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Name:
Michael Laudrup
Born:
15th June 1964, Position: Midfielder
KB,
Brondby (both Denmark), Juventus, SS Lazio
(Italy), FC Barcelona, Real Madrid (both Spain), Vissel Kobe (Japan), Ajax
Amsterdam(Holland) and Denmark |
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Major Honours:
-
League championships
- Serie A 1985-86 - Juventus
- La Liga 1990-91, 1991-92, 1992-93,
1993-94 - Barcelona; 1994-95 - Real
Madrid
- Eredivisie 1997-98 - Ajax
-
Domestic cups
- Spanish Cup 1990 - Barcelona
- Spanish Super Cup 1991 and 1992 -
Barcelona
- Dutch Cup 1998 - Ajax
-
European cups
- Intercontinental Cup 1985 - Juventus
- European Cup 1992 - Barcelona
- European Supercup 1992 - Barcelona
-
Individual awards
- Danish Player of the Year 1982
and 1985
- La Liga Player of the year 1992
and 1993
- Best Foreign Player in Spanish Football
the last 25 years (1974-1999)
- Denmark's Best Player Ever (2006)
Relevant Career Statistics: 104
caps for Denmark with 37 goals.
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Admitted
to the Hall of Fame: October 2007 with 38% of the votes.
Typical
comment listed by voter during poll:
"Far
ahead for his leadership qualities"
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Roy
of the Rovers References:
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Internet
Links: There are a number of web pages dedicated to ????
 The profile of
Michael
Laudrup on the Internet's best and free encyclopaedia.
This page also give links to other references to this hall of
famer.
Michael Laudrup Tribute Page - A fan
site to the midfield maestro.
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Videos:
 Michael Laudrup - A football Player, a
feature on one of Europe's top players including an
interview with Johan Cruyff.
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Michael Laudrup was the graceful Danish genius who starred at the top level
throughout his career using his smooth dribbling and
inventive passing to provide vast quantities of goals for
team-mates as well as scoring plenty himself, including some
brilliant efforts ranging from mazy dribbles through the
defence to half volleys from the edge of the box. Roy Race
himself would now doubt be proud of such goals! Michael
played for Italian superstars Juventus in the 1980's, then
moved on to Spanish giants Barcelona and Real Madrid and
also had a successful stint at famous Dutch club Ajax as his
career drew to a close. At International level his
entertaining and effective play was seen on the world stage
from the European Championships of 1984 and World Cup of
1986, starring alongside Preben Elkjaer in the team
described as 'Danish Dynamite', through to the World Cup in
France in 1998 where Denmark lost an exciting quarter final
to Brazil with a team also including his talented brother
Brian Laudrup in attack and the giant Peter Schmeichel in
goal.
Laudrup played in a creative attacking role or as an
attacking midfield player; whether it be starting in a wide
position or having a central role with more freedom he would
use his intelligence and talents by drifting all around the
pitch, hence being difficult to mark and extremely difficult
to dispossess when dribbling. He also had a great 'eye for
a pass' and the ability to use it brilliantly. A term was
invented in Spain which translates as 'Made in Laudrup' for
a pass with ingenuity and unpredictability such was his
reputation as a provider for his team-mates while playing
for Barcelona and Real Madrid. In a poll he was voted Best
Foreign Player in Spanish Football from the previous 25
years in 1999 and on the occasion of Uefa's Jubilee the
Danish FA selected him as their Golden Player. He was the
Danish Player of the Year as a youngster in 1982 and again
in 1985 and added the La Liga Player of the Year in 1992 and
1993.
Laudrup started his career in his native Denmark. His
talents led to a big move from Brondby to Juventus in 1983,
although Liverpool had also previously shown an interest in
him before reducing their original wage package offered and
losing out on the young star. He spent two seasons playing
on loan at Lazio due to restrictions on foreign players in
Italian Club sides and the fact Juventus already possessed
proven stars Michel Platini of France and Zbigniew Boniek of
Poland. Later though he joined Platini in the Juventus side
and played a vital role in winning the Intercontinental Cup
with a goal after rounding the goalkeeper, staying on his
feet despite a slight foul and squeezing the ball home from a
tight angle. During his time in Spain he was to pick up
several more trophies; 5 consecutive La Liga titles
including one with Real Madrid in the first season after
moving from Barcelona and also Barcelona's first European
Cup in 1992 and the subsequent European Super Cup.
The two-footed, brilliantly balanced Danish playmaker was an
original member of Johan Cruyff's 'Dream Team' at Barcelona
that took the domestic league by storm and won that famous
European Cup Final at Wembley in 1992 after losing out to
Manchester United in the Cup Winners Cup Final as the Dream
Team emerged. In 1994 however, Laudrup was left out of the
team that played in Barcelona's next European Cup Final as
Cruyff had a dilemma of selecting 3 non-Spanish players and
plumped for Romario, Stoichkov and Koeman. AC Milan won the
final 4-0 and Laudrup moved to Real Madrid shortly
afterwards. While at the Bernabeu he maintained his
reputation not only with fans and journalists but especially
with his fellow players; being described as El Genio by Ivan
Zamorano, the Chilean striker who scored many goals thanks
to the playmaking skills of Laudrup as Real won La Liga in
1994-95.
Despite playing in Denmark's most fluent and entertaining
sides, Michael Laudrup actually missed out as his brother
and team-mates won the 1992 European Championships in Sweden
after being a late replacement in the tournament for
Yugoslavia. Michael had disagreements with the coach at
that time due to a different philosophy on how to play the
game, preferring a purer more positive style. This
commitment to entertaining football allied with a
commitment to Fair Play and all the famous success
throughout his career makes him a kind of Danish Roy Race.
Further parallels are drawn between the players as Laudrup
has embarked upon a managerial career first in Denmark and
now with Getafe in Spain... unfortunately not as player
manager like Roy himself due to playing at a high level well
into his 30's as evidenced by his performances at France '98
(being selected in the All-Star squad and adding another
Laudrup moment with a scoop over the defence for Ebbe Sand
to score against Nigeria which was reminiscent of a goal he
had set up for Romario while at Barcelona). Overall he is a
quality addition to the Roy of the Rovers Hall of Fame!
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