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Antoine Kombouaré

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French football manager (born 1963)

Antoine Kombouaré
Kombouaré as Lens manager in 2014
Personal information
Full name Antoine Krilone Kombouaré
Date of birth (1963-11-16) 16 November 1963 (age 61)
Place of birth Nouméa, New Caledonia, France
Height 1.85 m (6 ft 1 in)
Position(s) Defender
Team information
Current team Nantes (head coach)
Youth career
1975–1983 WS Plum Nouméa
Senior career*
Years Team Apps (Gls)
1983–1990 Nantes 177 (4)
1990–1995 Paris Saint-Germain 106 (3)
1995–1996 Sion 25 (7)
1996–1998 Aberdeen 44 (3)
1998–1999 RC Paris 24 (4)
Total 376 (21)
Managerial career
1999–2003 Paris Saint-Germain B
2003–2004 Strasbourg
2005–2009 Valenciennes
2009–2011 Paris Saint-Germain
2012–2013 Al Hilal
2013–2016 Lens
2016–2018 Guingamp
2019 Dijon
2019–2020 Toulouse
2021–2023 Nantes
2024– Nantes
*Club domestic league appearances and goals

Antoine Krilone Kombouaré (French pronunciation: [ɑ̃twan kɔ̃bwaʁe]; born 16 November 1963) is a French professional football manager and former player who currently works as the head coach of Ligue 1 club Nantes.

Playing career

Born in the French overseas territory of New Caledonia, Kombouaré began his career at local club WS Plum Nouméa in Nouméa in 1975, before moving to mainland France with Nantes in 1983. He later joined Paris Saint-Germain in 1990. At the Parisian club, he became famous for a winning header he scored in the dying seconds of a UEFA Cup quarter-final match against Real Madrid during the 1992–93 season. The header qualified PSG for the next round with a 4–1 scoreline. Kombouaré had already scored a decisive goal in similar circumstances against Anderlecht in the previous round. His habit of netting tie-deciding headers earned him the name of "Casque d'Or", which means "Golden Helmet" in French. In 1994–95, during a UEFA Champions League quarter-final against Johan Cruyff's Barcelona "dream team", Kombouaré captained PSG to a resounding and unexpected 2–1 win which qualified the French side for the semi-final, which they lost to AC Milan.

In all, Kombouaré spent five seasons in Paris, winning the Coupe de France in 1993 and 1995 and the Coupe de la Ligue in 1995. Kombouaré scored a penalty in the 1993 Coupe de France Final. He also played nine games in the title-winning side of 1993–94 under Artur Jorge. From 1992–93, he found his first-team appearances restricted by the presence of fellow defenders Alain Roche, Paul Le Guen and Ricardo. Kombouaré became a cult hero among PSG fans for his habit of scoring last-minute winning goals and his presence and composure in big games.

Kombouaré signed for Swiss side Sion in 1995 for an undisclosed fee, then joined Aberdeen a year later for £300,000; he was signed by manager Roy Aitken to add experience to the shaky Aberdeen defence. He made 50 appearances for Aberdeen and scored three goals. He left Aberdeen in May 1998.

Managerial career

Strasbourg

In 2003, Kombouaré was already being tipped to coach PSG, the club where he made his name as a player, and had spent four years coaching the reserves team with positive results. However, the arrival of Vahid Halilhodžić at the helm forced him to change his plans. He therefore joined Strasbourg where he achieved an impressive 13th spot in the league, playing some good football along the way. However, a poor start to the 2004–05 season prompted him to leave the Alsace-based club.

Valenciennes

In July 2005, Kombouaré was appointed at Valenciennes, then playing in the second tier of French football. In his first season, he led them to promotion to the top flight, a level from which the club had been relegated in 1993. In the three seasons that followed, Kombouaré helped the club to stabilize itself at the top level of French football. He improved the club's position in every season: 14th in 2006–07, 13th in 2007–08 and 12th in 2008–09, establishing his credentials as a coach who could achieve impressive results on a tight budget.

