View source for Radhi Jaïdi

{{short description|Tunisian footballer and manager}}
{{Use British English|date=March 2019}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=November 2019}}
{{Infobox football biography
| name = Radhi Jaïdi
| image = Radhi Jaidi 2019.jpg
| caption = Jaïdi in 2019
| fullname = Radhi Ben Abdelmajid Jaïdi<ref name=Official>{{cite web |url=http://www.radhijaidi.com/biographie.php |title=Biographie |language=fr |website=RadhiJaidi.com |access-date=10 June 2014 |archive-date=4 March 2016 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160304085557/http://www.radhijaidi.com/biographie.php |url-status=dead }}</ref>
| birth_date = {{birth date and age|1975|8|30|df=y}}
| birth_place = [[Gabès]],<ref name=Official/> Tunisia
| height = 1.92 m
| position = [[Defender (association football)#Centre-back|Centre back]]
| currentclub = [[Nejmeh SC|Nejmeh]] (head coach)
| youthyears1 = 1988–1992
| youthclubs1 = [[Stade Gabèsien]]
| youthyears2 = 1992–1993
| youthclubs2 = [[Espérance Sportive de Tunis|Espérance de Tunis]]
| years1 = 1993–2004
| clubs1 = [[Espérance Sportive de Tunis|Espérance de Tunis]]
| caps1 = 288
| goals1 = 20
| years2 = 2004–2006
| clubs2 = [[Bolton Wanderers F.C.|Bolton Wanderers]]
| caps2 = 43
| goals2 = 8
| years3 = 2006–2009
| clubs3 = [[Birmingham City F.C.|Birmingham City]]
| caps3 = 86
| goals3 = 6
| years4 = 2009–2012
| clubs4 = [[Southampton F.C.|Southampton]]
| caps4 = 58
| goals4 = 4
| totalcaps = 475
| totalgoals = 38
| nationalyears1 = 1996–2009
| nationalteam1 = [[Tunisia national football team|Tunisia]]
| nationalcaps1 = 105
| nationalgoals1 = 7
| manageryears1 = 2017–2019
| managerclubs1 = [[Southampton F.C. Under-23s and Academy#Under-23 squad|Southampton U-23]]
| manageryears2 = 2019–2020
| managerclubs2 = [[Hartford Athletic]]
| manageryears3 = 2021
| managerclubs3 = [[Cercle Brugge]] (assistant)
| manageryears4 = 2021–2022
| managerclubs4 = [[Espérance Sportive de Tunis|Espérance de Tunis]]
| manageryears5 = 2025–
| managerclubs5 = [[Nejmeh SC|Nejmeh]]
| medaltemplates = {{MedalSport|Men's [[association football|football]]}}
{{MedalCountry|{{fb|TUN}}}}
{{MedalCompetition|[[Africa Cup of Nations]]}}
{{Medal|W|[[2004 Africa Cup of Nations|2004 Tunisia]]|}}
}}
'''Radhi Ben Abdelmajid Jaïdi''' ({{langx|ar|راضي بن عبد المجيد الجعايدي}}; born 30 August 1975) is a Tunisian [[Association football|football]] coach and former player who is head coach of {{Lebanese football updater|Nejmeh}} club [[Nejmeh SC|Nejmeh]].

Jaïdi was previously head coach of the under-23 team at [[Southampton F.C.|Southampton]], head coach of [[USL Championship]] team [[Hartford Athletic]], assistant coach at Belgian side [[Cercle Brugge K.S.V.|Cercle Brugge]] and head coach at [[Espérance Sportive de Tunis|Espérance de Tunis]]. As a player, he operated as a [[Defender (association football)#Centre-back|centre back]].

==Club career==

=== Espérance ===
Before coming to England, Jaïdi was the only player at the time to have won all four of Africa’s annual cup competitions – all with [[Espérance Sportive de Tunis|Espérance]].<ref>{{Cite web|last=|first=|date=6 July 2004|title=Jaïdi achievements with Espérance before joining Bolton|url=http://www.espn.com/espn/wire/_/section/soccer/id/1834836|access-date=13 February 2021|website=ESPN}}</ref>

=== Bolton Wanderers ===
Jaïdi signed for [[Bolton Wanderers F.C.|Bolton Wanderers]] on a free transfer in July 2004 from Espérance Sportive de Tunis, who won the Tunisian league title the season before. Jaïdi became the first Tunisian player to play in the Premier League with Bolton.<ref>{{Cite web|last=Reed|first=Dave|date=21 August 2020|title=Jaïdi becomes first Tunisian player in the Premier League|url=https://www.skysports.com/football/news/12096/12051168/black-lives-matter-ex-premier-league-defender-radhi-jaidi-on-coaching-in-us-during-protests|access-date=13 February 2021|website=Sky Sports}}</ref>

