Antoine Kombouaré
Encyclopedia
Antoine Kombouaré is a manager of football Ligue 1
side Paris Saint-Germain and a former professional football defender
.
in the previous round. His habit of netting tie-deciding headers earned him the name of "Casque d'Or", which means "Golden Helmet" in French. In 1994-95, during a UEFA Champions League quarter final against Johan Cruyff's FC Barcelona
dream team, he captained Paris Saint-Germain to a resounding and unexpected 2-1 win which qualified the French side for the semi-finals, where they lost to AC Milan.
In all Kombouaré spent 5 seasons in Paris, winning the Coupe de France
in 1993 and 1995, and the Coupe de la Ligue
in 1995. He also played 9 games in the title-winning side of 1993-94 under Artur Jorge
. Though as from 1992-93 he found his first-team appearances restricted by the presence of fellow defenders Alain Roche
, Paul Le Guen
and Ricardo, Antoine Kombouaré became a cult hero among PSG fans for his habit of scoring late-minute winning goals and his presence and composure in big games.
He signed for Swiss side FC Sion
in 1995 for an undisclosed fee. The former France international signed for Aberdeen
a year later for £300,000 he was signed by then manager Roy Aitken
to add experience to the shaky Aberdeen defence. He made 50 appearances for Aberdeen
and scored 3 goals all in the league, Kombouare left Aberdeen
in May 1998.
at the helm forced him to change his plans. He therefore joined RC Strasbourg
where he achieved an impressive 13th spot in the league, playing some good football along the way. However, a poor start to the 2004-05 season led him to leave the Alsace club.
, with whom he had played at FC Nantes and Paris Saint-Germain. In 2009-2010, the Parisian club, in spite of its new signings such as Mevlut Erding and Gregory Coupet
, performed poorly in the League and finished in mid-table. Kombouaré made up for this by leading the club to success in the Coupe de France
, where they beat AS Monaco in the final. Coincidentally, it was the same competition that had brought Kombouaré his first taste of silverware as a PSG player in 1993; he had now won it again as a coach.
In 2010-11, he again led the club to the final of the Coupe de France
, where they lost to French champions Lille OSC
. In the Coupe de la Ligue
, PSG looked set for a final showdown with fierce rivals Olympique de Marseille
, but were stunned by Montpellier HSC
in the semi-finals. The side performed much better in the league, finishing 4th in spite of a limited playing squad. The Parisians almost achieved qualification to the Champions League but were let down by tiredness and an inability to perform when it mattered most. However, the attacking brand of football played under Antoine Kombouaré's guidance brought acclaim from both fans and writers for the capital club, with many people agreeing that PSG were playing their best fooball since Luis Fernandez
's first spell as coach between 1994 and 1996. On 31 May 2011, Paris Saint-Germain were purchased by the Qatar Investment Authority
, leading to rumours that Kombouaré, whose contract runs out in 2012, would soon lose his place as club manager.
Ligue 1
Ligue 1 , is the French professional league for association football clubs. It is the country's primary football competition and serves as the top division of the French football league system. Ligue 1 is one of two divisions making up the Ligue de Football Professionnel, the other being Ligue 2....
side Paris Saint-Germain and a former professional football defender
Defender (association football)
Within the sport of association football, a defender is an outfield player whose primary role is to prevent the opposition from attacking....
.
Early life and career
Antoine Kombouaré started his career at FC Nantes and moved to Paris Saint-Germain F.C. in 1990. At the Parisian club, he became famous for a winning header he scored in the dying seconds of a UEFA Cup quarter final against Real Madrid, in the 1992-93 season. The header qualified PSG for the next round with a 4-1 scoreline. Kombouaré had already scored a decisive goal in similar circumstances against AnderlechtAnderlecht
Anderlecht is one of the nineteen municipalities located in the Brussels-Capital Region.There are several historically and architecturally distinct districts within the Anderlecht municipality.-Pronunciation:* Dutch: * French:...
in the previous round. His habit of netting tie-deciding headers earned him the name of "Casque d'Or", which means "Golden Helmet" in French. In 1994-95, during a UEFA Champions League quarter final against Johan Cruyff's FC Barcelona
FC Barcelona
Futbol Club Barcelona , also known as Barcelona and familiarly as Barça, is a professional football club, based in Barcelona, Catalonia, Spain....
dream team, he captained Paris Saint-Germain to a resounding and unexpected 2-1 win which qualified the French side for the semi-finals, where they lost to AC Milan.
