Rabah Madjer
File:RabahMadjer.jpeg
Personal information
Date of birth	December 15, 1958 (1958-12-15) (age 50)
Place of birth	Hussein Dey, Algiers, Algeria
Height	1.78 m (5 ft 10 in)
Playing position	Striker
Club information
Current club	Retired
Senior career1
Years	Club	App (Gls)*
1975–1983 1983–1984 1985 1985–1988 1988 1989–1991 1991–1992	Hussein Dey RC Paris Tours FC FC Porto Valencia CF FC Porto Qatar SC	? (?) 50 (23) ? (?) 50 (29) 14 (4) 58 (21) 0 (0)
National team2
1978–1992	Algeria	60(52)
Teams managed
1994-1995 1999 2001-2002	Algeria Algeria Algeria
1 Senior club appearances and goals counted for the domestic league only and correct as of April 6, 2008. 2 National team caps and goals correct as of 23 June 2006. * Appearances (Goals)

Rabah Madjer (Arabic: رابح ماجر‎) (born February 15, 1958 in Hussein Dey) is a former Algerian footballer who played as a skilled striker. He reached stardom as a FC Porto player during the 1980s, and is widely regarded as one of the best Algerian football players of all time.

[edit] Club career

Madjer started his European career in 1983-84, moving to RCF Paris from NA Hussein Dey. He stayed there during one 1/2 seasons, finishing the 1984-85 campaign with another French side, Tours FC.

Madjer arrived at FC Porto in 1985-86, and the next season, scored the equalizer with a back-heel to help give Porto the 1986-87 European Cup title over FC Bayern Munich in a memorable final. Pelé is believed to have said of this goal: "It would have been the greatest goal I have ever seen, if he had not looked back at it." He also scored in the club's Intercontinental Cup conquest the same year, adding as an influential offensive element the 1988 national title.although he won the "ballon d'or africain 1987"(african golden ball)for best african player of the year,he really should have been awarded the european golden ball that year(ballon d'or)because noone had done a more sensational season,if it wasn't for a questionable rule(abrogated since 1995)that didn't allow players from non european countries to contend for this title,which did and still does crown the best player in the world for the year.

Signed with great expectations by Spanish League's Valencia C.F. in July 1988, Madjer lasted only a few months with the Che, returning to F.C. Porto for a further two 1/2 seasons, and retiring in 1992 after a brief stint with Qatar SC.

[edit] International career

Madjer played for the Algerian national team for 14 years, and was present at the 1982 and 1986 FIFA World Cup finals. He retired as the nation's top goalscorer at 40, in 87 caps. He also won the African Cup Of Nations in 1990 with Algeria as hosts beating a heavily favored young Nigerian team twice, in the opening match 5-1 and the final 1-0.

His most famous goal came in Algeria's 2-1 win over Germany in the 1982 World Cup, when he opened the scoring in the 53rd minute.

[edit] Honours

Algerian Cup: 1979

Portugesse Superliga: 1985, 1986, 1990

African Cup of Nations: 1990

Portugesse Cup: 1991

UEFA Champions League: 1987

UEFA Supercup: 1987

Intercontiental Cup: 1987

ballon d'or africain 1987 (african golden ball):for best african player

[edit] Post-retirement

After retiring, Madjer started a managerial career. He coached the Algerian national team, FC Porto's reserves and Qatar clubs Al Saad, Al Wakrah and Al Rayyan. He was also the coach of an African all-star selection to play against a "Rest of the World" team.^{[citation needed]}

Subsequently, Madjer started a career as a professional analyst in Qatar, for Al-Jazeera Sports.

[edit] External links

• Stats and profile at Zerozero.pt
• Biography at Blogportista (Portuguese)

v • d • e Algeria squad – 1982 FIFA World Cup 1 Cerbah • 2 Guendouz • 3 Kouici • 4 Kourichi • 5 Merzekane • 6 Bencheikh • 7 Assad • 8 Fergani • 9 Bensaoula • 10 Belloumi • 11 Madjer • 12 Larbes • 13 Yahi • 14 Zidane • 15 Dahleb • 16 Mansouri • 17 Horr • 18 Maroc • 19 Tlemçani • 20 Bourebbou • 21 Amara • 22 Bentaala • Coach: Khalef & Mekloufi

v • d • e Algeria squad – 1986 FIFA World Cup 1 Drid • 2 Guendouz • 3 Chebal • 4 Kourichi • 5 Liegeon • 6 Kaci Said • 7 Assad • 8 Maroc • 9 Menad • 10 Belloumi • 11 Madjer • 12 Bensaoula • 13 Harkouk • 14 Zidane • 15 Sadmi • 16 Mansouri • 17 Ben Khalidi • 18 Benmabrouk • 19 Chaib • 20 Megharia • 21 El Hadi • 22 Amara • Coach: Saadane