Meet The Ten Coaches Who Walked Away After Lifting The European Cup (See The List)

I bring to you the list of  the ten coaches who signed off by lifting the European Cup

1957: José Villalonga (Real Madrid)

Coach Villalonga Celebrating with the cup

Villalonga, who remains at 36 the youngest coach to lift the European Cup, won the competition in both seasons with the Merengues before departing after a contractual dispute. 

He ended up at Atlético Madrid and then Spain, whom he led to EURO glory in 1964.

1959: Luis Carniglia (Real Madrid)

Argentinian Carniglia continued Villalonga's good work, leading Madrid to back-to-back European Cups. 

Kidney stones forced a two-month absence not long prior to the second final, a 2-0 win against Stade Reims, and then he was let go by Santiago Bernabéu, who was unhappy with the decision to leave Ferenc Puskás out of the final.

1962: Béla Guttmann (Benfica)

Coach Bela Guttman

Yet another who led a club to successive titles before departing. Hungarian Guttmann reportedly asked for a raise, was refused, and on leaving warned that Benfica would never win a European trophy again. Eight finals later and the Guttmann Curse is yet to be broken.

1963: Nereo Rocco (AC Milan)

Mr Catenaccio himself, Rocco masterminded the restricting of Eusébio (to one goal, anyway) as the Rossoneri defeated Benfica at Wembley. He immediately left for Torino before returning four years later and picking up where he left off, overseeing European Cup No2 in 1969.

1971: Rinus Michels (Ajax)

Ajax were the beaten team in '69, but coach Michels – an innovator like Rocco – would have his day two years later, Ajax defeating Panathinaikos in the decider. It was the final act in the first of two spells at Ajax: by the start of the following season he was at Barcelona.

1986: Emeric Ienei (Steaua)

Weeks after Romania's finest footballing hour against Barcelona, the brains behind it had gone. Ienei completed a league title defence before taking up a post as national-team technical director. A few months later he replaced Mircea Lucescu as Romania coach.

1993: Raymond Goethals (Marseille)

Goethals was appointed in 1990 with the express task of winning the European Cup and, three years later with mission accomplished, he took his leave. Approaching his 72nd birthday at the time, he remains the oldest coach to lift the trophy.

1997: Ottmar Hitzfeld (Dortmund)

After winning back-to-back Bundesliga titles, Hitzfeldtook the next logical step in 1997 as his side claimed their first European title. Then came a less obvious move as he went upstairs to work as sporting director. Ultimately, Dortmund's loss was Bayern's gain as Hitzfeld moved on and led them to five titles and the 2001 UEFA Champions League.

1998: Jupp Heynckes (Real Madrid)

The German had a strange 11 months in Spain, the lowest win percentage in the modern era somewhat offset by a first European Cup in 32 years. Eight days after overseeing Madrid's UEFA Champions League final victory against Juventus, Heynckes was out of a job. 

2004: José Mourinho (Porto):

Jose Mourinho celebrating the cup with Porto FC 

Mourinho famously danced down the Old Trafford touchline when Costinha scored a late clincher in the last 16, but celebrations were decidedly subdued after the final in Gelsenkirchen. Two days later he was Chelsea boss.

2010: José Mourinho (Internazionale Milano)

Lightning struck twice for the Portuguese. Not long after completing the treble (as Porto had six years earlier), Mourinho said he was "sad, as almost for sure it's my last game with Inter". Six days after lifting the trophy he was unveiled by Real Madrid.

2013: Jupp Heynckes (Bayern München):

Heynckes had known since January that Josep Guardiola would replace him at the end of the season  and it sparked an astonishing run as he left in a blaze of glory. Bayern smashed Bundesliga records, thumped Barcelona 7-0 over two legs, beat Dortmund in the UEFA Champions League final then added the German Cup.

Related Posts Widget