=== Birmingham City ===
Jaïdi joined [[Birmingham City F.C.|Birmingham City]] in the summer of 2006 for [[Pound sterling|£]]2 million. He made his debut in a 1–0 win over [[Crystal Palace F.C.|Crystal Palace]] in the early stages of the season although he almost scored an own goal in this match. After three years with the club, he was not offered another deal when his contract expired at the end of June 2009.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.bcfc.com/page/News/NewsDetail/0,,10412~1659139,00.html |title=Jaidi to leave Blues |date=15 May 2009 |access-date=15 May 2009 |publisher=[[Birmingham City F.C.]] |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20090519032641/http://www.bcfc.com/page/News/NewsDetail/0,,10412~1659139,00.html |archive-date=19 May 2009  }}</ref>

=== Southampton ===
In August 2009, Jaïdi passed a medical and agreed personal terms with [[Football League One]] club [[Southampton F.C.|Southampton]], but the transfer stalled when doubts arose over the player's eligibility for a [[work permit (United Kingdom)|work permit]].<ref>{{cite news |url=http://www.dailyecho.co.uk/sport/4533126.Jaidi_deal_in_major_doubt/ |title=Jaidi deal in major doubt |work=[[Southern Daily Echo]] |first=Adam |last=Leitch |date=6 August 2009 |access-date=6 August 2009}}</ref> However, on 2 September 2009, the club confirmed that Jaïdi had signed a two-year contract, subject to work-permit clearance.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.saintsfc.co.uk/page/NewsDetail/0,,10280~1785069,00.html |title=Saints Complete Radhi Good Deal!  |publisher=[[Southampton F.C.]] |date=2 September 2009 |access-date=2 September 2009}}</ref> He received his international clearance on 10 September, and made his debut as a 77th-minute substitute at [[Charlton Athletic F.C.|Charlton]] two days later.<ref>{{cite web |title= Charlton 1 Southampton 1 |url=http://www.saintsfc.co.uk/page/MatchReport/0,,10280~48723,00.html |date=12 September 2009 |publisher= [[Southampton F.C.]]|access-date=14 September 2009}}</ref> He scored his first goal for the Saints in a 1–1 draw away to [[Carlisle United F.C.|Carlisle United]] on 26 September; the 95th-minute goal came from a free kick which earned his side the draw.<ref>{{cite web |url=https://news.bbc.co.uk/sport2/hi/football/eng_div_2/8265464.stm|title=Carlisle 1–1 Southampton
|publisher=[[BBC]] |date=26 September 2009 |access-date=9 November 2009}}</ref> His first goal in the 2010–11 season came in a 4–1 victory over [[Huddersfield Town A.F.C.|Huddersfield Town]].

He retired at the end of the 2011–12 season, having failed to make a first team appearance as he struggled with injury<ref name="released19may">{{cite news |url=http://www.saintsfc.co.uk/page/NewsDetail/0,,10280~2776455,00.html |title=Four Join First Team, But Eleven Released |publisher=[[Southampton F.C.]] |date=19 May 2012 |access-date=19 May 2012 }}</ref><ref name="released19may2">{{cite news |url=https://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/football/18116710 |title=Southampton release Lee Holmes, David Connolly and Radhi Jaidi |publisher=[[BBC Sport]] |date=19 May 2012 |access-date=19 May 2012 }}</ref> but remained at Southampton in an international development role.<ref>{{cite web|title=Radhi To Represent Saints Abroad |url=http://www.saintsfc.co.uk/page/NewsDetail/0,,10280~2782391,00.html |publisher=Southampton FC|access-date=16 June 2012|date=28 May 2012}}</ref>

==International career==
Jaïdi was also a regular in the [[Tunisia national football team|Tunisia]] line-up and was selected by coach [[Roger Lemerre]] for the [[2006 FIFA World Cup|2006 World Cup]]. He scored the goal which secured a 2–2 draw in their opening game against [[Saudi Arabia national football team|Saudi Arabia]]. He had previously been part of Tunisia's [[2004 African Cup of Nations|2004 African Nations Cup]]-winning squad,<ref name="2004 ACN" /> and played in the [[2006 FIFA World Cup|2006 World Cup]]. He captained the Tunisian national team in the [[2008 Africa Cup of Nations]], where they went out in the quarter finals to [[Cameroon national football team|Cameroon]].

