Ľubomír Moravčík

Ľubomír Moravčík

Personal information
Full name	Ľubomír Moravčík
Date of birth	22 June 1965
Place of birth	Nitra, Czechoslovakia
Height	1.72 m (5 ft 8 in)
Playing position	Midfielder
Club information
Current team	Slovakia (vice-president)
Youth career
	Nitra
Senior career*
Years	Team	Apps^†	(Gls)^†
1983–1990	Nitra	119	(30)
1990–1996	Saint-Etienne	197	(31)
1996–1998	Bastia	33	(8)
1998	Duisburg	5	(0)
1998–2002	Celtic	94	(29)
2002	JEF United Chiba	2	(0)
2003–2004	Nitra
Total		432	(98)
National team
1987–1993	Czechoslovakia	42	(7)
1994–2000	Slovakia	38	(6)
Teams managed
2004–2005	Ružomberok
2005–2008	Slovakia U16
2008	Zlaté Moravce
* Senior club appearances and goals counted for the domestic league only. † Appearances (goals)

Ľubomír "Ľubo" Moravčík (born 22 June 1965) is a football manager and former footballer from Slovakia who played internationally for Czechoslovakia (42 caps, seven goals) and Slovakia (38 caps, six goals). He was a member of the Czechoslovak team at the 1990 FIFA World Cup, where he was sent off against Germany in the quarter-final in Milan.

He played club football in Czechoslovakia/Slovakia, France, Germany, Scotland and Japan, winning two Scottish Premier League titles with Celtic F.C..

Career

He was a creative midfield player, reminiscent of the old-fashioned inside forward. Renowned for his technical ability, Moravčík was capable of unleashing powerful, accurate shots, and pinpoint crosses with both feet.

The 1990s saw him moving to Western Europe to play for Saint-Étienne, Bastia and MSV Duisburg before moving to Scottish side Celtic in November 1998. Signed by fellow Slovak Dr Jozef Vengloš for a fee of just £300,000. Initially sceptical of the impact a player aged then 33 could have, he became a hero in the eyes of the Parkhead faithful, forming an outstanding partnership with Henrik Larsson.

Moravčík's first two goals for Celtic came against their arch-rivals Rangers on 21 November 1998, in what turned out to be a memorable 5–1 victory in the midst of a very poor season. He stayed at Celtic Park for a total of four seasons, winning two SPL championships, one Scottish Cup and two Scottish League Cups. Former team-mates Chris Sutton and Stiliyan Petrov have both highlighted his two-footedness, his ability with both feet.^[1][2]

Moravčík is one of his country's most capped player, with a total of 79 appearances for Czechoslovakia and Slovakia. He played for Czechoslovakia at the 1990 FIFA World Cup finals in Italy.^[3]

He started a career in coaching as a manager of Slovak national U-17 team. 'Ľubo' was later coaching FC ViOn Zlaté Moravce, the team from highest Slovak league – Corgoň Liga.

Moravcik is now the vice-president of the Slovak Football Association.

Club career statistics

Club performance			League		Cup		League Cup		Continental		Total
Season	Club	League	Apps	Goals	Apps	Goals	Apps	Goals	Apps	Goals	Apps	Goals
Czechoslovakia			League		Czechoslovak Cup		League Cup		Europe		Total
1983–84	Plastika Nitra	First League	9	0							9	0
1984–85			0	0							0	0
1985–86			0	0							0	0
1986–87		First League	27	7							27	7
1987–88			24	3							24	3
1988–89			30	6							30	6
1989–90			29	14							29	14
France			League		Coupe de France		Coupe de la Ligue		Europe		Total
1990–91	Saint-Étienne	Division 1	37	7							37	7
1991–92			32	4							32	4
1992–93			34	5							34	5
1993–94			33	4							33	4
1994–95			27	4							27	4
1995–96			34	7							34	7
1996–97	Bastia	Division 1	21	6							21	6
1997–98			12	2							12	2
Germany			League		DFB-Pokal		DFB Ligapokal		Europe		Total
1998–99	Duisburg	Bundesliga	5	0							5	0
Scotland			League		Scottish Cup		League Cup		Europe		Total
1998–99	Celtic	Premier League	14	6	3	0	0	0	0	0	17	6
1999–00			30	8	1	0	4	1	4	0	39	9
2000–01			27	9	5	1	3	1	5	3	40	14
2001–02			23	6	1	0	3	0	6	0	33	6
Japan			League		Emperor's Cup		J. League Cup		Asia		Total
2002	JEF United Ichihara	J. League 1	2	0	0	0	1	0	-		3	0
Country	Czechoslovakia		119	30							119	30
	France		230	39							230	39
	Germany		5	0							5	0
	Scotland		94	29	10	1	10	2	15	3	129	35
	Japan		2	0	0	0	1	0	-		3	0
Total			450	98	10	1	11	2	15	3	486	104

International career statistics

^[4]

Czechoslovakia national team
Year	Apps	Goals
1987	1	0
1988	3	0
1989	8	1
1990	12	1
1991	6	2
1992	6	1
1993	6	1
Total	42	6

Slovakia national team
Year	Apps	Goals
1994	6	2
1995	8	0
1996	5	1
1997	3	0
1998	10	3
1999	0	0
2000	6	0
Total	38	6

Honours

Bastia

• 1997 UEFA Intertoto Cup

Celtic

• Scottish Premier League (2): 2000–01, 2001–02
• Scottish Cup (1): 2001
• Scottish League Cup (2): 2000, 2001

Individual

• Czechoslovak Footballer of the Year: 1992
• Slovak Footballer of the Year: 2001

References

1. "One2Eleven - Chris Sutton". SKY Sports. Retrieved 29 June 2014.
2. "One2Eleven - Stiliyan Petrov". SKY Sports. Retrieved 29 June 2014.
3. Ľubomír Moravčík – FIFA competition record
4. Mamrud, Roberto (14 November 2003). "Lubomir Moravcik - International Appearances". RSSSF. Retrieved 14 September 2012.

External links

• Ľubomír Moravčík international stats at the Football Association of the Czech Republic website (Czech)
• Ľubomír Moravčík at National-Football-Teams.com
• Ľubomír Moravčík – FIFA competition record
• http://www.footandball.net/stars-of-the-past-lubomir-moracvik/#ixzz2lMnPsUng Stars of the past: Lubomir Moravcik