.[19]

International career

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Moravčík made a total of 80 appearances for Czechoslovakia and Slovakia between 1987 and 2000.[20] He debuted for the former national team on 11 November 1987 in a 2–0 friendly victory against Wales and scored his first goal in a 3–0 victory against Switzerland during the 1990 FIFA World Cup qualification.[21] Moravčík played at the 1990 FIFA World Cup in Italy,[22] where he was sent off against Germany in the quarter-final in Milan. Germany won the game 1–0.[23] His debut for the newly-established Slovak senior squad occurred on 30 March 1994 in a 2–1 friendly victory against Malta.[21]

Post-playing career

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Moravčík began his managerial career with Slovak national U-17 team before being appointed coach of FC ViOn Zlaté Moravce, the team from highest Slovak league, Corgoň Liga. He is also vice-president of the Slovak Football Association and assistant of ŠKF Sereď.[24]

Moravčík also has an engineering degree from the Slovak University of Agriculture, which he gained whilst playing for Nitra. "I think getting a college degree apart from professional sports is more complicated nowadays than when I studied," he said. "The communist regime was proud that the athletes growing up in its establishment had a university degree and were very accommodating. Athletes had individual study plans, various concessions, teachers sometimes turned a blind eye, and were proud to educate a representative of Czechoslovakia. Honestly, I was not an exceptional student, but I tried to come to school honestly and learn. Professors also appreciated my efforts and did not hinder me. Today, graduating from university is extremely challenging for a top athlete with multi-phase daily training, rehabilitation, training and matches. The athlete must define his priorities. I was lucky that, in addition to sports, they also provided us with education. Today is a different time, but I consider the completion of the graduation to be a necessary minimum, this can certainly be managed in addition to sports."[3]

Style of play

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A free kick specialist, Moravčík was reminiscent of the old-fashioned inside forward. He was also known for his ability to use both his left and right legs. "It's easy, always notice which foot the player is leading the ball," he told Podcast Vykroč in November 2021. "I never led the ball with my left foot. Yes, I knew how to move it and kick it with my left hand. Through targeted long-term training, I improved my left leg so that I did not distinguish at all when kicking and passing, whether by kicking with my left or right foot. But I always led the ball right."[3]

Henrik Larsson said: "For me, [Moravčík] is one of the best players I ever played with. Still to this day I don't know if he was right-footed or left-footed."[25] Moravčík's two-footedness has also been praised by Pavel Nedvěd.[26]

Personal life

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Moravčík acquired French nationality by naturalization on 5 November 1996.[27]

Career statistics

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Club

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Appearances and goals by club, season and competition
Club Season League National cup[a] League cup[b] Continental Total
Division Apps Goals Apps Goals Apps Goals Apps Goals Apps Goals
Plastika Nitra 1983–84 First League 9 0 9 0
1984–85 24 4 24 4
1985–86 29 4 29 4
1986–87 First League 27 7 27 7
1987–88 24 3 24 3
1988–89 30 6 30 6
1989–90 29 14 29 14
Total 172 38 172 38
Saint-Étienne 1990–91 French Division 1 37 7 37 7
1991–92 32 4 32 4
1992–93 34 5 34 5
1993–94 33 4 33 4
1994–95 27 4 27 4
1995–96 34 7 34 7
Total 197 31 197 31
Bastia 1996–97 Division 1 21 6 21 6
1997–98 12 2 12 2
Total 33 8 33 8
MSV Duisburg 1998–99 Bundesliga 5 0 5 0
Celtic 1998–99 Premier League 14 6 3 0 0 0 0 0 17 6
1999–00 30 8 1 0 4 1 4 0 39 9
2000–01 27 9 5 1 3 1 5 3 40 14
2001–02 23 6 1 0 3 0 6 0 33 6
Total 94 29 10 1 10 2 15 3 129 35
JEF United Ichihara 2002 J1 League 2 0 0 0 1 0 - 3 0
Career total 450 98 10 1 11 2 15 3 486 104
  1. ^ Includes Czechoslovak Cup, Coupe de France, DFB-Pokal, Scottish Cup, Emperor's Cup
  2. ^ Includes Coupe de la Ligue, DFB Ligapokal, Scottish League Cup, J.League Cup

International

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Appearances and goals by national team and year[28]
National team Year Apps Goals
Czechoslovakia 1987 1 0
1988 3 0
1989 8 1
1990 12 1
1991 6 2
1992 6 1
1993 6 1
Total 42 6
Slovakia 1994 6 2
1995 8 0
1996 5 1
1997 3 0
1998 10 3
1999 0 0
2000 6 0
Total 38 6

