Quick Facts
Biography
Miguel Ángel Nadal Homar (Spanish pronunciation: [miˈɣel ˈaŋxel naˈðal oˈmar]; born 28 July 1966) is a Spanish retired footballer. Nicknamed The Beast, he based his game in a tremendous physical display, also being adaptable to various defender and midfielder positions.
He began and ended his career with Mallorca, but his greatest achievements came whilst at Barcelona during the so-called Dream Team era. During 19 professional seasons, he played in 492 matches (462 of those in La Liga).
A very important part of Spain's setup during the 1990s, Nadal represented the nation in three World Cups and at Euro 1996. In 2007, The Times placed him at number 47 in their list of the 50 hardest footballers in history.
Club career
Born in Manacor, Majorca, Balearic Islands, Nadal made his debuts in the La Liga with local RCD Mallorca, first appearing on 19 April 1987 against FC Barcelona at the Camp Nou. In his final two seasons, after helping in a 1989 promotion from Segunda División, he scored 12 goals from 72 league appearances, thus being acquired by the Catalonia club for the 1991–92 campaign.
With Barça, under Johan Cruyff, Nadal was a very important part in the conquest of five leagues, two Copa del Rey and the 1992 European Cup, playing in over 300 overall games and occupying several defensive positions in both the back-four and in midfield. In his last year, however, ostracized by another Dutch coach, Louis van Gaal, he only appeared in two matches; in 1996 and 1997 he was linked with a transfer to Manchester United, but the move to the Premier League never materialized.
Subsequently Nadal returned to Mallorca, starting strong and only missing 11 contests in his first three seasons combined, while also being important in the 2003 domestic cup conquest. He retired from the game at almost 39, having appeared in nearly 700 official matches.
In July 2010, five years after his retirement, Nadal returned to Mallorca, joining the coaching staff under Michael Laudrup, his Barcelona teammate during three seasons. As the Dane left the club in late September 2011 following a run-in with director Lorenzo Serra Ferrer, Nadal was in charge for one game, a 2–2 away draw against CA Osasuna, but he too left the following week.
International career
Nadal earned 62 caps for Spain, his debut coming on 13 November 1991 in a UEFA Euro 1992 qualifier dead rubber against Czechoslovakia (the national team had virtually no chances of reaching the finals in Sweden). He went on to appear with the country in three FIFA World Cups.
Additionally, Nadal missed a penalty at Wembley Stadium against England, in a Euro 1996 shootout loss. After appearing in four complete matches at the 2002 World Cup, at almost 36, he retired from the international scene.
International goals
| # | Date | Venue | Opponent | Score | Result | Competition |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1. | 16 November 1994 | Sánchez Pizjuán, Seville, Spain |  Denmark | 1–0 | 3–0 | Euro 1996 qualifying |
| 2. | 30 November 1994 | La Rosaleda, Málaga, Spain |  Finland | 1–0 | 2–0 | Friendly |
| 3. | 5 September 2001 | Rheinpark, Vaduz, Liechtenstein |  Liechtenstein | 0–2 | 0–2 | 2002 World Cup qualification |
Personal life
Nadal is the paternal uncle of professional tennis player Rafael Nadal, currentATP rank #1, whilst his brother Toni is Rafael's coach.
Honours
- Barcelona
- La Liga: 1991–92, 1992–93, 1993–94, 1997–98, 1998–99
- Copa del Rey: 1996–97, 1997–98
- Supercopa de España: 1991, 1992, 1994, 1996
- European Cup: 1991–92
- UEFA Cup Winners' Cup: 1996–97
- UEFA Super Cup: 1992, 1997
- Mallorca
- Copa del Rey: 2002–03