View source for Mustapha Hadji

{{Short description|Moroccan footballer (born 1971)}}
{{distinguish|Mustafa Haji Abdinur}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=December 2022}}
{{Infobox football biography
 | name           = Mustapha Hadji
 | image          = Mustapha Hadji.jpg
 | caption        = Hadji in 2012
 | height         = 
 | birth_date     = {{birth date and age|df=yes|1971|11|16}}
 | birth_place    = [[Ifrane Atlas-Saghir]], Morocco
 | currentclub    =
 | position       = [[Midfielder]]
 | years1         = 1991–1996 | caps1 = 134 | goals1 = 31  | clubs1 = [[AS Nancy|Nancy]]
 | years2         = 1996–1997 | caps2 = 27  | goals2 = 3   | clubs2 = [[Sporting CP]]
 | years3         = 1997–1999 | caps3 = 31  | goals3 = 2   | clubs3 = [[Deportivo de La Coruña|Deportivo la Coruña]]
 | years4         = 1999–2001 | caps4 = 62  | goals4 = 12  | clubs4 = [[Coventry City F.C.|Coventry City]]
 | years5         = 2001–2004 | caps5 = 35  | goals5 = 2   | clubs5 = [[Aston Villa F.C.|Aston Villa]]
 | years6         = 2004      | caps6 = 16  | goals6 = 1   | clubs6 = [[RCD Espanyol|Espanyol]]
 | years7         = 2004–2005 | caps7 = 15  | goals7 = 5   | clubs7 = [[Emirates Club]]
 | years8         = 2005–2007 | caps8 = 54  | goals8 = 10  | clubs8 = [[1. FC Saarbrücken|Saarbrücken]]
 | years9         = 2007–2010 | caps9 = 44  | goals9 = 25  | clubs9 = [[CS Fola Esch|Fola Esch]]
 | totalcaps      = 418 | totalgoals = 91
 | nationalyears1 = 1993–2002 | nationalcaps1 = 63 | nationalgoals1 = 12 | nationalteam1 = [[Morocco national football team|Morocco]]<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.rsssf.org/miscellaneous/maro-mhadji-intl.html|title=Mustapha Hadji - International Appearances|website=[[RSSSF]]}}</ref>
 | manageryears1  = 2012–2013 | managerclubs1 = [[Umm Salal SC|Umm Salal]] (assistant)
 | manageryears2  = 2014–2022 | managerclubs2 = [[Morocco national football team|Morocco]] (assistant)
}}
'''Mustapha Hadji''' ({{langx|ar|مصطفى حجي}}; born 16 November 1971) is a Moroccan [[association football|football]] coach and former player. He was named the 50th greatest African player of all time by the African football expert Ed Dove.<ref>{{cite web |url=https://bleacherreport.com/articles/1781781-the-50-greatest-african-players-of-all-time |title=The 50 Greatest African Players of All Time |publisher=[[Bleacher Report]] |date=25 September 2013 |access-date=26 September 2013}}</ref>

==Early life==
Hadji was born in [[Ifrane Atlas-Saghir]], Morocco. He emigrated with his family to [[France]] at the age of ten.{{citation needed|date=March 2017}} He holds Moroccan and French nationalities.<ref>{{cite web | url=https://www.ligue1.fr/joueur?id=moustapha-hadji | title=Joueur }}</ref>

==Club career==
Hadji began playing in France. He signed his first contract with [[AS Nancy|Nancy]], where he spent his first season as a youth player before joining the senior squad in his second year with the club.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.sofoot.com/mustapha-hadji-boloni-m-a-dit-que-je-serai-toujours-un-joueur-de-d2-200570.html|title=Interview with Mustapha Hadji|date=8 May 2015 |publisher=sofoot.com}}</ref>

After playing five seasons for Nancy, Hadji joined [[Sporting Clube de Portugal|Sporting Lisbon]] and then [[Deportivo de La Coruña|Deportivo la Coruña]], but it was with [[Coventry City F.C.|Coventry City]] where he became well known, especially in Britain, after he was signed by [[Gordon Strachan]] in 1999.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.nytimes.com/athletic/2440457/2021/03/14/mustapha-hadji-coventry-aston-villa/|archive-url=https://archive.today/20220826170113/https://theathletic.com/2440457/2021/03/14/mustapha-hadji-coventry-aston-villa/|url-status=live|archive-date=2022-08-26|title=Mustapha Hadji: 'I played with a piece of steak on my foot to ease the pain'|publisher=theathletic.com (Archived)}}</ref>

