Laurent Blanc

Laurent Blanc
Blanc in 2013
Personal information
Full name Laurent Robert Blanc[1]
Date of birth (1965-11-19) 19 November 1965 (age 58)[2]
Place of birth Alès, France
Height 1.92 m (6 ft 4 in)[3]
Position(s) Centre-back[4]
Team information
Current team
Al-Ittihad (head coach)
Youth career
1981–1983 Montpellier
Senior career*
Years Team Apps (Gls)
1983–1991 Montpellier 243 (76)
1991–1992 Napoli 31 (6)
1992–1993 Nîmes 29 (1)
1993–1995 Saint-Étienne 70 (18)
1995–1996 Auxerre 23 (2)
1996–1997 Barcelona 28 (1)
1997–1999 Marseille 63 (14)
1999–2001 Inter Milan 67 (6)
2001–2003 Manchester United 48 (1)
Total 602 (125)
International career
1989–2000 France 97 (16)
Managerial career
2007–2010 Bordeaux
2010–2012 France
2013–2016 Paris Saint-Germain
2020–2022 Al-Rayyan
2022–2023 Lyon
2024– Al-Ittihad
Medal record
Men's football
Representing  France
FIFA World Cup
Winner 1998
UEFA European Championship
Winner 2000
UEFA European Under-21 Championship
Winner 1988
*Club domestic league appearances and goals

Laurent Robert Blanc (French pronunciation: [lɔʁɑ̃ blɑ̃]; born 19 November 1965) is a French professional football manager and former player who played as a centre-back, and currently head coach Saudi Pro League side Al-Ittihad. He has the nickname Le Président, which was given to him following his stint at Marseille in tribute to his leadership skills.[5][6]

Blanc played professional football for numerous clubs, including Montpellier, Napoli, Barcelona, Marseille, Inter Milan and Manchester United, often operating in the sweeper position. He is also a former French international, earning 97 caps and scoring 16 international goals. He represented the country in several international tournaments, including the 1998 FIFA World Cup and UEFA Euro 2000, both of which France won. On 28 June 1998, Blanc scored the first golden goal in World Cup history against Paraguay.

He began his managerial career at Bordeaux in 2007, winning domestic honours including the 2008–09 Ligue 1 title. After leaving Bordeaux in 2010 he became the manager of the France national team until 2012, replacing Raymond Domenech in the wake of the 2010 FIFA World Cup[7] and leading the country to the quarter-finals of UEFA Euro 2012. In 2013, he was hired by Paris Saint-Germain, winning further honours. After three successful years with Paris Saint-Germain he left the club in June 2016. Following more than six years without coaching in Europe, he was appointed manager by Lyon in October 2022.

  1. ^ "Entreprise Bert Invest à Mulhouse (68100)" [Company Bert Invest in Mulhouse (68100)]. Figaro Entreprises (in French). 1 March 2020. Retrieved 29 December 2020.
    "Laurent Blanc". BFM Business (in French). NextInteractive. Retrieved 29 December 2020.
  2. ^ "Laurent Blanc: Profile". worldfootball.net. HEIM:SPIEL. Retrieved 29 December 2020.
  3. ^ "Laurent Blanc". L'Équipe. Paris. Retrieved 14 January 2019.
  4. ^ "Laurent Blanc". Barry Hugman's Footballers. Retrieved 28 December 2020.
  5. ^ "Blanc's Bordeaux rise to the occasion". UEFA. 15 March 2010. Retrieved 29 June 2010.
  6. ^ "Bordeaux hope this season is not Blanc's last hurrah". The National. 16 March 2010. Archived from the original on 7 April 2014. Retrieved 29 June 2010.
  7. ^ "Laurent Blanc appointed new manager of France". BBC Sport. 2 July 2010. Retrieved 4 July 2010.

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