Honours

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Bastia

Celtic

Individual

References

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  1. ^ Waddell, Gordon (7 January 2018). "Lewis Morgan hoping Celtic fans are reminded of two-footed hero Lubo Moravcik". Daily Record Scotland. Retrieved 1 December 2021.
  2. ^ "Slovenská futbalová legenda Ľubomír Moravčík oslavuje päťdesiatku". Teraz.sk (in Slovak). 22 June 2015. Retrieved 3 November 2024.
  3. ^ a b c Jelenik, Jaroslav; Kolek, Michal (17 November 2021). "Moravčík: Nikto ma nechcel. A potom za mňa Španieli núkali milión dolárov" [Moravčík: Nobody wanted me. And then the Spaniards demanded a million dollars for me]. Sme (in Slovak). Petit Press. Retrieved 1 December 2021.
  4. ^ "Saint-Etienne-Lyon: The derby seen by Ľubomír Moravčík, the former glory of ASSE". News in 24. 3 October 2021. Retrieved 1 December 2021.
  5. ^ Arnhold, Matthias (22 April 2020). "Ľubomír Moravčík | Matches and Goals in Bundesliga". RSSSF. Retrieved 23 April 2020.
  6. ^ "Ľubomír Moravčík | 25 years ago today, Celtic signed our "Gift from God"". The Celtic Star. 27 October 2023. Retrieved 3 November 2024.
  7. ^ Corr, Matt (28 January 2021). "Fondly Remembering Jozef Vengloš – "Dr Jo. We knew who you were"". The Celtic Star. Retrieved 1 December 2021.
  8. ^ Record Sport Online (7 November 2018). "Hugh Keevins on THAT Lubo Moravick verdict". Daily Record Scotland. Retrieved 1 December 2021.
  9. ^ Moore, Paul (11 August 2020). "Henrik Larsson Has Some Lovely Things To Say About Celtic Cult-Hero Ľubomír Moravčík". balls.ie. Retrieved 1 December 2021.
  10. ^ Cole, Sean. "Ľubomír Moravčík: Celtic's Bona Fide Czech Legend". Nutmeg Magazine. Retrieved 3 November 2024.
  11. ^ Sutherland, Jonathan (17 April 2020). "Moravcik's remarkable Old Firm debut". BBC Sport. BBC. Retrieved 1 December 2021.
  12. ^ "🍀🍀 Henrik Larsson Best 11 🍀🍀". 26 November 2013. Archived from the original on 21 December 2021.
  13. ^ "One2Eleven - Chris Sutton". Sky Sports. Sky Group. Retrieved 29 June 2014.
  14. ^ "One2Eleven | Stiliyan Petrov". YouTube. Google Inc. Retrieved 29 June 2014.[dead YouTube link]
  15. ^ "Ľubomír Moravčík: "Celtic was a gift from God to me"". Glasgow Times. 25 March 2019. Retrieved 1 December 2021.
  16. ^ "Celtic vs. Rangers | Football Match Summary". ESPN. 21 April 2002. Retrieved 1 December 2021.
  17. ^ "Moravčík to leave Celtic after final". The Irish Times. 4 May 2002. Retrieved 1 December 2021.
  18. ^ "Moravcik in final salute". BBC Sport. BBC. 4 May 2002. Retrieved 1 December 2021.
  19. ^ "Moravcik goes to Dr Jo". BBC Sport. BBC. 7 May 2002. Retrieved 1 December 2021.
  20. ^ Mamrud, Roberto (22 April 2020). "Ľubomír Moravčík | International Appearances". RSSSF. Retrieved 23 April 2020.
  21. ^ a b "Najkrajšie narodeniny Moravčíka? Štvrťfinálové na MS!". Aktuality.sk (in Slovak). Ringier Axel Springier Slovakia. 23 June 2015. Retrieved 3 November 2024.
  22. ^ Ľubomír Moravčík – FIFA competition record (archived)
  23. ^ "Germany vs. Czechoslovakia live". Eurosport. 1 July 1990. Retrieved 1 December 2021.
  24. ^ Hudák, Juraj (1 August 2016). "Ľubomír Moravčík sa vracia k futbalu, opäť bude trénovať". Aktuality.sk (in Slovak). Ringier Axel Springier Slovakia.
  25. ^ "Celtic FC | Henrik Larsson speaks about Lubo Moravcik". YouTube. Google Inc. 28 March 2017. Archived from the original on 21 December 2021.
  26. ^ Cuddihy, Paul (11 May 2020). "They Played At Paradise... Pavel Nedvěd". Celtic FC. Retrieved 4 September 2023.
  27. ^ "JORF n° 0260 du 7 novembre 1996". Légifrance (in French). p. 16312. Retrieved 6 November 2023.
  28. ^ Ľubomír Moravčík at National-Football-Teams.com
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