MANUEL AMOROS

Manuel Amoros (born 1 February 1962 in Nîmes) is a French retired football defender. An effervescent, superbly skilled and complete full-back, capable of patrolling the game on either flank due to his ambidexterity, he was capped 82 times for France and played in the European Championships finals of 1984 and 1992, and the World Cup finals in 1982 and 1986. He is regarded alongside Lillian Thuram and Bixente Lizarazu as one of the finest french full-backs in history.

Amoros played most of his career (in his prime) for Monaco in the French first division, where he won the Coupe de France in 1985 and the league in 1987-88. He then moved to Marseille where as an elder statesman he was an important figure for a side which won three consecutive Ligue 1's in 1989-90, 1990-91, 1991-92. He also featured in the victorious champions league campaign in 1992/93, though he was an increasingly bit-part player at this stage. He then briefly moved to Lyon, before returning to Marseille where he retired.

Amoros' exploits for the national team during the 80's cemented his reputation as one of the finest European full backs of the era and in hindsight, on the basis of the quality of his performances for the Tricolor he deserves to be remembered as one of the all-time greats across any period. He first rose to prominence in the 1982 World Cup, where in the 1982 semi-final against West Germany, he hit the crossbar in the 89th minute, and in the penalty shoot-out he converted his kick before France were eventually eliminated.

Following that disappointment, he was expected to form an integral part as Captain of the famous European championship winning side of 1984, but Amoros showed an egregious side of him when, during the opening game against Denmark, he was sent off for head-butting the Danish midfielder Jesper Olsen. He was banned for three games. Despite being available to play in the final against Spain, national coach Michel Hidalgo used him as a substitute in a game that Les Bleus won by 2–0 at the Parc des Princes.

At the 1986 World Cup, the 24-year-old Amoros was in his absolute prime and was voted best right-back in the tournament by the international press. In particular, his performance against Brazil was heralded as one of the finest displays of full-back brilliance the game has been witness to and he was able to dominate both the left and right flank with ease, sometimes in the same game. After that tournament, France were never quite the same side and he retired from the national team after the disappointment at Euro 1992.