Ernst Happel

Ernst Franz Hermann Happel (29 November 1925 – 14 November 1992) was a former Austrian football player and football coach. He played for SK Rapid Wien, RC Paris and the Austria national team.

Ernst Happel

Happel in a commemorative banner
Personal information
Full name	Ernst Franz Hermann Happel
Date of birth	(1925-11-29)29 November 1925
Place of birth	Vienna, Austria
Date of death	14 November 1992(1992-11-14) (aged 66)
Place of death	Innsbruck, Austria
Height	1.78 m (5 ft 10 in)
Playing position	Defender
Youth career
1938–1942	Rapid Wien
Senior career*
Years	Team	Apps	(Gls)
1942–1954	Rapid Wien	177	(8)
1955–1956	Racing Club de France Football	42	(9)
1956–1959	Rapid Wien	63	(17)
Total		282	(34)
National team
1947–1958	Austria	51	(5)
Teams managed
1962–1969	ADO Den Haag
1967	San Francisco Gales
1969–1973	Feijenoord
1973–1974	Sevilla
1974–1978	Club Brugge
1977–1978	Netherlands
1979	Harelbeke
1979–1981	Standard Liège
1981–1987	Hamburger SV
1987–1991	Swarovski Tirol
1992	Austria
* Senior club appearances and goals counted for the domestic league only

Club career

Happel started professionally at the age of 17 with SK Rapid Wien as defender. He played only from 1955 till 1956 for another club. In 1999 he was elected for Rapids team of the century.

International

He played his first match for Austria in September 1947 against Hungary. He was a member of the squad for the 1954 World Cup in Switzerland and and the 1958 World Cup in Sweden. His last match was in September 1958 against Yugoslavia. He played 51 times in the team and shot 5 goals.

As a player

• Austrian Football Bundesliga (6):
  • 1946, 1948, 1951, 1952, 1954, 1957
• Austrian Cup (1):
  • 1946
• Zentropa Cup (1):
  • 1951

As a coach

• ADO Den Haag
  • Dutch Cup: 1967–68
• Feyenoord
  • Dutch Championship: 1970–71
  • European Cup: 1969–70
  • Intercontinental Cup: 1970
• Club Brugge
  • Belgian Championship: 1975–76, 1976–77, 1977–78
  • Belgian Cup: 1976–77
  • UEFA Cup: 1975–76 (Runner-up)
  • European Cup: 1977–78 (Runner-up)
• The Netherlands
  • FIFA World Cup: (Runner–Up) 1978
• Hamburger SV
  • German Championship: 1981–82, 1982–83
  • German Cup: 1986–87
  • European Cup: 1982–83
• FC Swarovski Tirol
  • Austrian Championship: 1988–89, 1989–90
  • Austrian Cup: 1988–89

Club career statistics

Club performance			League
Season	Club	League	Apps	Goals
Austria			League
1942/43	Rapid Wien	Gauliga Donau-Alpenland	3	0
1943–44			11	0
1944–45			0	0
1945–46		Championship	6	0
1946–47			16	0
1947–48			15	0
1948–49			13	1
1949–50			21	0
1950–51			24	1
1951–52			21	1
1952–53			24	2
1953–54			21	3
1954–55			2	0
France			League
1954–55	RC Paris	Division 1	14	2
1955–56			28	7
Austria			League
1956–57	Rapid Wien	Championship	18	3
1957–58			26	7
1958–59			19	7
Country	Austria		240	25
	France		42	9
Total			282	34

International career statistics

Austria national team
Year	Apps	Goals
1947	3	0
1948	6	0
1949	6	0
1950	7	0
1951	6	0
1952	5	0
1953	3	2
1954	7	1
1955	0	0
1956	0	0
1957	4	1
1958	4	1
Total	51	5

Ernst Happel Media

• 

  Team Austria in 1958 with the following players – from left to right, standing; Walter Horak, Ernst Happel, Karl Koller, Alfred Körner, Paul Halla, Walter Schleger; crouched: Helmut Senekowitsch, Gerhard Hanappi, Rudolf Szanwald, Franz Swoboda and Johann Buzek.

• 

  Plaque at the Ernst-Happel-Stadion in Vienna