Full name Víctor Muñoz Manrique Playing position Team Apps Position Midfielder | Place of birth Zaragoza, Spain Years Team Height 1.69 m | |
Date of birth (1957-03-15) 15 March 1957 (age 60) Similar Ranko Popović, Lluís Carreras, Juan Esnáider, Víctor Fernández, Raül Agné Profiles | ||
Víctor Muñoz Manrique (born 15 March 1957), known simply as Víctor in his playing days, is a Spanish retired footballer who played as a midfielder, and a current manager.
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An all-around midfield unit, he was best known for his great physical strength that helped him tire his opponents in the early stages of the match. He spent most of his professional career with Barcelona, winning a total of eight major titles and amassing La Liga totals of 332 games and 25 goals, also represented in the competition Zaragoza.
A Spanish international during the 80's, Víctor represented the country in one World Cup and two European Championships.
Club career
Víctor was born in Zaragoza, Aragon. After starting off with hometown's Real Zaragoza and being relegated in his first professional season, he was purchased by La Liga powerhouse FC Barcelona, being a very important element for the Catalans during his seven-year stay; on 4 June 1983, he scored his team's first in a 2–1 win against Real Madrid in the final of the Copa del Rey.
Víctor was also one of the first Spaniards to ever play in Serie A, with two seasons with U.C. Sampdoria. After a quick return to Zaragoza Víctor (also known by his first name during his playing days) finished his career at 34, teaming up with former Barça teammate Steve Archibald at St Mirren.
Since the mid-1990s Muñoz started working as a manager, and successively coached RCD Mallorca, CD Logroñés, UE Lleida, Villarreal CF and Zaragoza, winning the 2004 domestic cup with the latter. On 8 October 2006 he signed a two-year contract with Greece's Panathinaikos FC, becoming the 18th coach in ten years for The Greens; however, he returned to Spain in June 2007 to take over at Recreativo de Huelva, from where he was sacked the following February.
For the 2008–09 campaign Muñoz was appointed coach at Getafe CF, on 18 June 2008. Following a poor string of results he was sacked in April of the following year, making way to former Real Madrid player Míchel.
In late December 2010, after more than one year out of football, Muñoz was appointed head coach at Russian Premier League side FC Terek Grozny. He left his post after less than one month, being replaced by Ruud Gullit.
Muñoz returned to active in early September 2011, when he became Neuchâtel Xamax's third coach of the season, replacing countryman Joaquín Caparrós at the helm of the Swiss club. He continued his career in the country, with a brief stint at FC Sion from December 2012 until February of the following year.
International career
Muñoz was a regular player for Spain during the vast majority of the '80s, receiving his first opportunity on 25 March 1981 in a 2–1 friendly win with England and going on to gain a further 59 caps, with three goals.
He played for the nation at the 1986 FIFA World Cup, and at UEFA Euro 1984 (in a final runner-up position, to hosts France) and 1988, retiring from international duty immediately after that group stage exit.