1. Overview
Héctor Raúl Cúper (born 16 November 1955) is an Argentine former professional football player and manager who most recently coached the Syria national team. Known for his strong defensive tactics and disciplined teams, Cúper has had a distinguished career both as a player and, more notably, as a manager, guiding several clubs and national teams to significant achievements, though often falling short in major finals.
As a player, Cúper primarily played as a defender, spending the majority of his career at Ferro Carril Oeste in Argentina. He earned the nickname CabezónBig headSpanish during his playing days. His managerial career began in Argentina before he moved to Europe, where he gained widespread recognition for leading Mallorca and Valencia to multiple finals, including two consecutive UEFA Champions League finals with Valencia. He also managed prominent clubs like Internazionale and had various stints with other European and Middle Eastern clubs. On the international stage, Cúper is celebrated for leading the Egypt national team to the 2017 Africa Cup of Nations final and, notably, to the 2018 FIFA World Cup, marking their first appearance in the tournament in 28 years.
2. Personal life
Héctor Raúl Cúper was born on 16 November 1955, in Chábas, a small settlement located in the Santa Fe Province of Argentina. His family heritage is predominantly Italian, though his great-grandfather was an Englishman named Cooper who migrated to Santa Fe and married an indigenous woman. Cúper experienced personal tragedy early in his life when his mother died at the age of 20, just months after the birth of his younger brother. Consequently, he was raised by his grandmother.
3. Playing career
Héctor Cúper had a career as a professional footballer, primarily playing as a central defender. His playing career spanned from the mid-1970s to the early 1990s, with notable spells at clubs in his native Argentina.
3.1. Club career
Cúper began his professional playing career in 1976 with Ferro Carril Oeste. Like many aspiring footballers from Chábas in the 1960s, he moved to Buenos Aires to pursue his ambitions, taking leave from his job at a bank to find a team in the capital city. He was eventually signed by Ferro Carril Oeste.
He briefly moved to Independiente Rivadavia from 1977 to 1978, where he made 6 appearances and scored 2 goals. He then returned to Ferro Carril Oeste in 1978, where he spent a decade, becoming a key player. During his time at the club, he made 424 appearances and scored 24 goals, contributing to significant successes including winning the Argentine Primera División twice, specifically the Nacional 1982 and Nacional 1984 tournaments. He also helped the team achieve a third-place finish in the 1982 Metropolitano and a runner-up position in the 1984 Metropolitano.
In 1988, Cúper transferred to Huracán, where he continued to play for four years. He played 132 games for Huracán, scoring 8 goals, and contributed to their triumph in the Argentine third division during the 1989-90 season. He retired from playing in 1992, having accumulated a total of 567 professional appearances and 34 goals throughout his club career.
| Club | Years | Appearances | Goals |
|---|---|---|---|
| Ferro Carril Oeste | 1976-1977 | 5 | 0 |
| Independiente Rivadavia | 1977-1978 | 6 | 2 |
| Ferro Carril Oeste | 1978-1988 | 424 | 24 |
| Huracán | 1988-1992 | 132 | 8 |
| Total | 1976-1992 | 567 | 34 |
3.2. International career
Cúper was selected for the Argentine A-team in 1984. However, his international appearances were limited to just 3 matches that year, and he did not score any goals for the national team. There are no further records of his involvement with the national team after 1984.
4. Managerial career
Héctor Cúper's managerial career is extensive, spanning over two decades and encompassing various clubs and national teams across different continents. He is widely recognized for his tactical prowess, particularly in defensive organization, and for often leading teams to the brink of major triumphs.
4.1. Early career
Cúper began his coaching career with Huracán in 1993, approximately one and a half years after his retirement as a player. He led Huracán to a strong performance in the Clausura 1994 tournament, where they finished in second place, losing the final match against rivals Independiente for the title. In 1995, he moved to Lanús, where he achieved his first managerial trophy, the 1996 Copa CONMEBOL.
In the summer of 1997, Cúper moved to Spain to manage Mallorca, a modest club in the La Liga. In his very first season, he guided Mallorca to the 1998 Copa del Rey final, where they ultimately lost to Barcelona. However, they avenged this defeat by winning the 1998 Supercopa de España against the same opponent. The following season, Mallorca reached the final of the UEFA Cup Winners' Cup, losing to Lazio at Villa Park. During the 1998-99 season, Mallorca also achieved their best-ever La Liga finish, securing third place with the league's fewest goals conceded, which earned them a spot in the UEFA Champions League. This period established Cúper's reputation for building robust, defensively sound teams capable of exceeding expectations.