Paris Saint-Germain

In May 2009, Kombouaré's former club PSG came calling back to him, offering him the position of manager. He accepted and signed a three-year contract, replacing Paul Le Guen, with whom he had played at Nantes and PSG. In 2009–10, the Parisian club, in spite of its new signings such as Mevlüt Erdinç and Grégory Coupet, performed poorly in the league and finished in mid-table. Kombouaré made up for this by leading the club to success in the Coupe de France, where they beat Monaco in the final.

In 2010–11, he again led the club to the Coupe de France Final, which they lost to French champions Lille. In the Coupe de la Ligue, PSG looked set for a final showdown with fierce rivals Marseille, but were stunned by Montpellier in the semi-final. The side performed much better in the league, finishing fourth in spite of a limited playing squad. The Parisians almost achieved qualification to the Champions League, but were let down by tiredness and an inability to perform when it mattered most. However, the attacking brand of football played under Kombouaré's guidance brought acclaim from both fans and writers for the capital club, with many people agreeing that PSG were playing their best football since Luis Fernández's first spell as coach between 1994 and 1996.

During the 2011–12 season, PSG crashed out of the Coupe de la Ligue and the Europa League during the first half of the season, and on 29 December 2011 – with his club top of the table – Kombouaré was sacked by PSG sporting director Leonardo and replaced by Carlo Ancelotti, putting an end to much speculation about his position at the club. Despite holding top spot in Ligue 1 when he was sacked, the club ultimately finished as runners-up to champions Montpellier.

Al-Hilal

On 27 June 2012, it was confirmed that Kombouaré was appointed head coach of Saudi Arabian side Al-Hilal on a one-year deal with an option for a second, but he was sacked on 31 January 2013.

Lens

On 18 June 2013, Kombouaré became manager of Lens, earning his team a promotion in his first season at the club after it finished in second place in Ligue 2.

Guingamp

On 30 May 2016, Kombouaré became manager of Ligue 1 side Guingamp. They finished the season in mid-table. On 6 November 2018, he was sacked due to poor results.

Dijon

On 10 January 2019, Kombouaré became manager of Dijon, replacing Olivier Dall'Oglio. After winning the relegation play-off to keep Dijon in Ligue 1, he parted ways with the club on 9 June 2019, with Stéphane Jobard taking over as manager on 20 June.

Toulouse

On 14 October 2019, Kombouaré was appointed as manager of Toulouse. On 6 January 2020, Toulouse terminated Kombouaré as manager following the club's humiliating 1–0 loss to Championnat National 2 side Saint-Pryvé Saint-Hilaire in the Coupe de France. Under Kombouaré, the club had lost ten matches in a row, leading him to be dismissed and replaced by Denis Zanko.

Nantes

On 11 February 2021, Kombouaré signed with Ligue 1 side Nantes. He joined the club during the second half of the season, helping Les Canaris stay in Ligue 1. Nantes finished 18th in the league, and won the play-offs against Kombouaré's former side Toulouse.

In the 2021–22 season, Kombouaré led Nantes to a Coupe de France victory. They defeated Nice 1–0 in the final. In the 2022–23 season, Kombouaré led Nantes to a second consecutive Coupe de France final, although they were eventually defeated 5–1 by Toulouse.

On 18 March 2024, after Jocelyn Gourvennec was sacked, Kombouaré was re-appointed as the head coach of Nantes.

Managerial statistics

As of 15 December 2024
Managerial record by team and tenure
Team Nat From To Record
G W D L GF GA GD Win %
Strasbourg France 1 July 2003 3 October 2004 49 10 18 21 51 68 −17 020.41
Valenciennes France 1 July 2005 1 June 2009 166 59 48 59 184 180 +4 035.54
Paris Saint-Germain France 1 June 2009 29 December 2011 134 61 39 34 205 138 +67 045.52
Al-Hilal Saudi Arabia 27 June 2012 31 January 2013 22 14 3 5 50 24 +26 063.64
Lens France 18 June 2013 30 May 2016 126 45 36 45 153 158 −5 035.71
Guingamp France 30 May 2016 6 November 2018 100 32 26 42 116 153 −37 032.00
Dijon France 10 January 2019 9 June 2019 25 8 4 13 28 37 −9 032.00
Toulouse France 14 October 2019 5 January 2020 13 2 0 11 13 30 −17 015.38
Nantes France 11 February 2021 9 May 2023 109 38 32 39 140 144 −4 034.86
Nantes France 18 March 2024 Present 23 5 7 11 23 38 −15 021.74
Total 767 274 213 280 963 970 −7 035.72