Hadji was a goal-scoring attacking [[midfielder]] with great pace and skill. At Coventry, he was joined by Moroccan international, [[Youssef Chippo]], sparking a brief trend for City fans to wear [[Fez (clothing)|fezzes]] to games in their honour.{{citation needed|date=March 2017}} After Coventry were relegated in 2001, he joined local rivals [[Aston Villa F.C.|Aston Villa]], having scored against them three times in the previous season. But after only playing sporadically, scoring in the league against Southampton<ref>{{cite web |url=https://news.bbc.co.uk/sport2/hi/football/eng_prem/1555545.stm |title=Angel strike sinks Saints |publisher=[[BBC]] |date=24 September 2001 |access-date=13 November 2009}}</ref> and Everton<ref>{{cite web |url=https://news.bbc.co.uk/sport2/hi/football/eng_prem/1606115.stm |title=Schmeichel strike in vain |publisher=[[BBC]] |date=20 October 2001 |access-date=13 November 2009}}</ref> and once in the UEFA Cup against Varteks,<ref>{{cite web |url=https://news.bbc.co.uk/sport2/hi/football/uefa_cup/1564442.stm |title=Villa leave it too late |publisher=[[BBC]] |date=27 September 2001 |access-date=13 November 2009}}</ref> he was released on a free transfer to [[RCD Espanyol|Espanyol]] in Spain where he remained until June 2004.<ref>{{cite web | url = http://www.africasia.com/archive/na/99_01/nasp0101.htm | title = Mustapha Hadji is Africa's new king | language = de | publisher = africasia.com |date = January 1999| access-date = 7 July 2012}}</ref>

Hadji later played for [[Al Ain FC|Al Ain]] in the United Arab Emirates, where he remained for one year before returning to Europe. In 2005, he signed a two-year contract with [[1. FC Saarbrücken|Saarbrücken]] in the [[2. Bundesliga]].<ref>{{cite web | url = http://textundblog.de/?p=430 | title = Mustapha Hadji kommt zum 1. FCS | language = de | publisher = textundblog.de | date = 1 July 2005 | access-date = 7 July 2012}}</ref> At the request of the coach [[Horst Ehrmantraut]], Hadji made a midfield pairing with another Moroccan international, [[Faysal El Idrissi]]. On 4 August 2005, Hadji made his début for Saarbrücken, on the first day of the 2. Bundesliga season, against [[VfL Bochum|Bochum]], losing the match 4–0. After another defeat, Ehrmantraut was sacked. [[Rudi Bommer]] took over as coach and Saarbrücken lost 2–1 after extra time in the second round of the [[DFB-Pokal]] against [[SpVgg Unterhaching|Unterhaching]]. Hadji scored to give his team the lead, but was sent off in the 85th minute and was suspended for three cup matches by the [[German Football Association]].{{citation needed|date=March 2017}}

In August 2007, Hadji signed for [[CS Fola Esch|Fola Esch]], in [[BGL Ligue|Luxembourg's First Division]].<ref>{{cite web | url = http://lifestyle.volksfreund.de/sport/fussball/eintracht/Eintracht-Trier-eintracht-Esch;art5073,2023305 | archive-url = https://archive.today/20120717121114/http://lifestyle.volksfreund.de/sport/fussball/eintracht/Eintracht-Trier-eintracht-Esch;art5073,2023305 | url-status = dead | archive-date = 17 July 2012 | title = Abschied aus Esch | language = de | publisher = volksfreund.de | access-date = 7 July 2012}}</ref> He ended his playing career in July 2010.

==International career==
At the [[1994 FIFA World Cup]], Hadji played in all three group games for Morocco, two as substitute. In Morocco's third game against the [[Netherlands national football team|Netherlands]], Hadji set up the equalizer for [[Hassan Nader]] with his first touch after coming on as substitute. Despite this, Morocco lost all three games and were eliminated. Hadji scored a great goal in Morocco's 2–2 draw with [[Norway national football team|Norway]] in the [[1998 FIFA World Cup]] but Morocco again failed to qualify for the knock-out stages. He was named [[African Footballer of the Year]] after the World Cup in France.

He played in 13 [[FIFA World Cup]] qualification matches.<ref>{{FIFA player|76948}}</ref>

==Other projects==
Hadji was selected as an ambassador for the [[2010 FIFA World Cup|2010 World Cup]] by [[FIFA]] to represent Africa. He is also involved in a partnership with plans to invest in Morocco, thus providing opportunities for the local people, to help rid poverty from his homeland.

