Albert Rust (footballer)
Albert Rust | |
|---|---|
| Born | October 10, 1953 Mulhouse, France |
| Occupation(s) | Footballer (goalkeeper), coach |
| Years active | 1970–1990 (player) |
| Known for | Goalkeeper for Sochaux, Montpellier; member of France's 1984 Olympic gold medal team; UEFA Euro 1984 champion |
Albert Rust (born 10 October 1953) is a retired French professional football goalkeeper who later pursued a career in coaching.
Summary
Originating from Mulhouse, Rust guarded the goalposts from 1970 until 1990, with the majority of his tenure spent at Sochaux Football Club. He remains the club’s all-time appearance leader, having played in 455 matches. Subsequently, he joined Montpellier HSC, where he secured the Coupe de France title in 1990.
On the international stage, Rust was a member of the French Olympic squad that captured gold at the 1984 Olympic Games. He was also selected multiple times for the France national team, contributing to their triumph at the 1984 European Championship and their third-place achievement at the 1986 World Cup.
Upon retiring as a player, Rust shifted to coaching roles, including positions at Chamois Niortais and Stade Brestois.
Biography
Playing Career
Initially starting as a defender in Wittelsheim, Rust transitioned to the goalkeeper position early on. At age 19, he signed with FC Sochaux, a club recognized for its robust youth academy and consistent playing style. He secured the starting goalkeeper spot during the 1975-1976 season by succeeding Eugène Battmann and earned selection to France A' in March 1976.
The following season introduced competition from emerging talent Joël Bats, prompting coach René Hauss to alternate between the two goalkeepers each match. This rotation ceased when Bats transferred to AJ Auxerre in 1979, marking a challenging phase for both players.
Rust’s prime coincided with Sochaux’s "Golden Generation" era (1979-1983), which included notable players such as Bernard Genghini, Yannick Stopyra, and Philippe Anziani. The squad was known for its offensive prowess and advanced to the semi-finals of the 1980-81 UEFA Cup, famously overturning a 2-0 first-leg deficit against Eintracht Frankfurt. Additionally, they reached the final of the Coupe des Alpes that year but were defeated by FC Basel.
Despite Sochaux’s domestic success, the French national team did not exhibit similar dominance. Rust took advantage of relaxed professional eligibility rules at the 1984 Olympics by joining France’s Olympic team alongside players like François Brisson, Daniel Xuereb, and Dominique Bijotat. The team clinched gold at the Rose Bowl in Pasadena with a 2-0 victory over Brazil.
After this Olympic triumph, Rust was named backup goalkeeper behind Joël Bats for UEFA Euro 1984 and maintained this position during the 1986 FIFA World Cup in Mexico. In 1987, he moved to newly promoted Montpellier, where he won the Coupe de France in 1990. Rust concluded his playing career at age 38 after a final season with AS Monaco, having amassed over 500 appearances in France’s top division.
International Career
Throughout the 1980s, Rust earned a single official cap for the France national team. Following his gold medal performance at the 1984 Summer Olympics and participation in UEFA Euro 1984, he was included in France’s squad for the 1986 FIFA World Cup. His lone international match took place on 28 June against Belgium.
Coaching Career
After hanging up his gloves, Albert Rust embarked on a coaching path predominantly within various Ligue 2 and Championnat National teams. On 14 June 2010, he was appointed goalkeeper coach at AS Saint-Etienne. Internationally, Rust served as Assistant Coach under Henry Michel in Saudi Arabia and Tunisia. Domestically, he managed Stade Brestois for three seasons in League 2 and briefly took charge of US Créteil in 2006 before being replaced due to an unsatisfactory start. Although granted a two-year contract extension at Saint-Étienne, he was subsequently relieved of his duties for reasons unrelated to sporting performance.
Coaching Career
- 1991–1993: Le Crès
- 1993–1994: AS Beauvais (assistant coach)
- 1994–1995: Al-Nasr (assistant under Henri Michel)
- 1995–1999: Chamois Niortais FC
- 2000–2001: Clermont Foot
- 2001–2002: Tunisia (assistant to Henri Michel)
- 2002: Stade Tunisien (Tunisia)
- 2002–2003: FC Sète
- 2003–2006: Stade Brestois
- 2006–2007: US Créteil
Club Level
Montpellier
- Coupe de France winner: 1989–90
International Level
France
- UEFA European Championship champion: 1984