Javier Clemente

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Lore & Background

Clemente's journey to the top began in the youth system of Athletic Bilbao, joining at 16 from local Barakaldo CF. Propelled to the first team by Agustín Gaínza at just 18, he debuted against Liverpool in the Inter-Cities Fairs Cup and played in the 1969 Copa del Generalísimo final, a 1–0 victory over Elche CF. His playing career ended abruptly on 23 November 1969; during a match against CE Sabadell FC, he suffered a severe leg injury (fibula and tibia) from which he never fully recovered despite four operations. Forced to retire at 24, he pivoted instantly to coaching. His early stops included Arenas Club de Getxo and CD Basconia before his big break with Athletic in summer 1981. There, he led the Lions to championships in his second and third years but ignited a fierce rivalry with FC Barcelona's César Luis Menotti. Menotti called Clemente's style 'authoritarian' and 'destructive,' while Clemente dismissed the Argentine as an 'ageing hippy and womaniser.' This animosity peaked during the 1984 Copa del Rey final, which ended in a massive brawl between both squads.

In Their Own Story

The tension between Clemente and Menotti defined an era of Spanish football, culminating in chaos. After leading Athletic to back-to-back La Liga titles (1982–83, 1983–84) and the Copa del Rey in 1984, Clemente's tenure was marred by conflict. He left midway through the 1985–86 season following a dispute with star player Manuel Sarabia. His connection to Athletic remained strong; he returned for a second spell and later a third from 2005–06, helping the club avoid relegation before being dismissed due to a disagreement with chairman Fernando Lamikiz. Across these three tenures at San Mamés, Clemente managed 289 official matches, winning 141 games (102 in the league). Although Ernesto Valverde later broke his total match record in 2017, he fell one short of matching Clemente's 140 league victories and could not surpass his overall win count.

Reader's Guide

Clemente's managerial path was diverse, spanning four decades and multiple nations. After leaving Athletic initially, he coached Atlético Madrid and returned to Espanyol before taking charge of the Spain national team in 1992. He replaced Vicente Miera after a failure to qualify for Euro 1992 and led Spain through three major tournaments: Euro 1996 and the 1994 and 1998 FIFA World Cups, achieving a remarkable run of 31 matches without defeat. His international career ended with a 3–2 loss to Cyprus on 5 September 1998. He later managed in France with Olympique de Marseille and returned to Spain with Real Betis, Real Sociedad, CD Tenerife, and Sporting de Gijón. In 2006, he took over the Serbia national team, introducing new players like Danko Lazović while dropping veterans such as Savo Milošević, but failed to qualify for Euro 2008. He coached Cameroon in 2010–2011 and led Libya to their first silverware, the 2014 African Nations Championship, before being sacked in October 2016 after winning only three of 14 matches. He returned to Libya briefly in May 2021 before his contract expired.

Did You Know?

• Clemente played as a midfielder for Athletic Bilbao before his career was cut short at age 24 due to a fibula and tibia injury.
• He managed Spain in three major tournaments (1994 World Cup, Euro 1996, 1998 World Cup) with a record of 31 matches without defeat.
• His rivalry with FC Barcelona manager César Luis Menotti was so intense it culminated in a massive brawl during the 1984 Copa del Rey final.
• Clemente holds the Athletic Bilbao record for most victories (141) across three managerial spells, even though Ernesto Valverde managed more total games and league matches.
• He led Libya to their first-ever silverware by winning the 2014 African Nations Championship via a penalty shootout against Ghana.