Raymond Goethals was a Belgian football player and manager, known for his significant contributions to the sport from 1921 to 2004.
He became the first coach to win a European trophy with a French club when he led Marseille to victory in the UEFA Champions League final in 1993.
Goethals began his playing career as a goalkeeper in the 1930s with Daring Brussels before moving to Racing Club Brussel in 1947.
Biography
Early Life and Playing Career
Raymond Goethals was born in 1921 in Belgium and began his football journey as a goalkeeper in the 1930s with Daring Brussels. He progressed through the youth ranks and made his professional debut with Royal Daring Club Molenbeek in 1940, where he played until 1947. Following this, he had brief stints at Royal Racing Club de Bruxelles and K.S.K. Ronse, showcasing his skills as a reliable goalkeeper until he transitioned into coaching.
Coaching Career
Goethals' coaching career began after his playing days, where he initially took charge of clubs like Hannutois and Waremme. His significant breakthrough came when he led Sint-Truiden to a commendable second place in the Belgian First Division in 1966. He took over the Belgium national team in 1968, guiding them to the 1970 World Cup and achieving notable success in the 1972 European Championship, where Belgium finished third after defeating Hungary. After leaving the national team in 1976, he joined Anderlecht, leading them to win the European Cup Winners' Cup in 1978 and achieving further success with clubs in France and Brazil.
Legacy
Goethals is perhaps best remembered for his remarkable achievement as the coach of Olympique de Marseille, where he led the team to victory in the UEFA Champions League in 1993, marking a historic moment as the first coach to win a European trophy with a French club. His illustrious career earned him numerous accolades, including the Panchina d'Oro and recognition as one of the greatest managers of all time by France Football. Raymond Goethals passed away in 2004, leaving behind a legacy that continues to inspire future generations in football.
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Gallery
Career & Clubs
Goethals began his career as a goalkeeper in the 1930s with Daring Brussels, making his way through the youth ranks of the club before joining Racing Club Brussel in 1947. He remained at Racing Club Brussel until 1948.
Early career
After a period spent playing for Renaisiènne, he moved into coaching with Hannutois and Waremme, and led Sint-Truiden to second place in the Belgian First Division in 1966.
Belgium national team
Goethals took charge of the Belgium national team in 1968. Belgium succeeded in qualifying for the 1970 World Cup in Mexico, although they were eliminated in the first round of the tournament.
Belgium hosted the 1972 European Championship, having knocked out holders Italy in the qualifying stages, and defeated Hungary in the match for third place after losing in the semi-final to eventual tournament winners Germany. That marked Goethals' greatest success as national team coach. He also took great pride in the fact that Belgium had held the emergent Netherlands scoreless in both their meetings in 1974 World Cup qualifying. Belgium completed their qualifying campaign without having conceded a single goal, but lost out to the Netherlands on account of their inferior goal difference.
Return to club coaching
In 1976 Goethals' tenure as coach of the national side ended, and he joined Anderlecht as coach. In his first season, Anderlecht reached the final of the European Cup Winners' Cup, where they lost to German side Hamburger SV, but won the trophy the following year with a comprehensive victory over FK Austria/WAC. After spells coaching in France at Bordeaux and in Brazil as football director with São Paulo, Goethals returned to Belgium to coach…
- Club
- Royal Daring Club Molenbeek (1940–1947)
- Club
- Royal Racing Club de Bruxelles (1947–1948)
- Club
- K.S.K. Ronse (1952–1957)
- Club
- Racing White Daring Molenbeek (1941–1949)
- National team
- Belgium
Legacy
Manager
Anderlecht
European Cup Winners' Cup: 1977–78, ; runner-up 1976–77 European Super Cup: 1976, 1978 Belgian Cup: 1987–88, 1988–89; runner-up 1976–77 Amsterdam Tournament: 1976 Tournoi de Paris: 1977 Jules Pappaert Cup: 1977 Belgian Sports Merit Award: 1978 Bruges Matins: 1988 Sao Paulo
Campeonato Brasileiro Série A runner-up: 1981 Standard Liège
Belgian First Division: 1981–82, 1982–83 Belgian Super Cup: 1981, 1983 European Cup Winners' Cup runner-up: 1981–82 Intertoto Cup Group winner: 1982, 1984 Bordeaux
French Division 1 runner-up: 1989–90 Marseille
French Division 1: 1990–91, 1991–92 UEFA Champions League: 1992–93; runner-up 1990–91 Coupe de France runner-up: 1990–91 Belgium
UEFA European Championship third place: 1972
Individual
Panchina d'Oro: 1990–91 Panchina d'Argento: 1991–92 Onze d'Or Coach of the Year: 1991, 1993 Trofee Raymond Goethals: From 2011 Golden Shoe Lifetime Achievement Award: 2014 France Football 47th Greatest Manager of All Time: 2019 DH The Best Standard Liège Team Ever: 2020
Clubs
- Royal Daring Club Molenbeek1940–1947
- Racing White Daring Molenbeek1941–1949
- Royal Racing Club de Bruxelles1947–1948
- 1948–1952
- K.S.K. Ronse1952–1957
Played together with
- Albert HeremansRacing White Daring Molenbeek · 1924–1942
- Albert HeremansRoyal Daring Club Molenbeek · 1924–1942
- Aleksandr KolotilkoRacing White Daring Molenbeek · 2000–2002
Alexander HorváthRoyal Daring Club Molenbeek- Alexandre FrutosK.S.K. Ronse · 2010–2012
André Van HerpeRacing White Daring Molenbeek · 1963–1964
Ante ŽanetićRacing White Daring Molenbeek · 1964–1966
Ariël JacobsRacing White Daring Molenbeek · 1970–1973
Armand SwartenbroeksRoyal Daring Club Molenbeek · 1911–1930- Arnold BadjouRacing White Daring Molenbeek · 1928–1939
- Arnold BadjouRoyal Daring Club Molenbeek · 1928–1939
- Arthur CeuleersRacing White Daring Molenbeek · 1948–1951
Archive
Passport
Identifiers & aliases
Raymond Goethals was a Belgian football coach who led Marseille to victory in the UEFA Champions League final in 1993, becoming the first coach to win a European trophy with a French club.
Opinions of fans — not verified facts.
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