Honours

Player

Paris Saint-Germain

Sion

Manager

Valenciennes

Paris Saint-Germain

Lens

Nantes

Individual

Orders

References

  1. ^ "Décret du 3 avril 2015 portant promotion et nomination" [Decree of 3 April 2015 on promotion and appointment]. Journal Officiel de la République Française (in French). 2015 (81): 6288. 5 April 2015. PREX1507444D. Retrieved 24 August 2019.
  2. "Antoine Kombouaré". PSG70.free.fr (in French). Retrieved 24 August 2019.
  3. "Les grandes dates de la carrière d'Antoine Kombouaré". MFB TV (in French). Archived from the original on 24 August 2019. Retrieved 24 August 2019.
  4. ^ "PSG – Nantes 3–0, 12/06/93, Coupe de France 92–93". archivesparisfootball.wordpress.com. Retrieved 3 January 2020.
  5. Haond, Patrick (28 May 2009). "Kombouaré agrees PSG deal". Sky Sports. Retrieved 12 July 2009.
  6. "Guingamp se sépare d'Antoine Kombouaré". L'Équipe (in French). 6 November 2018.
  7. "Dijon : Antoine Kombouaré succède à Olivier Dall'Oglio au poste d'entraîneur". L'Équipe (in French). 10 January 2019.
  8. "Kombouaré va quitter Dijon". France Football (in French). 9 June 2019. Retrieved 24 August 2019.
  9. Dijon choisit Stéphane Jobard pour remplacer Antoine Kombouaré. Mercato365.com. Retrieved 20 June 2019.
  10. "Toulouse : Antoine Kombouaré nommé entraîneur". L'Équipe (in French).
  11. "TOULOUSE SACK KOMBOUARÉ". www.ligue1.com. Archived from the original on 6 January 2020. Retrieved 13 January 2020.
  12. "Antoine Kombouaré nouvel entraîneur du FC Nantes (officiel)". L'Équipe. 11 February 2021. Retrieved 11 February 2021.
  13. Djezzane, Thomas (9 December 2021). "Ligue 1 : Antoine Kombouaré, l'homme qui a redressé le FC Nantes" [Ligue 1: Antoine Kombouaré, the man who straightened FC Nantes]. Le Figaro (in French). Retrieved 7 May 2022.
  14. ^ Mayen, Philippe (7 May 2022). "La Coupe sourit aux Canaris" [The Coupe smiles to the Canaris] (in French). French Football Federation. Retrieved 7 May 2022.
  15. "Nantes brings back coach Antoine Kombouaré amid relegation fight in French league". AP News. 18 March 2024. Retrieved 19 March 2024.
  16. "PSG – Strasbourg 1–0, 13/05/95, Coupe de France 94–95". archivesparisfootball.wordpress.com. Retrieved 3 January 2020.
  17. "PSG – Bastia 2–0, 03/05/95, Coupe de la Ligue 94–95". archivesparisfootball.wordpress.com. Retrieved 3 January 2020.
  18. "Palmarès Trophées UNFP - Oscars du football - Meilleur entraîneur de Ligue 2" (in French). Archived from the original on 2 July 2018. Retrieved 2 August 2017.

External links

FC Nantes – current squad
Current Ligue 1 managers
Managerial positions
RC Strasbourg Alsace – managers
(c) = caretaker manager
Valenciennes FC – managers
(c) = caretaker manager
Paris Saint-Germain F.C. – managers
Al Hilal SFC – managers
RC Lens – managers
En Avant Guingamp – managers
Dijon FCO – managers
(c) = caretaker manager
Toulouse FC – managers
FC Nantes – managers
(c) = caretaker
Coupe de France winning managers
Ligue 2 Manager of the Year
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