4.2. Valencia
In March 1999, Claudio Ranieri, then manager of Valencia, publicly recommended Cúper as his successor. Cúper declined a new contract offer from Mallorca and departed in June, taking over at Valencia. During his two years at the club, Cúper's Valencia side became renowned for their dynamic counter-attacking football built on a solid defensive foundation. He achieved immediate success, winning another 1999 Supercopa de España. However, his tenure at Valencia is most remembered for leading the team to two consecutive UEFA Champions League finals. In the 2000 final, they lost to fellow Spanish club Real Madrid. The following year, in the 2001 final, they were defeated by Bayern Munich after a penalty shootout. These consecutive runner-up finishes further cemented a perception of Cúper's teams reaching finals but often failing to clinch the trophy.
4.3. Internazionale
On 22 June 2001, Cúper was appointed manager of Italian club Internazionale, succeeding Marco Tardelli. In his inaugural season (2001-02), Inter started the final day of the season, 5 May 2002, in pole position to win their first ScudettoScudettoItalian since 1989. However, they suffered a devastating 4-2 loss to Lazio, which allowed rivals Juventus to claim the title, with Inter dropping to third place.
In the 2002-03 season, Cúper's Inter team finished second in Serie A. In the UEFA Champions League campaign of the same season, they reached the semi-finals but were eliminated by their city rivals, AC Milan, on the away goals rule, despite both teams sharing the same home ground, the San Siro stadium. After a disappointing start to the 2003-04 season, where the team stood in eighth place after six matches, Cúper was dismissed from his role on 19 October 2003.
4.4. Mallorca return, Betis, Parma
After a year-long break due to a contract dispute with Inter Milan, Cúper returned to manage RCD Mallorca on 2 November 2004, replacing Benito Floro. At the time, Mallorca was struggling, sitting 19th in the league after 10 matches. Cúper successfully guided the team to avoid relegation on the final day of the season. Despite making several new signings for the following season, the team once again found itself in a relegation battle. Cúper resigned on 14 February 2006, after a nine-game winless run left the team at the bottom of the table.
On 16 July 2007, Cúper was announced as the new manager of Real Betis on a one-year deal. He started the 2007-08 season in charge but was sacked on 2 December 2007, after the team lost at home to Atlético Madrid, finding themselves in 19th position.
Cúper then moved to Italy's Serie A again, unveiled as the new boss of relegation-battling Parma on 11 March 2008, replacing Domenico Di Carlo. However, his tenure was short-lived. He was dismissed just two months later, before the final game of the season, having managed only two wins in 10 matches. His departure ultimately preceded Parma's relegation to Serie B.
4.5. Diverse international and club roles (2008-2014)
In August 2008, Cúper ventured into international management, becoming the head coach of the Georgia national team. His spell there was largely unsuccessful, as the team managed only three points and no wins during the 2010 FIFA World Cup qualification campaign. He agreed to step down in November 2009 before the expiration of his contract.
On 3 November 2009, Cúper accepted a one-year contract to manage Greek club Aris Thessaloniki. He extended his contract until June 2011 on 15 December. Cúper led Aris to a fifth-place finish in the league, securing their first-ever qualification for the UEFA Europa League after a playoff. In the 2009-10 Greek Cup, Aris reached the final but lost to Panathinaikos, marking another final defeat for Cúper. In the 2010-11 UEFA Europa League group stage, Aris achieved remarkable results, including two surprise victories against previous champions Atlético Madrid, accumulating 10 points and advancing to the knockout phase. However, after a series of poor results in the Greek league, Cúper resigned from his position on 18 January 2011.
On 29 June 2011, Cúper returned to La Liga to manage Racing Santander, signing a one-season deal. However, after just five months, he left the team by mutual agreement with the board, as Racing was languishing at the bottom of the league table.
Cúper then moved to Turkey, signing a contract with Süper Lig side Orduspor on 19 December 2011. He remained with the club for over a year before leaving by mutual consent on 13 April 2013.