Hadji is also a supporter of the charity [[Show Racism The Red Card]].

He would have been ambassador for the [[2026 FIFA World Cup]], representing his country if [[Morocco]] had been selected as the host.

==Coaching career==

===Umm Salal===
He was appointed as an assistant manager at [[Qatar]]i club [[Umm Salal SC|Umm Salal]] by the manager [[Bertrand Marchand]] in the [[2012–13 Qatar Stars League]]. The whole staff was sacked after the team finished fifth and failed to qualify for the [[2014 AFC Champions League]].<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.rifcity.net/news328.html |title=ريف سيتي الجريدة الإكترونية المغربية _ مصطفى حجي يطرق باب عالم التدريب من بوابة فريق أم صلال القطري |access-date=7 September 2014 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140908043511/http://www.rifcity.net/news328.html |archive-date=8 September 2014}}</ref>

===Morocco===
He was appointed as an assistant manager for the [[Morocco national football team|Morocco national team]] by manager [[Badou Ezzaki]] before the [[2015 Africa Cup of Nations]].<ref>{{Cite web|url=http://forum.kooora.com/f.aspx?t=33953764|title = منتديات كووورة| date=21 February 2014 }}</ref> He left the role in 2022, and later that year was suspended by the [[Confederation of African Football]] for falsifying his coaching licence.<ref>{{Cite news|url=https://www.bbc.com/sport/football/64081848|title=Hadji hit with ban in coaching licence scandal|work=BBC Sport }}</ref>

==Personal life==
His younger brother [[Youssouf Hadji]] was also a Moroccan international and last played for [[AS Nancy|Nancy]] in France.

Hadji's son [[Samir Hadji]] plays for [[CS Fola Esch|Fola Esch]] in the [[BGL Ligue|Luxembourg First Division]]. Another son, [[Zachary Hadji]], plays for SLO in the Swiss Super League.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.walfoot.be/news/2019-01-03/apres-mustapha-et-samir-zachary-hadji-signe-au-cs-fola-esch|title=Les Hadji et le CS Fola Esch, une longue histoire|date=3 January 2019 |publisher=walfoot.be}}</ref>

== Career statistics ==
:''Scores and results list Morocco's goal tally first, score column indicates score after each Morocco goal''.

{| class="wikitable sortable"
|+ List of international goals scored by Mustapha Hadji<ref>{{Cite web|title=Mustapha Hadji - International Appearances|url=https://www.rsssf.org/miscellaneous/maro-mhadji-intl.html|access-date=19 November 2021|website=[[RSSSF]]}}</ref>
|-
! No. !! Date !! Venue !! Opponent !! Score !! Result !! Competition
|-
| align="center" | 1
|{{dts|15 November 1995}}
|[[Rabat]], Morocco
|{{fb|MLI}}
| align="center" |1–0
| align="center" |2–0
|[[Friendly (association football)|Friendly]]
|-
| align="center" | 2
|{{dts|29 August 1996}}
|[[Settat]], Morocco
|{{fb|ZAI}}
| align="center" |3–0
| align="center" |7–0
|Friendly
|-
| align="center" | 3
|{{dts|12 January 1997}}
|[[Kumasi]], Ghana
|{{fb|GHA}}
| align="center" |2–1
| align="center" |2–2
|[[1998 FIFA World Cup qualification (CAF)|1998 FIFA World Cup qualification]]
|-
| align="center" | 4
|{{dts|14 January 1998}}
|[[Casablanca]], Morocco
|{{fb|AGO}}
| align="center" |2–1
| align="center" |2–1
|Friendly
|-
| align="center" | 5
|{{dts|17 February 1998}}
|[[Ouagadougou]], Burkino Faso
|{{fb|EGY}}
| align="center" |1–0
| align="center" |1–0
|[[1998 African Cup of Nations]]
|-
| align="center" | 6
|{{dts|4 June 1998}}
|[[Avignon]], France
|{{fb|CHL}}
| align="center" |1–0
| align="center" |1–1
|Friendly
|-
| align="center" | 7
|{{dts|10 June 1998}}
|[[Montpellier]], France
|{{fb|NOR}}
| align="center" |1–0
| align="center" |2–2
|[[1998 FIFA World Cup Group A|1998 FIFA World Cup]]
|-
| align="center" | 8
|{{dts|24 January 1999}}
|[[Kamsar]], Guinea
|{{fb|GIN}}
| align="center" |1–0
| align="center" |1–1
|[[2000 African Cup of Nations qualification]]
|-
| align="center" | 9
|{{dts|28 February 1999}}
|[[Lomé]], Togo
|{{fb|TOG}}
| align="center" |2–1
| align="center" |3–2
|2000 African Cup of Nations qualification
|-
| align="center" | 10
|{{dts|17 November 1999}}
|[[Marrakesh]], Morocco
|{{fb|USA}}
| align="center" |2–1
| align="center" |2–1
|Friendly
|-
| align="center" | 11
|{{dts|18 January 2000}}
|[[El Jadida]], Morocco
|{{fb|TTO}}
| align="center" |1–0
| align="center" |1–0
|Friendly
|-
| align="center" | 12
|{{dts|30 June 2001}}
|[[Rabat]], Morocco
|{{fb|EGY}}
| align="center" |1–0
| align="center" |1–0
|[[2002 FIFA World Cup qualification – CAF second round|2002 FIFA World Cup qualification]]
|}

