:Stéphane Masala

{{Infobox football biography

| name = Stéphane Masala

| height = 1.76 m{{citation needed|date=October 2024}}

| birth_date = {{birth date and age|1976|8|30|df=y}}

| birth_place = Nantes, France{{GSA player|stephane-masala/113804}}

| position = Midfielder

| currentclub = Chambly (manager)

| years1 = 1995–1998

| clubs1 = Troyes B

| years2 = 1998–2001

| clubs2 = Reims

| years3 = 2001–2003

| clubs3 = Châlons

| years4 = 2003–2005

| clubs4 = Orléans

| years5 = 2005–2014

| clubs5 = Luçon

| manageryears1 = 2014–2016

| managerclubs1 = Luçon

| manageryears2 = 2016–2018

| managerclubs2 = Les Herbiers (assistant)

| manageryears3 = 2018–2022

| managerclubs3 = Les Herbiers

| manageryears4 = 2022–2023

| managerclubs4 = Créteil

| manageryears5 = 2023–

| managerclubs5 = Chambly

}}

Stéphane Masala (born 30 August 1976) is a French professional football manager and former player. He is currently the manager of Championnat National 2 club Chambly.{{Cite web|last=|first=|date=|title=S. Masala|url=https://www.clubworldranking.com/coaches/stephane-masala|archive-url=|archive-date=|access-date=28 August 2020|website=Football World Rankings}}

In 2018, Masala coached Les Herbiers, a third-tier side, to the Coupe de France final, eventually being defeated 2–0 by first-tier giants Paris Saint-Germain.

Playing career

Masala played mainly as a midfielder throughout his 19-year playing career. From 2003 to 2005, he was the captain of Orléans, and also coached one of the club's youth teams. He later played for three different seasons with Reims and Luçon in the third tier of French football, the Championnat National, but never obtained professional status as a player.{{Cite web|last=Bérard|first=Christophe|date=7 May 2018|title=Le coach des Herbiers : "Face au PSG, on a zéro chance de gagner"|trans-title=The coach of the Herbiers: "Against PSG, we have zero chance of winning"|url=https://www.leparisien.fr/sports/football/masala-le-coach-des-herbiers-on-a-zero-chance-de-gagner-face-a-paris-06-05-2018-7701924.php|archive-url=|archive-date=|access-date=9 February 2021|website=Le Parisien|language=fr}} In the final years of his playing days, he was simultaneously the captain and assistant manager of Luçon, with {{Interlanguage link|Frédéric Reculeau|lt=Frédéric Reculeau|fr|Frédéric Reculeau|WD=}} being the main manager.{{Cite web|last=|first=|date=19 December 2013|title=Stéphane Masala, le capitaine et entraîneur adjoint de Luçon, de retour à La Source|trans-title=Stéphane Masala, the captain and assistant manager of Luçon, back at La Source|url=https://www.larep.fr/orleans-45000/actualites/stephane-masala-le-capitaine-et-entraineur-adjoint-de-lucon-de-retour-a-la-source-entretien_1809299/#refresh|archive-url=|archive-date=|access-date=9 February 2021|website=La République du Centre|language=fr}} Masala retired in 2014.{{Cite web|last=|first=|date=|title=Stéphane MASALA|url=https://www.vendeelesherbiersfootball.fr/pages/staff.php?no=18|archive-url=|archive-date=|access-date=28 August 2020|website=Les Herbiers VF|language=fr}}

Managerial career

In June 2016, after spending 11 years as a coach and a player at Luçon, Masala became the assistant manager of Les Herbiers. He took the full job of manager at the club in January 2018, after his previous colleague Reculeau had been dismissed. Initially, he was intended to be the interim manager for just two games, but his contract was later extended. In his first two months in charge, Les Herbiers won seven and drew four of their twelve matches.{{cite news| url= https://www.gazzetta.it/Calcio/Estero/20-04-2018/les-herbiers-miracolo-coppa-francia-c-pure-pizzico-d-italia-260693265291.shtml| title= Les Herbiers, miracolo in Coppa di Francia. E c'è pure un pizzico d'Italia| language=it| trans-title=Les Herbiers, a miracle in the French Cup. And there is also a pinch of Italy| work=La Gazzetta dello Sport| date=20 April 2018| accessdate=9 February 2021}} Masala did not have the correct coaching qualifications to manage in the Championnat National, and so Les Herbiers were fined €1,170 for every match in 2018 that he managed.{{cite news |last=Louët |first=Laurent |date=7 May 2018 |title=Stéphane Masala, un entraîneur sans diplôme en finale de la Coupe de France |language=fr |trans-title=Stéphane Masala, a manager without a diploma in the final of the Coupe de France |work=Le Figaro |url=https://sport24.lefigaro.fr/football/coupe-de-france/actualites/stephane-masala-un-entraineur-sans-diplome-en-finale-de-la-coupe-de-france-908175 |accessdate=9 February 2021}}