On 14 November 2013, Cúper was appointed as the new head coach of the UAE League side Al Wasl. His tenure was brief; he was sacked on 4 March 2014, due to poor results.
4.6. Return to international football
Cúper's career saw a significant resurgence with his return to international football management, where he achieved notable successes with national teams.
4.6.1. Egypt national team
On 2 March 2015, the Egyptian Football Association appointed Cúper as the new manager of their national football team. Under his leadership, Egypt reached the final of the 2017 Africa Cup of Nations, where they were narrowly defeated 2-1 by Cameroon. This achievement, coupled with their subsequent success, earned him individual accolades such as the Globe Soccer Awards Best Arab National Team Coach and the CAF Coach of the Year in 2017.
His most significant accomplishment with Egypt came when he guided the team to the 2018 FIFA World Cup, their first appearance in the tournament since 1990, after defeating Congo 2-1 in a qualifying match. His contract was set to expire at the conclusion of the tournament, and negotiations for an extension were postponed until then. Following defeats in all three of Egypt's group games at the World Cup, it was announced on 26 June 2018, that Cúper's contract would not be renewed.
4.6.2. Uzbekistan national team
On 1 August 2018, Cúper became the head coach of the Uzbekistan national team, signing a contract that extended through to the 2022 FIFA World Cup. During his tenure, he led Uzbekistan to the round of 16 in the 2019 AFC Asian Cup, where they were eliminated by Australia after a penalty shootout. However, he was sacked in September 2019, following a surprising 2-0 loss away to Palestine in their first qualifying match for the 2022 FIFA World Cup.
4.6.3. DR Congo national team
On 13 May 2021, Cúper was appointed manager of the DR Congo. His debut match was a 1-0 away loss to Tunisia in a friendly on 5 June. In March 2022, his team failed to qualify for the 2022 FIFA World Cup after a 5-2 aggregate playoff loss to Morocco. Cúper was dismissed on 9 June 2022, after his team suffered defeats to Gabon and Sudan in their opening 2023 Africa Cup of Nations qualifiers.
4.6.4. Syria national team
On 2 February 2023, Cúper took over as the head coach of the Syria national team on a contract of undisclosed length. He actively sought to strengthen the squad by recruiting three players of Syrian descent from his home country, Argentina: Ezequiel Ham, Ibrahim Hesar, and Jalil Elías, ahead of the 2023 AFC Asian Cup held in Qatar.
Under Cúper's guidance, Syria achieved a historic milestone at the 2023 AFC Asian Cup. Following a 1-0 victory over India, they qualified for the knockout phase of the tournament as one of the best third-placed teams. This marked the first time in Syrian football history that the national team had advanced beyond the group stage in six previous participations.
In February 2024, Cúper extended his contract with the Syrian national team, committing to remain for the duration of the 2026 FIFA World Cup qualification. However, following two away defeats in the 2026 World Cup qualification campaign-a 1-0 loss to North Korea and a decisive 5-0 defeat to Japan-which resulted in Syria's failure to qualify for the World Cup's next stage, Cúper resigned from his position on 11 June 2024.
5. Controversy
Throughout his career, Héctor Cúper has faced various challenges, including allegations that have drawn controversy.
5.1. Match-fixing allegations
In January 2012, reports emerged that Héctor Cúper had admitted to Italian prosecutors involvement in match-fixing during his managerial stints in Argentina and Spain. He reportedly acknowledged receiving 200.00 K EUR for his role in two match-fixing incidents in each country. However, specific details regarding the exact dates or names of the clubs involved were not publicly disclosed.
6. Managerial statistics
As of 11 June 2024.
