1. Rudi Garcia was named the head coach of Belgium in 2025.
25 Facts About Rudi Garcia
1. 2.
Rudi Garcia's father, Jose, was a Spanish expatriate who played football at a professional level for Sedan and Dunkerque.
3.
Rudi Garcia's grandparents had left Andalusia for the Ardennes region during the Spanish Civil War.
4.
Between 1992 and 1994, Rudi Garcia enrolled for university, and gained a DEUG and a STAPS degree at Orsay, as well as French qualifications that entitled him to manage a youth training centre.
5.
When Jose Garcia became the coach of local team Corbeil-Essonnes, he drafted his son into the squad, where Rudi played until cadet level.
6.
Rudi Garcia was 18 when he obtained his baccalaureat and signed for Lille, where he would spend two years as an intern and four as part of the professional squad.
7.
In 1995, Rudi Garcia returned to Corbeil to manage the Division d'Honneur side with two months remaining in the season.
8.
Between 1994 and 1996, Rudi Garcia acted as player-manager for the club before taking on managerial duties only between 1996 and 1998.
9.
In early 2001, when Toshack returned to Spain, Rudi Garcia took over first-team duties in collaboration with Jean-Guy Wallemme.
10.
In June 2007, Rudi Garcia left Dijon for Le Mans, another club he set on to transform in just one season.
11.
On 18 June 2008, Rudi Garcia rescinded his contract with the club to join Lille, where he had spent six years as a player in the 1980s.
12.
Rudi Garcia gave significant playing time to promising youngster Eden Hazard, later of Chelsea and Real Madrid.
13.
In May, Rudi Garcia led les Dogues to triumph in the Coupe de France against Paris Saint-Germain, their first win in the trophy since 1955.
14.
On 12 June 2013, Roma President James Pallotta announced that Rudi Garcia had been appointed the new manager of the club, news that was initially received very cautiously by Roma fans.
15.
On 5 October 2014, Rudi Garcia was sent off by the referee during a Serie A match against Juventus after protesting the referee's decision to award Juve a penalty with a violin gesture.
16.
On 20 October 2016, on the same day that he was finally released from his Roma contract by mutual consent, Rudi Garcia was appointed manager of Marseille on a three-year deal.
17.
On 14 October 2019, Rudi Garcia moved to rivals Lyon to become their new manager, taking over from Sylvinho.
18.
Rudi Garcia led them to the semi-finals after they defeated Manchester City, where they then lost to eventual champions Bayern Munich.
19.
On 29 June 2022, Rudi Garcia became the head coach of Saudi club Al Nassr.
20.
On 13 April 2023, Al Nassr announced that Rudi Garcia had left the club by mutual agreement.
21.
On 15 June 2023, Rudi Garcia was named the new head coach of Napoli, taking over for the resigning Luciano Spalletti.
22.
On 24 January 2025, Rudi Garcia was appointed the new head coach of the Belgium national football team, replacing Domenico Tedesco.
23.
Rudi Garcia signed a contract through the end of the 2026 FIFA World Cup.
24.
Rudi Garcia described his preferred playing style as 'a game based on possession, attacking, quick counter-attacking after regaining the ball and, most importantly, having a collective spirit.
25.
Rudi Garcia has worked for CanalSatellite, first as a reporter for post-match interviews, and then as a studio pundit.