==Coaching career==
[[File:Radhi Jaidi in charge of Esperance de Tunis.jpg|thumb|Radhi Jaidi in charge of [[Espérance Sportive de Tunis|Espérance de Tunis]]]]
Following the culmination of his playing career at Southampton, Jaïdi became head coach of [[Southampton F.C. Under-23s and Academy|Southampton under-23’s]].<ref>{{cite web|title=U23 Season Review: Radhi Jaïdi |url=https://southamptonfc.com/news/2018-05-22/season-review-under-23s-southampton-radhi-jaidi |publisher=Southampton F.C.|access-date=28 November 2018|date=22 May 2018}}</ref>

In August 2019 he was linked with the vacant Tunisia national team manager job.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/football/49466314|title=Radhi Jaidi: Former Tunisia captain dismisses national coach rumours|date=25 August 2019|publisher=BBC Sport|access-date=27 August 2019|first=Souhail|last=Khmira}}</ref>

On 7 November 2019 American team [[Hartford Athletic]] announced that Jaidi has been named the club's head coach for the 2020 USL season, subject to the completion of relevant documentation.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.uslchampionship.com/news_article/show/1063136-hartford-athletic-introduces-radhi-jaidi-as-new-head-coach|title=Hartford Athletic Introduces Radhi Jaidi as New Head Coach|author=USLChampionship com Staff|date=9 November 2019|website=USL Championship}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.hartfordathletic.com/news_article/show/1063115-hartford-athletic-announces-new-head-coach-radhi-ja-di-of-premier-league-s-southampton-football-club|title=Hartford Athletic Announces New Head Coach Radhi Jaïdi of Premier League's Southampton Football Club|first=Hartford|last=Athletic|date=8 November 2019|website=Hartford Athletic &#124; Connecticut's Only Professional Soccer Team}}</ref><ref>{{Cite news|url=https://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/football/50352272|title=Former Tunisia captain Radhi Jaidi to coach in USA|work=BBC Sport|date=8 November 2019}}</ref> He said he hoped the job would allow him to return to coach in Europe in the future.<ref>{{Cite news|url=https://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/football/50493472|title=Radhi Jaidi hopes coaching in the USA could lead to European jobs|work=BBC Sport|date=21 November 2019}}</ref>

In February 2021, Jaidi was hired as an assistant coach for [[Belgian First Division A]] club [[Cercle Brugge]] until August 2021.<ref>{{cite web
 | title =Yaya Toure and Radhi Jaidi secure European coaching roles
 | url =https://www.bbc.com/sport/africa/56024152
 | website =bbc.com
 | date = February 11, 2021
 | access-date =February 11, 2021 }}
</ref>

In August 2021, he joined his former club [[Espérance Sportive de Tunis|Espérance de Tunis]] as a head coach.<ref>{{Cite web|last=Tahiru|first=Fentuo|date=10 August 2021|title=Ex-Tunisia captain Radhi Jaïdi appointed Esperance coach|url=https://citisportsonline.com/2021/08/10/ex-tunisia-captain-radhi-jaidi-appointed-esperance-coach/|access-date=12 August 2021|website=Citi Sports Online|language=en-US}}</ref> On 25 September 2021, he won his first prize with his team by beating [[CS Sfaxien]] in the supercup. On 8 June 2022, he was sacked due to poor results after the elimination from [[2021–22 Tunisian Cup|Tunisian Cup]] against [[CS M'saken]].

On 13 August 2025, Jaïdi was appointed head coach of [[Lebanese Premier League]] club [[Nejmeh SC|Nejmeh]].<ref>{{Cite web |date=2025-08-13 |title=التونسي راضي الجعايدي مدرباً للنجمة اللبناني |url=https://www.alarabiya.net/sport/2025/08/13/%D8%A7%D9%84%D8%AA%D9%88%D9%86%D8%B3%D9%8A-%D8%B1%D8%A7%D8%B6%D9%8A-%D8%A7%D9%84%D8%AC%D8%B9%D8%A7%D9%8A%D8%AF%D9%8A-%D9%85%D8%AF%D8%B1%D8%A8%D8%A7-%D9%84%D9%84%D9%86%D8%AC%D9%85%D8%A9-%D8%A7%D9%84%D9%84%D8%A8%D9%86%D8%A7%D9%86%D9%8A |access-date=2025-08-13 |website=العربية |language=ar}}</ref>

