Michael Laudrup

Verified Timeline

Lore & Background

During his playing career, Laudrup won league titles with Ajax, Barcelona, Real Madrid and Juventus, playing mainly as an attacking midfielder. He became a key member of Johan Cruyff's 'Dream Team' at Barcelona, where he claimed nine trophies including four successive La Liga titles from 1991 to 1994 and the European Cup in 1992. He moved to arch-rivals Real Madrid in 1994, with whom he won his fifth consecutive La Liga title. He made his debut for the Denmark national team on his 18th birthday in 1982, scored 37 goals in 104 appearances, and captained Denmark from November 1994 for 28 matches, including the victorious 1995 Confederations Cup. He retired after the 1998 World Cup.

In Their Own Story

The Santiago Bernabéu buzzed with anticipation as Laudrup took the pitch in the white of Real Madrid for the first time. The Danish playmaker, who had just left Barcelona after falling out with Johan Cruyff, had a point to prove. On 5 November 1994, with the score locked against Atlético Madrid, Laudrup received the ball in midfield. He spotted a young Raúl making a run, and with a perfectly weighted pass, he delivered the assist for Raúl's first professional goal in a 4–2 victory. The crowd roared, sensing that this Danish magician could be the key to breaking Barcelona's dominance. By season's end, Laudrup had done exactly that, guiding Real Madrid to the La Liga title and securing his place in history as the only player to win five consecutive Spanish league championships with two different clubs.

Reader's Guide

After retiring as a player, Laudrup became assistant manager of the Denmark national team. His first manager job was at Brøndby in 2002, whom he guided to the 2005 Danish Superliga championship. He later coached Getafe, then Swansea City, winning the League Cup in his first season. He was sacked by Swansea on 4 February 2014. He then managed Qatari clubs Lekhwiya and Al Rayyan between 2014 and 2018. On 16 October 2021, he was named the greatest ever Danish sports star in a National Olympic Committee poll.

Did You Know?

• Laudrup was voted the Best Foreign Player in Spanish Football over the preceding 25-year period in 1999.
• He was knighted with the Order of the Dannebrog in April 2000.
• He was named the Golden Player of Denmark by the Danish Football Union in November 2003.
• He was named by Pelé in the FIFA 100 list in 2004.
• In April 2013, Marca readers named him in the 'Best foreign eleven in Real Madrid's history'.