Manolo Hierro
Encyclopedia
Manuel "Manolo" Ruiz Hierro (born 8 February 1962) is a Spanish
former professional footballer who played as a central defender.
, Hierro started playing professionally with local CD Málaga
, but only appeared 19 times for the first team in his first three seasons combined, also suffering La Liga
relegation in the last one. After one more year in Segunda División
, he signed with Real Valladolid
in the top level.
After helping the Castile and León
outfit finish eighth in his second season, with one of the best defensive records in the competition (38 matches, 34 goals), Hierro signed with FC Barcelona
, but only lasted a few months in Catalonia
, moving in the next transfer window
to Real Betis
. Suffering top flight relegation with the Andalusia
ns, he subsequently joined CD Tenerife
- also in the top division - and retired from football at only 30, having amassed professional totals of 199 games and 11 goals.
to his first team - now renamed Málaga CF
- for several seasons. In early 2006, following the dismissal of Antonio Tapia
, he was named head coach, as the club was eventually relegated from the first division.
, played almost exclusively for Málaga, while the youngest, Fernando
, represented namely Real Madrid
- including as club captain - and scored more than 20 goals in nearly 90 appearances for the Spanish national team
.
From 1980–86, Manuel and Antonio played together in Málaga, and Fernando was Manuel's teammate at Valladolid for one season.
Spain
Spain , officially the Kingdom of Spain languages]] under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages. In each of these, Spain's official name is as follows:;;;;;;), is a country and member state of the European Union located in southwestern Europe on the Iberian Peninsula...
former professional footballer who played as a central defender.
Playing career
Born in Vélez-Málaga, AndalusiaAndalusia
Andalusia is the most populous and the second largest in area of the autonomous communities of Spain. The Andalusian autonomous community is officially recognised as a nationality of Spain. The territory is divided into eight provinces: Huelva, Seville, Cádiz, Córdoba, Málaga, Jaén, Granada and...
, Hierro started playing professionally with local CD Málaga
CD Málaga
Club Deportivo Málaga was a Spanish football club based in Málaga, in the autonomous community of Andalusia. It played twenty seasons in La Liga, before being dissolved in 1992....
, but only appeared 19 times for the first team in his first three seasons combined, also suffering La Liga
La Liga
The Primera División of the Liga Nacional de Fútbol Profesional , commonly known as La Liga or, for sponsorship reasons, Liga BBVA since 2008, is the top professional association football division of the Spanish football league system...
relegation in the last one. After one more year in Segunda División
Segunda División
The Segunda División is the lower tier of the two professional football leagues in Spain. From the season 2008-09 onwards, the name of the league is Liga Adelante.-History:...
, he signed with Real Valladolid
Real Valladolid
Real Valladolid Club de Fútbol, S.A.D. is a Spanish football club based in Valladolid, in the autonomous community of Castile and León, from where the nickname Pucela is derived....
in the top level.
After helping the Castile and León
Castile and León
Castile and León is an autonomous community in north-western Spain. It was so constituted in 1983 and it comprises the historical regions of León and Old Castile...
outfit finish eighth in his second season, with one of the best defensive records in the competition (38 matches, 34 goals), Hierro signed with FC Barcelona
FC Barcelona
Futbol Club Barcelona , also known as Barcelona and familiarly as Barça, is a professional football club, based in Barcelona, Catalonia, Spain....
, but only lasted a few months in Catalonia
Catalonia
Catalonia is an autonomous community in northeastern Spain, with the official status of a "nationality" of Spain. Catalonia comprises four provinces: Barcelona, Girona, Lleida, and Tarragona. Its capital and largest city is Barcelona. Catalonia covers an area of 32,114 km² and has an...
, moving in the next transfer window
Transfer window
The transfer window is the period during the year in which a football club can transfer players from other countries into their playing staff. Such a transfer is completed by registering the player into the new club through FIFA...
to Real Betis
Real Betis
Real Betis Balompié S.A.D. is a Spanish football club based in Seville, in the autonomous community of Andalusia. Founded on 12 September 1907, it currently plays in La Liga, holding home games at Estadio Benito Villamarín....
. Suffering top flight relegation with the Andalusia
Andalusia
Andalusia is the most populous and the second largest in area of the autonomous communities of Spain. The Andalusian autonomous community is officially recognised as a nationality of Spain. The territory is divided into eight provinces: Huelva, Seville, Cádiz, Córdoba, Málaga, Jaén, Granada and...
ns, he subsequently joined CD Tenerife
CD Tenerife
Club Deportivo Tenerife, S.A.D. is a Spanish football club based in Santa Cruz de Tenerife, in Tenerife . Founded in 1922, it currently plays in Segunda División B, holding home matches at Estadio Heliodoro Rodríguez López, with a 24,000-seat capacity.-History:Club Deportivo Tenerife was founded in...
- also in the top division - and retired from football at only 30, having amassed professional totals of 199 games and 11 goals.
Post-retirement
After retiring as a player, Hierro served as director of footballDirector of football
"Director of football" is a term describing a senior management figure at a football club, most commonly used in Europe. The exact nature of the role is often unclear and extremely variable and causes much debate in the sports media...
to his first team - now renamed Málaga CF
Málaga CF
Málaga Club de Fútbol is a Spanish football club based in Málaga, Andalusia. The team currently plays in Spain's La Liga.Málaga CF is generally seen as the successor to CD Málaga, one of the most historical Andalusian football clubs, by being a near-identical looking football club that even shares...
- for several seasons. In early 2006, following the dismissal of Antonio Tapia
Antonio Tapia
Antonio Tapia Flores is a Spanish football manager.-Football career:Tapia had an unassuming career as a footballer, only representing Atlético Malagueño and amateurs UD Fuengirola...
, he was named head coach, as the club was eventually relegated from the first division.
Personal life
Hierro was the second of three siblings who were all footballers, and defenders. His older brother, AntonioAntonio Hierro
Antonio Ruiz Hierro is a Spanish former professional footballer who played as a defender.-Football career:Born in Vélez-Málaga, Andalusia, Hierro played professionally for local CD Málaga, appearing in three seasons in La Liga and four in Segunda División.In the 1988 summer, after having...
, played almost exclusively for Málaga, while the youngest, Fernando
Fernando Hierro
Fernando Ruiz Hierro is a retired Spanish footballer. He is mostly known for his spells with Real Madrid and Spain, appearing in more than 500 official games with the former and representing the latter on nearly 100 occasions, whilst appearing in four World Cups and two European...
, represented namely Real Madrid
Real Madrid C.F.
Real Madrid Club de Fútbol , commonly known as Real Madrid, is a professional football club based in Madrid, Spain. The club have won a record 31 La Liga titles, the Primera División of the Liga de Fútbol Profesional , 18 Copas del Rey, 8 Spanish Super Cups, 1 Copa Eva Duarte and 1 Copa de la...
- including as club captain - and scored more than 20 goals in nearly 90 appearances for the Spanish national team
Spain national football team
The Spain national football team represents Spain in international association football and is controlled by the Royal Spanish Football Federation, the governing body for football in Spain. The current head coach is Vicente del Bosque...
.
From 1980–86, Manuel and Antonio played together in Málaga, and Fernando was Manuel's teammate at Valladolid for one season.