In all Kombouaré spent 5 seasons in Paris, winning the Coupe de France
Coupe de France
The Coupe Charles Simon, commonly known as the Coupe de France , is the premier knockout cup competition in French football organized by the French Football Federation...
in 1993 and 1995, and the Coupe de la Ligue
Coupe de la Ligue
The Coupe de la Ligue , known outside of France as the French League Cup, is a knockout cup competition in French football organized by the Ligue de Football Professionnel...
in 1995. He also played 9 games in the title-winning side of 1993-94 under Artur Jorge
Artur Jorge
Artur Jorge Braga Melo Teixeira , commonly known as simply Artur Jorge, is a Portuguese football coach and a former football player. He was chosen by Portuguese sports newspaper Record as one of the best 100 Portuguese football players of all time.-Club career:As a junior player, he started at the...
. Though as from 1992-93 he found his first-team appearances restricted by the presence of fellow defenders Alain Roche
Alain Roche
Alain Roche is a former French association football defender. He spent significant time at the Paris Saint-Germain where he notably won the European Cup Winners' Cup...
, Paul Le Guen
Paul Le Guen
Paul Le Guen is a French football manager and former player. He was recently confirmed as new manager of the Oman national football team.Le Guen had a successful managerial career in France, most notably leading Olympique Lyonnais to three consecutive Ligue 1 titles. He has also managed Stade...
and Ricardo, Antoine Kombouaré became a cult hero among PSG fans for his habit of scoring late-minute winning goals and his presence and composure in big games.
He signed for Swiss side FC Sion
FC Sion
FC Sion is a Swiss football team from the city of Sion. The club was founded in 1909, and play their home games at the Stade Tourbillon. They have won the Swiss Super League twice, and the Swiss Cup in each of their twelve appearances in the final, the most recent being in 2011.The first team also...
in 1995 for an undisclosed fee. The former France international signed for Aberdeen
Aberdeen F.C.
Aberdeen Football Club are a Scottish professional football club based in Aberdeen...
a year later for £300,000 he was signed by then manager Roy Aitken
Roy Aitken
Robert Sime "Roy" Aitken is a former footballer who went on to become a coach with clubs including Leeds United and Aston Villa. His position as a player was defence.Born in Irvine, Ayrshire, he grew up in Ardrossan...
to add experience to the shaky Aberdeen defence. He made 50 appearances for Aberdeen
Aberdeen F.C.
Aberdeen Football Club are a Scottish professional football club based in Aberdeen...
and scored 3 goals all in the league, Kombouare left Aberdeen
Aberdeen F.C.
Aberdeen Football Club are a Scottish professional football club based in Aberdeen...
in May 1998.
Strasbourg
In 2003, Kombouaré was already being tipped to coach Paris Saint-Germain, the club where he made his name as a player, and had spent four years coaching the reserves team with positive results. However, the arrival of Vahid HalilhodžićVahid Halilhodžic
Vahid "Vaha" Halilhodžić is a former Bosnian football player and now a manager, currently managing the Algeria national football team....
at the helm forced him to change his plans. He therefore joined RC Strasbourg
RC Strasbourg
Racing Club de Strasbourg is a French association football club founded in 1906 and professional since 1933, based in the city of Strasbourg, in Alsace...
where he achieved an impressive 13th spot in the league, playing some good football along the way. However, a poor start to the 2004-05 season led him to leave the Alsace club.
Valenciennes
In July 2005, he was appointed at Valenciennes, then playing in the second tier of French football. In his first season, he led them to promotion to the top flight, a level from which the club had been relegated in 1993. In the three seasons that followed, Kombouaré helped the club to stabilize itself at the top level of French football. He improved the club's position in every season: 14th in 2006-07, 13th in 2007-08 and 12th in 2008-09, establishing his credentials as a coach who could achieve impressive results on a tight budget.Paris Saint-Germain
In May 2009, his former club Paris Saint-Germain came calling back to him, offering him the position of manager. Kombouaré accepted and signed a 3-year contract, replacing Paul Le GuenPaul Le Guen
Paul Le Guen is a French football manager and former player. He was recently confirmed as new manager of the Oman national football team.Le Guen had a successful managerial career in France, most notably leading Olympique Lyonnais to three consecutive Ligue 1 titles. He has also managed Stade...
