Bruno Metsu (French pronunciation: ​[bʁyno mɛtsy]; 28 January 1954- 14th October 2013) was a French footballer and coach. He was previously the manager of Al Wasl, Al-Gharafa and Qatari national football team. He is perhaps most notable in Europe for coaching Senegal to a surprise victory over France in the opening match of the 2002 World Cup. While working in the Middle East, he converted from Christianity to Islam. He later named him self Abdullah Metsu.

Biography

Metsu's playing career was largely based in his native France, along with a spell in Belgium with Anderlecht. After retiring as a player, he took up the assistant manager post at his last club, Beauvais, and by 1988, he became full-time manager of the club. He spent over a decade coaching in France before his first foray into international management.

Metsu took over African national side Guinea in 2000 before joining Senegal later that year. He helped the side to a spot in the 2002 World Cup, their first ever appearance in the tournament, where they were expected to prop up a group containing France, Denmark and Uruguay. Senegal pulled off a shock in the opening match of the tournament, however, beating defending World Cup and European champions France 1–0. Metsu's side qualified from the group stage and beat Sweden in the round of 16, earning recognition as the first African side to reach the quarterfinals since Cameroon in 1990.

Senegal were finally beaten in the quarterfinals by Turkey in extra time on İlhan Mansız's golden goal. After they had defeated France in the opening game, Senegalese president Abdoulaye Wade had declared a national holiday. Metsu's connection to the country went even further as he had converted to Islam after marrying a Muslim woman, taking the name Abdul Karim. His psychological approach to the game had led him to encourage Senegal's players to focus on France's weaknesses rather than their strengths, using videos to his advantage and adjusting his coaching methods to the unique challenges of an African side.

Metsu's success with Senegal led him to the lucrative Middle East, where in the United Arab Emirates, he took over defending champions Al Ain, owned by the Emir of Abu Dhabi. He led the side to victory in the first edition of the re-branded AFC Champions League in 2003, completing a double including the country's league championship. This led to a host of offers for the Frenchman, who joined Qatari side Al-Gharafa to the dismay of his former employers. Metsu was eventually forced to pay a fine for breach of contract.

Metsu led his new side to the Qatari championship in his first season, going unbeaten in the process. However, with players in the league contracted to the country's Olympic committee rather than their clubs, the side was dismantled with Marcel Desailly joining Qatar SC. Metsu maintains that the Crown Prince of Qatar orchestrated the moves due to his unhappiness at his club, Al-Sadd, being dethroned from the top of the Qatar Stars League. Metsu nevertheless led his side to victory in the 2005/2006 Sheikh Jassem Cup, but conditions had deteriorated to the point that he departed.

Next up for Metsu was a brief stint in Saudi Arabia, where two-time defending champions Al-Ittihad were struggling in fifth place and in need of a late surge up the table. Metsu was handed a one-month contract by club president Mansour Al-Bilawi and took the club to third in the table, eventually losing in a play-off semifinal to Al-Hilal.

Metsu returned to the United Arab Emirates as national team boss in 2006, coaching his side to victory in the 2007 Gulf Cup of Nations in front of a packed stadium in Abu Dhabi on 30 January 2007. It was the country's first Gulf Cup win, with Metsu achieving what former national team bosses including Don Revie, Carlos Alberto Parreira, Mario Zagallo, Tomislav Ivic, Roy Hodgson, Carlos Queiroz and Dick Advocaat had all failed to do.

The UAE crashed out of the 2007 AFC Asian Cup after finishing third in a group containing Japan, regional rivals Qatar and co-hosts Vietnam with one win and two losses. Despite his contract lasting until 2010, Metsu resigned from the head coach position on 22 September 2008 after suffering defeat in two straight World Cup qualifiers at home. Metsu's overall record with the side was 13 wins (11 official), 9 draws (3 official) and 20 losses (8 official) in 42 matches (22 official), scoring 47 goals and conceding 59.

On 25 September 2008, Metsu returned to Qatar, accepting a job as manager of the national side. The country was announced as host of the 2022 FIFA World Cup in December 2010 and hosted the 2011 AFC Asian Cup. Qatar finished second in their group with 2 wins and a loss before being knocked out 3–2 by Japan in the quarter-finals, resulting in Metsu's sacking in February 2011. He didn't have to wait long for a new job and was announced as the new Al-Gharrafa manager in March 2011 on a three-year contract, returning to the club he had won the Qatari title with in 2005. However, just one year into his contract, Metsu was sacked as the manager on 15 March 2012 due to poor results including a disheartening 5–1 home defeat to Al Rayyan that caused the team to drop to seventh place in the league standings. After being sounded out by the Senegal national team about a return to their then-vacant coaching position, Metsu was linked to Iranian side Persepolis in June 2012 but the job went to Manuel José. On 12 July 2012, Metsu was named as new Al Wasl head coach, replacing Diego Maradona who was sacked two days earlier. On 26 October 2012, he left Al Wasl by resignation after being hospitalised in Dubai due to colon cancer.

Bruno died on 14th October 2013. The disease is said to have spread to his lungs and liver. He died at a clinic in his hometown of Coudekerque Village in Northern France.

Honours

Al-Ain

• AFC Champions League: 2002–03
• UAE Football League: 2002–03, 2003–2004

Al-Gharafa

• Qatar Stars League: 2004–05
• Sheikh Jassem Cup: 2005–06
• Crown Prince Cup: 2011
• Emir Cup: 2011

Senegal

• African Cup of Nations:
  • Runner-up: 2002

• World Cup:
  • Quarter final: 2002

United Arab Emirates

• Gulf Cup of Nations: 2007