| Team | From | To | G | W | D | L | Win % |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Huracán | 1 July 1993 | 30 June 1995 | 63 | 21 | 19 | 23 | 33.33 |
| Lanús | 1 July 1995 | 30 June 1997 | 72 | 33 | 22 | 17 | 45.83 |
| Mallorca | 10 July 1997 | 31 May 1999 | 102 | 49 | 26 | 27 | 48.04 |
| Valencia | 1 July 1999 | 30 June 2001 | 120 | 59 | 32 | 29 | 49.17 |
| Internazionale | 22 June 2001 | 17 October 2003 | 110 | 57 | 31 | 22 | 51.82 |
| Mallorca | 2 November 2004 | 13 February 2006 | 54 | 13 | 14 | 27 | 24.07 |
| Real Betis | 14 July 2007 | 2 December 2007 | 14 | 2 | 5 | 7 | 14.29 |
| Parma | 11 March 2008 | 12 May 2008 | 10 | 2 | 3 | 5 | 20.00 |
| Georgia | 8 August 2008 | 15 October 2009 | 16 | 1 | 4 | 11 | 6.25 |
| Aris | 8 November 2009 | 18 January 2011 | 62 | 26 | 14 | 22 | 41.94 |
| Racing Santander | 1 July 2011 | 29 November 2011 | 13 | 1 | 6 | 6 | 7.69 |
| Orduspor | 20 December 2011 | 13 April 2013 | 50 | 14 | 18 | 18 | 28.00 |
| Al Wasl | 12 November 2013 | 4 March 2014 | 16 | 4 | 3 | 9 | 25.00 |
| Egypt | 2 March 2015 | 26 June 2018 | 38 | 19 | 7 | 12 | 50.00 |
| Uzbekistan | 1 August 2018 | 23 September 2019 | 17 | 7 | 4 | 6 | 41.18 |
| DR Congo | 13 May 2021 | 9 June 2022 | 14 | 3 | 4 | 7 | 21.43 |
| Syria | 2 February 2023 | 11 June 2024 | 17 | 5 | 6 | 6 | 29.41 |
| Total | 789 | 319 | 219 | 251 | 40.43 | ||
7. Honours
Héctor Cúper achieved various honours throughout both his playing and managerial careers, including domestic league titles and runner-up finishes in major international club and national team competitions.
7.1. As a player
- Ferro Carril Oeste
- Primera División Nacional: 1982, 1984
- Huracán
- Primera B Nacional: 1989-90
7.2. As a manager
- Huracán
- Primera División runner-up: 1994 Clausura
- Lanús
- Copa CONMEBOL: 1996
- Mallorca
- Supercopa de España: 1998
- Copa del Rey runner-up: 1997-98
- UEFA Cup Winners' Cup runner-up: 1998-99
- Valencia
- Supercopa de España: 1999
- UEFA Champions League runner-up: 1999-2000, 2000-01
- Aris FC Thessaloniki
- Greek Cup runner-up: 2009-10
- Egypt
- Africa Cup of Nations runner-up: 2017
7.3. Individual awards
- La Liga Coach of the Year - Don Balón Award: 1999
- UEFA Club Coach of the Year: 2000
- Globe Soccer Awards Best Arab National Team Coach: 2017
- CAF Coach of the Year: 2017
8. Legacy and evaluation
Héctor Cúper's legacy in football management is largely defined by his consistent ability to build competitive teams and lead them to the finals of major competitions, coupled with a peculiar pattern of often finishing as runner-up. This phenomenon, often referred to as his "final jinx" or "curse," became a notable aspect of his career.
His teams, particularly Mallorca and Valencia, were characterized by their tactical discipline, strong defensive organization, and effective counter-attacking play. At Mallorca, he transformed a modest club into a formidable opponent, leading them to their best-ever league finish and two cup finals. His achievements with Valencia, reaching back-to-back UEFA Champions League finals, remain a high point in the club's history. These successes demonstrated his skill in identifying and developing talent, as well as his ability to implement a clear and effective tactical system.
However, the repeated failures in finals, such as losing the Copa del Rey and UEFA Cup Winners' Cup with Mallorca, two Champions League finals with Valencia, the Greek Football Cup with Aris, and the Africa Cup of Nations with Egypt, have left a bittersweet mark on his record. Despite these near misses, his ability to consistently reach these stages with different teams across various leagues and continents speaks volumes about his coaching acumen.
Beyond the finals, Cúper is also remembered for guiding the Egypt national team to their first FIFA World Cup appearance in 28 years in 2018, a significant accomplishment that was widely celebrated. His career showcases a manager who prioritizes defensive solidity and strategic play, capable of extracting maximum performance from his squads and elevating their standing on both domestic and international fronts. While the "final jinx" is a recurring theme, it paradoxically highlights the consistent excellence of his teams in reaching those crucial matches.