, with whom he had played at FC Nantes and Paris Saint-Germain. In 2009-2010, the Parisian club, in spite of its new signings such as Mevlut Erding and Gregory Coupet
Grégory Coupet
Grégory Coupet is a retired French association football goalkeeper who last played for Paris Saint-Germain. He has played for clubs such as Saint-Étienne, Lyon, Atlético Madrid. He has also played for the France national team....
, performed poorly in the League and finished in mid-table. Kombouaré made up for this by leading the club to success in the Coupe de France
Coupe de France
The Coupe Charles Simon, commonly known as the Coupe de France , is the premier knockout cup competition in French football organized by the French Football Federation...
, where they beat AS Monaco in the final. Coincidentally, it was the same competition that had brought Kombouaré his first taste of silverware as a PSG player in 1993; he had now won it again as a coach.
In 2010-11, he again led the club to the final of the Coupe de France
Coupe de France
The Coupe Charles Simon, commonly known as the Coupe de France , is the premier knockout cup competition in French football organized by the French Football Federation...
, where they lost to French champions Lille OSC
Lille OSC
LOSC Lille Métropole is a French association football club based in Lille. The club was founded in 1944 as a result of a merger and currently play in Ligue 1, the first division of French football. Lille plays its home matches at the Stade Lille-Metropole in nearby Villeneuve-d'Ascq. In 2012, the...
. In the Coupe de la Ligue
Coupe de la Ligue
The Coupe de la Ligue , known outside of France as the French League Cup, is a knockout cup competition in French football organized by the Ligue de Football Professionnel...
, PSG looked set for a final showdown with fierce rivals Olympique de Marseille
Olympique de Marseille
Olympique de Marseille is a French association football club based in Marseille. Founded in 1899, the club plays in Ligue 1 and have spent most of its history in the top tier of French football. Marseille have been French champions nine times and have won the Coupe de France a record ten times. In...
, but were stunned by Montpellier HSC
Montpellier HSC
Montpellier Hérault Sport Club is a French association football club based in the city of Montpellier. The club was founded in 1919 and currently plays in Ligue 1, the top level of French football. Montpellier plays its home matches at the Stade de la Mosson, located within the city...
in the semi-finals. The side performed much better in the league, finishing 4th in spite of a limited playing squad. The Parisians almost achieved qualification to the Champions League but were let down by tiredness and an inability to perform when it mattered most. However, the attacking brand of football played under Antoine Kombouaré's guidance brought acclaim from both fans and writers for the capital club, with many people agreeing that PSG were playing their best fooball since Luis Fernandez
Luis Fernández
Luis Fernández is a Spanish-French footballer who played as a defender / midfielder. He retired as a player in 1993 to become a manager....
's first spell as coach between 1994 and 1996. On 31 May 2011, Paris Saint-Germain were purchased by the Qatar Investment Authority
Qatar Investment Authority
The Qatar Investment Authority is Qatar's sovereign wealth fund, specializing in domestic and foreign investment. It was founded in 2005 to manage the oil and natural gas surpluses by the Government of Qatar...
, leading to rumours that Kombouaré, whose contract runs out in 2012, would soon lose his place as club manager.
Paris Saint-Germain
- Ligue 1Ligue 1Ligue 1 , is the French professional league for association football clubs. It is the country's primary football competition and serves as the top division of the French football league system. Ligue 1 is one of two divisions making up the Ligue de Football Professionnel, the other being Ligue 2....
:- Winners (1): 1994
- Runners-up (1): 1993
- Coupe de FranceCoupe de FranceThe Coupe Charles Simon, commonly known as the Coupe de France , is the premier knockout cup competition in French football organized by the French Football Federation...
:- Winners (2): 1993, 1995
- Coupe de la LigueCoupe de la LigueThe Coupe de la Ligue , known outside of France as the French League Cup, is a knockout cup competition in French football organized by the Ligue de Football Professionnel...
:- Winners (1): 1995
Paris Saint-Germain
- Coupe de FranceCoupe de FranceThe Coupe Charles Simon, commonly known as the Coupe de France , is the premier knockout cup competition in French football organized by the French Football Federation...
:- Winners (1): 20102009–10 Coupe de FranceThe 2009–10 Coupe de France was the 93rd season of the most prestigious French cup competition, organized by the French Football Federation, and was open to all clubs in French football, as well as clubs from the overseas departments and territories...
- Runners-up (1): 20112010–11 Coupe de FranceThe 2010–11 Coupe de France was the 94th season of France's most prestigious cup competition. The competition was organized by the French Football Federation and was open to all clubs in French football, as well as clubs from the overseas departments and territories...
- Winners (1): 2010