When Real Madrid promoted Zinedine Zidane from being a youth team coach to their first team coach after the sack of Rafael Benitez, little was known of his ability to lead a star studded Real Madrid team. However since that bold appointment, Zidane has gone on to win several trophies, including the Uefa Champions League trophy in his first 6months at Madrid.
This was followed by two more Uefa Champions League triumph in his two(2) full seasons. Making him the first coach to win the Uefa Champions League three times in a row. He also won the La liga in his first full season at the club, thereby joining the list of football stars who won the Spanish La liga As a player and coach having, won it as a Real Madrid player in 2002/2003.
Below is a list of ten (10) of football's finest who won La Liga as a player and coach.
1. Zinedine Zidane.
He was among the star studded Real Madrid team that won the La Liga trophy in 2002/2003 as a player. He has gone on to win the La Liga as a coach twice. First in 2016/17 season and 2019/2020 season.
2. Pep Guadiola.
Regarded by many as the best coach, at the peak of his managerial ability he led Barcelona to a sextuple of trophies in his first year as a first team coach, with his team playing a "tiki-taka" style of football which requires short and quick exchange of passes, keeping possession of the ball and recovering it as quickly as possible when they lose it. As a coach, he won La Liga three consecutive times, 2008/2009, 2009/2010, 2010,2011.
As a player he was part of the Barcelona team in the early 90's under legendary manger Johan Cruff that played "total football" , winning La Liga 4 consecutive times. It was probably when he mastered the "tiki-taka" style of football. He won La Liga 6 times as a player in:
1990/1991, 1991/1992, 1992/1993, 1993/1994, 1997/1998, 1998/1999.
3. Diego Simeone.
Simeone was a combative and hard-working midfielder in his playing days, a style he took into management with his Athletico team always ready to disrupt opponents attack. As a player he won La Liga in 1995/1996 with Athletico when they beat Albacete in the final match of the season. Same scenerio happened in 2013/2014 season when he led Athletico to the La Liga trophy on the final day of the season by avoiding defeat at Barcelona's home ground, Camp Nou.
4. Vicente Del Bosque
This man ranks as one of the most successful coaches in football for winning the World cup, European championship with Spain and several league titles with Madrid as a player and a coach. As a player he won La Liga five(5) times
1974/1975, 1975/1976, 19771978, 1978/1979, 1979/1980. While he won it twice(2) as a coach in 2000/2001 and 2002/2003.
5. BERND SCHUSTER
Bernd Schuster was one of the players who played for city rivals Real Madrid and Athletico Madrid. He also played for Barcelona being among just a company of few to have done that. He won La Liga with Barcelona in 1984/1985 and with Real Madrid in 1988/1989 and 1989/1990. As a coach, he led Madrid to the La liga title in 2007/2008.
6. Lius Aragones.
Many Spanish National team players between 2008-2012 credits Lius Aragones as the brain behind the team's success. Even Del Bosque who led the team to World Cup and European Championship success said "Without any doubt, Lius Aragones paved the way for such a successful era."
As a player Lius Aragones won La Liga three (3) times with Athletico Madrid in 1965/1966, 1969/1970, 1972/1973, and as a coach he won the La Liga with Athletico in 1976/1977. He died on 1st February 2014 aged 75 with tributes from the world of football in abundance.
7. Lius Enrique
Lius Enrique played for both Barcelona and Real Madrid. As a player, he won La Liga once(1) with Real Madrid in 1994/1995 and twice with Barcelona in 1997/199, 1998/1999. As a coach he led Barcelona to a treble in his first season as a coach winning the La liga, Copa del rey and Uefa Champions League. As a coach he won two(2) La liga with Barcelona in 2014/2015 and 2015/2016.
8. Alfredo De Stefano
Alfredo De Stefano is regarded as one of the greatest players of all time, winning the European Cup five(5) consecutive times alongside eighth (8) La Liga tittles. He scored in each of the 5 European Cup finals. As a player, he won La Liga with Real Madrid eight(8) times in
1953/1954, 1954/1955, 1956/1957, 1957/1958, 1960/1961, 1961/1962, 1962/1963, 1963/1964. As a coach he led Valencia to win the La Liga in 1970/1971. He died on 7th July 2014 aged 88years.
9. JORGE VALDANO
Jorge Valdano is an embodiment of Real Madrid, he did not just play and coached for Real Madrid, he also was also voted President after his playing and managerial career. As a player, he won La Liga twice (2) in 1985/1986 and 1986/1987 while he won it as a coach with Real Madrid in 1994/1995.
10. JOHAN CRUYFF
Cruyff was an exponent of the football philosophy known as Total Football, and is widely regarded as one of the greatest players in football history. He was so good as a player that a move was named after him, the "Cruyff Turn". As a player, he turned football into an art form. Johan Cruff is credited with the playing style of Barcelona. As former Barcelona President Laporta puts it, "Johan came along and revolutionised everything. The modern-day Barça started with him, he is the expression of our identity, he brought us a style of football we love".
As a player he won once(1) La Liga in 1974/1975. However it was as a coach that he had his biggest success executing a beautiful style of football, and winning several trophies. As a coach he won La Liga four(4) consecutive times in 1990/1991, 1991/1992, 1992/1993, 1993/1994.
There you have it, the football stars who won La Liga as a player and coach.
Please don't forget to follow, like and share. Use the comment box below if you have any suggestion or opinion.
Content created and supplied by: ClassicJohn (via Opera News )
COMMENTS