==Honours==
'''Sporting CP'''
*[[Supertaça Cândido de Oliveira]]: [[1995 Supertaça Cândido de Oliveira|1995]]

'''Aston Villa'''
*[[UEFA Intertoto Cup]]: [[2001 UEFA Intertoto Cup|2001]].<ref>{{cite news|url=https://www.telegraph.co.uk/sport/football/teams/aston-villa/3011199/Angel-carries-Villa-home.html|title=Angel carries Villa home |publisher=Telegraph |date=21 August 2001 |access-date=12 September 2018}}</ref>

'''Individual'''
*[[African Footballer of the Year]] : 1998
*[[CAF Awards#CAF Legends award|CAF Legends award]]: 2011
*[[International Federation of Football History & Statistics|IFFHS]] All-time Morocco Men's Dream Team<ref>{{cite web |date=1 March 2022 |title=IFFHS |url=https://www.iffhs.com/posts/1722 |access-date=3 March 2022 |publisher=IFFHS}}</ref>

==References==
{{Reflist}}

==External links==
* {{NFT player|11971}}

{{Morocco squad 1994 FIFA World Cup}}
{{Morocco squad 1998 African Cup of Nations}}
{{Morocco squad 1998 FIFA World Cup}}
{{Morocco squad 2000 African Cup of Nations}}
{{African Footballer of the Year}}

{{DEFAULTSORT:Hadji, Mustapha}}
[[Category:1971 births]]
[[Category:Living people]]
[[Category:Shilha people]]
[[Category:Moroccan men's footballers]]
[[Category:Naturalized citizens of France]]
[[Category:French men's footballers]]
[[Category:Morocco men's international footballers]]
[[Category:Moroccan expatriate men's footballers]]
[[Category:1994 FIFA World Cup players]]
[[Category:1998 FIFA World Cup players]]
[[Category:1998 African Cup of Nations players]]
[[Category:2000 African Cup of Nations players]]
[[Category:African Footballer of the Year winners]]
[[Category:Sporting CP footballers]]
[[Category:Deportivo de La Coruña players]]
[[Category:Coventry City F.C. players]]
[[Category:Aston Villa F.C. players]]
[[Category:RCD Espanyol footballers]]
[[Category:Emirates Club players]]
[[Category:1. FC Saarbrücken players]]
[[Category:CS Fola Esch players]]
[[Category:Ligue 1 players]]
[[Category:La Liga players]]
[[Category:Premier League players]]
[[Category:Primeira Liga players]]
[[Category:2. Bundesliga players]]
[[Category:Expatriate men's footballers in France]]
[[Category:Expatriate men's footballers in Portugal]]
[[Category:Expatriate men's footballers in Spain]]
[[Category:Expatriate men's footballers in England]]
[[Category:Expatriate men's footballers in Germany]]
[[Category:Expatriate men's footballers in Luxembourg]]
[[Category:Moroccan expatriate sportspeople in Germany]]
[[Category:Moroccan expatriate sportspeople in Luxembourg]]
[[Category:Moroccan expatriate sportspeople in Portugal]]
[[Category:Moroccan expatriate sportspeople in Spain]]
[[Category:People from Ifrane Atlas-Saghir]]
[[Category:Sportspeople from Guelmim-Oued Noun]]
[[Category:AS Nancy Lorraine players]]
[[Category:Men's association football midfielders]]
[[Category:Moroccan expatriate sportspeople in England]]
[[Category:UAE Pro League players]]
[[Category:Moroccan anti-racism activists]]
[[Category:20th-century French sportsmen]]