==Personal life==
Jaïdi was born in [[Gabès]].<ref>{{cite web |url=https://www.manchestereveningnews.co.uk/sport/football/football-news/trotters-tale-of-beauty-and-the-beast-1130099 |title=Trotters' tale of beauty and the beast |date=27 November 2004 |website=manchestereveningnews.co.uk |access-date=26 January 2019}}</ref> His mother raised him on her own after his father died when he was eleven years old.<ref>{{cite web |title=Together |url=https://www.uslchampionship.com/news_article/show/1107886|website= From the Pitch |date = 3 June 2020 |access-date=4 January 2021}}</ref>

==Career statistics==
===International===
:''Scores and results list Tunisia's goal tally first.''<ref name="NFT">{{NFT player|6740|Jaïdi, Radhi|accessdate=4 May 2017}}</ref>

{| class="wikitable"
! No !! Date !! Venue !! Opponent !! Score !! Result !! Competition
|-
| 1 || 27 February 1999 || [[Stade El Menzah]], [[Tunis]], [[Tunisia]] || {{fb|UGA}} || align=center | '''2'''–0 || align=center | 6–0 || [[2000 Africa Cup of Nations qualification]]
|-
| 2 || 3 February 2000 || [[Sani Abacha Stadium]], [[Kano (city)|Kano]], [[Nigeria]] || {{fb|CGO}} || align=center | '''1'''–0 || align=center | 1–0 || [[2000 Africa Cup of Nations]]
|-
| 3 || 7 April 2000 || [[Stade Olympique (Nouakchott)|Stade Olympique]], [[Nouakchott]], [[Mauritania]] || {{fb|MTN|1959}} || align=center | '''1'''–0 || align=center | 2–1 || [[2002 FIFA World Cup qualification – CAF first round|2002 FIFA World Cup qualification]]
|-
| 4 || 7 October 2000 || Stade El Menzah, Tunis, Tunisia || {{fb|GAB}} || align=center | '''2'''–2 || align=center | 4–2 || [[2002 Africa Cup of Nations qualification]]
|-
| 5 || 14 June 2006 || [[Allianz Arena|FIFA WM Stadion München]], [[Munich]], [[Germany]] || {{fb|KSA}} || align=center | '''2'''–2 || align=center | 2–2 || [[2006 FIFA World Cup Group H|2006 FIFA World Cup]]
|-
| 6 || 15 June 2008 || [[Prince Louis Rwagasore Stadium]], [[Bujumbura]], [[Burundi]] || {{fb|BDI}} || align=center | '''1'''–0 || align=center | 1–0 ||  [[2010 FIFA World Cup qualification – CAF second round|2010 FIFA World Cup qualification]]
|-
| 7 || 28 May 2009 || [[Stade Olympique de Radès]], [[Radès]], Tunisia || {{fb|SUD}} || align=center | '''3'''–0 || align=center | 4–0 || [[Exhibition game|Friendly]]
|-
| colspan="12"|<small>''Correct as of 13 January 2017''<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.rsssf.org/miscellaneous/rjaidi-intl.html|title=Radhi Ben Abdelmajid Jaidi - Century of International Appearances|website=[[RSSSF]]}}</ref></small>
|}

==Honours==

===Player===
'''ES Tunis'''
* [[Tunisian Ligue Professionnelle 1]]: [[1993–94 Tunisian National Championship|1993–94]], [[1997–98 Tunisian Ligue Professionnelle 1|1997–98]], [[1998–99 Tunisian Ligue Professionnelle 1|1998–99]], [[1999–2000 Tunisian Ligue Professionnelle 1|1999–2000]], [[2000–01 Tunisian Ligue Professionnelle 1|2000–01]], [[2001–02 Tunisian Ligue Professionnelle 1|2001–02]], [[2002–03 Tunisian Ligue Professionnelle 1|2002–03]], [[2003–04 Tunisian Ligue Professionnelle 1|2003–04]]
* [[Tunisian Cup]]: 1996–97, 1998–99
* [[Tunisian Super Cup]]: 2001
* [[CAF Champions League]]: [[1994 African Cup of Champions Clubs|1994]]
* [[African Cup Winners' Cup]]: [[1998 African Cup Winners' Cup|1998]]
* [[CAF Cup]]: [[1997 CAF Cup|1997]]
* [[CAF Super Cup]]: 1995
* [[Arab Super Cup]]: [[1996 Arab Super Cup|1996]]

'''Southampton'''
* [[Football League Trophy]]: [[2010 Football League Trophy Final|2010]]<ref>{{cite news |first=Stephan |last=Shemilt |title=Carlisle 1–4 Southampton |url=https://news.bbc.co.uk/sport2/hi/football/8583783.stm |publisher=BBC Sport |date=28 March 2010 |access-date=15 December 2017}}</ref>

