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Ernst HappelAustrian football coach
Date of Birth: 29.11.1925
Country:  Austria |
Content:
Biography of Ernst Happel
Ernst Happel was a prominent Austrian football coach and former player. He was born on November 29, 1925, in Vienna, Austria. As a player, Happel played as a defender for the Viennese club "Rapid" and won the Austrian championship six times with the team. He also represented the Austrian national football team, playing 51 matches and scoring 5 goals. Happel participated in the 1954 and 1958 FIFA World Cups.
Player Career
Ernst Happel spent the majority of his playing career at Rapid Vienna, playing for the team from 1942 to 1955 and from 1956 to 1959. He also had a two-season stint at Racing Paris in France. During his time with Rapid Vienna, Happel won the Austrian championship six times and also won the Austrian Cup and the Cup of Central Europe in 1951. He played as a central defender and sweeper, known for his technical skills and elegant style of play. Happel made his debut for the Austrian national team on September 14, 1945, in a match against Hungary.
Managerial Career
After retiring as a player, Happel began his coaching career as the technical director of Rapid Vienna. From 1962 until his death in 1992, he coached various clubs in the Netherlands, Belgium, Germany, and Austria. Happel achieved great success as a coach, leading his teams to victories in the UEFA Champions League twice and reaching the finals of European club tournaments three times. He won a total of eight national championships in the Netherlands, Belgium, Germany, and Austria.
World Cup Success and Legacy
In 1978, Happel achieved further success as the head coach of the Netherlands national team, leading them to the final of the FIFA World Cup. Although they were defeated by the West Germany team, Happel's coaching skills were highly praised. In 1987, he took charge of the newly formed team "Swarovski-Tirol" and immediately led them to the semi-finals of the UEFA Cup. The following year, Happel won the Austrian championship with the team.
Ernst Happel passed away on November 14, 1992, in Innsbruck, Austria, after battling cancer. To honor his contributions to Austrian football, the largest stadium in Austria, the Vienna "Prater," was renamed the "Ernst Happel Stadium." Happel's legacy as both a player and coach remains influential in the world of football.