'''Tunisia'''
*[[Africa Cup of Nations]]: [[2004 Africa Cup of Nations|2004]]<ref name ="2004 ACN">{{cite web |title=Africa Cup 2004 Tunisia » Final » Tunisia - Morocco 2:1 |url=https://www.worldfootball.net/match-report/ma1905009/lineup/ |website=irn.worldfootball.net|access-date=4 January 2021}}</ref>

===Manager===
'''ES Tunis'''
*[[Tunisian Super Cup]]: [[2020–21 Tunisian Super Cup|2020–21]]<ref name="supercupfinal">{{Cite web|url=https://zag.ovh/esperance-sportive-de-tunis-has-won-the-tunisian-super-cup-final-for-the-2020-2021-season/|title=Esperance Sportive of Tunis has won the Tunisian Super Cup final for the 2020-2021 season|access-date=11 December 2021|archive-date=31 March 2022|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220331011420/https://zag.ovh/esperance-sportive-de-tunis-has-won-the-tunisian-super-cup-final-for-the-2020-2021-season/|url-status=dead}}</ref>

==See also==
* [[List of men's footballers with 100 or more international caps]]

==References==
{{reflist}}

==External links==
*{{Soccerbase}}
*[http://www.blues.premiumtv.co.uk/page/ProfilesDetail/0,,10412~30265,00.html Birmingham City profile]
*[http://www.saintsfc.co.uk/page/ProfilesDetail/0,,10280~30265,00.html Southampton F.C. profile] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120524051145/http://www.saintsfc.co.uk/page/ProfilesDetail/0,,10280~30265,00.html |date=24 May 2012 }}

{{Nejmeh SC squad}}
{{Navboxes
|title=Tunisia squads
|bg=#E70013
|fg=white
|bordercolor=gainsboro
|list1=
{{Tunisia Squad 1996 Summer Olympics}}
{{Tunisia Squad 2000 Africa Cup of Nations}}
{{Tunisia Squad 2002 Africa Cup of Nations}}
{{Tunisia Squad 2002 World Cup}}
{{Tunisia Squad 2004 Africa Cup of Nations}}
{{Tunisia Squad Confederations Cup 2005}}
{{Tunisia Squad 2006 Africa Cup of Nations}}
{{Tunisia Squad 2006 World Cup}}
{{Tunisia Squad 2008 Africa Cup of Nations}}
}}
{{Navboxes
| title = Managerial positions
| list1 =
{{Hartford Athletic coaches}}
{{Espérance Sportive de Tunis managers}}
}}

{{DEFAULTSORT:Jaidi, Radhi}}
[[Category:1975 births]]
[[Category:Living people]]
[[Category:Footballers from Tunis]]
[[Category:Men's association football defenders]]
[[Category:Tunisian men's footballers]]
[[Category:Tunisian Muslims]]
[[Category:Tunisia men's international footballers]]
[[Category:Espérance Sportive de Tunis players]]
[[Category:Birmingham City F.C. players]]
[[Category:Bolton Wanderers F.C. players]]
[[Category:Southampton F.C. players]]
[[Category:Premier League players]]
[[Category:English Football League players]]
[[Category:2002 FIFA World Cup players]]
[[Category:2005 FIFA Confederations Cup players]]
[[Category:2006 FIFA World Cup players]]
[[Category:Footballers at the 1996 Summer Olympics]]
[[Category:Olympic footballers for Tunisia]]
[[Category:Tunisian expatriate men's footballers]]
[[Category:Tunisian expatriate sportspeople in England]]
[[Category:Expatriate men's footballers in England]]
[[Category:2000 African Cup of Nations players]]
[[Category:2002 African Cup of Nations players]]
[[Category:2004 African Cup of Nations players]]
[[Category:2006 Africa Cup of Nations players]]
[[Category:2008 Africa Cup of Nations players]]
[[Category:Africa Cup of Nations–winning players]]
[[Category:FIFA Men's Century Club]]
[[Category:Southampton F.C. non-playing staff]]
[[Category:Hartford Athletic coaches]]
[[Category:Tunisian football managers]]
[[Category:Tunisian expatriate football managers]]
[[Category:Expatriate soccer coaches in the United States]]
[[Category:Espérance Sportive de Tunis managers]]
[[Category:Tunisian Ligue Professionnelle 1 managers]]
[[Category:Nejmeh SC managers]]
[[Category:Lebanese Premier League managers]]
[[Category:Expatriate football managers in Lebanon]]
[[Category:Tunisian expatriate sportspeople in Lebanon]]