Masala coached Les Herbiers to a Coupe de France final against Paris Saint-Germain in 2018, an underdog story that ended in a 2–0 defeat at the Stade de France.{{Cite web|last=|first=|date=8 May 2018|title=Les Herbiers 0 – 2 Paris Saint-Germain|url=https://www.bbc.com/sport/football/44024605|archive-url=|archive-date=|access-date=28 August 2020|website=BBC Sport}}{{Cite web|last=|first=|date=8 May 2018|title=Quand Stéphane Masala, l'ancien capitaine de l'US Orléans défie le Paris SG|trans-title=When Stéphane Masala, the former captain of US Orléans challenges Paris SG|url=https://www.larep.fr/orleans-45000/sports/quand-stephane-masala-lancien-capitaine-de-lus-orleans-defie-le-paris-sg_12840822/#refresh|archive-url=|archive-date=|access-date=9 February 2021|website=La République du Centre|language=fr}} They played and defeated Chambly in the semi-finals of the competition.{{cite web| url= https://www.goal.com/fr/news/portrait-le-fabuleux-destin-de-stephane-masala-le-coach-des/1mrsqupc25zts1q6euzyuj355c| title=PORTRAIT - Le fabuleux destin de Stéphane Masala, le coach des Herbiers| trans-title=PORTRAIT - The fabulous destiny of Stéphane Masala, the coach of Les Herbiers| language=fr| publisher=Goal.com| date=17 April 2018| accessdate=9 February 2021}} A few days after the Coupe de France Final, Les Herbiers were relegated from the Championnat National to the Championnat National 2.{{cite news| url= https://www.francebleu.fr/sports/football/football-l-entraineur-des-herbiers-stephane-masala-signe-pour-deux-saisons-supplementaires-1589034635| title= Football : l'entraîneur des Herbiers, Stéphane Masala, signe pour deux saisons supplémentaires|language=fr| trans-title=Football: Les Herbiers coach Stéphane Masala signs for two more seasons| work=France Bleu| date=9 May 2020| accessdate=9 February 2021}} On 8 May 2020, Masala extended his contract with Les Herbiers for an additional two years.{{Cite web|last=|first=|date=8 May 2020|title=Communiqué du club - Le VHF et Stéphane MASALA liés pour 2 ans supplémentaires|trans-title=Club press release - VHF and Stéphane MASALA linked for 2 more years|url=https://www.vendeelesherbiersfootball.fr/pages/news.php?info_no=2824|archive-url=|archive-date=|access-date=28 August 2020|website=Les Herbiers VF|language=fr}}

In May 2022, Masala left Les Herbiers after six years at the club, joining Championnat National 2 side Créteil.{{Cite web |date=30 May 2022 |title=Football. National 2 : L'ancien entraîneur des Herbiers Stéphane Masala file à Créteil |trans-title=Football. National 2: Former Les Herbiers manager Stéphane Masala signs for Créteil |url=https://www.ouest-france.fr/sport/football/les-herbiers-football/football-national-2-l-ancien-entraineur-des-herbiers-stephane-masala-file-a-creteil-07f48cc4-e039-11ec-b2a8-056c7579e285 |access-date=19 June 2022 |website=Ouest-France |language=fr}} In June 2023, he joined Chambly.{{Cite web |last= |date=2023-06-12 |title=Football. Stéphane Masala est le nouvel entraîneur du Fc Chambly-Oise |url=https://actu.fr/hauts-de-france/chambly_60139/football-stephane-masala-est-le-nouvel-entraineur-du-fc-chambly-oise_59722080.html |access-date=2023-06-16 |website=actu.fr |language=fr}}

Personal life

Masala was born in Nantes, France. He is of Sardinian and Italian descent;{{cite web|last=Le Tutour|first=Michel|date=21 March 2020|title=Vendée Les Herbiers football : l'avenir de Stéphane Masala en suspens|trans-title=Vendée Les Herbiers football: the future of Stéphane Masala in suspense|url=https://www.ouest-france.fr/sport/football/vendee-les-herbiers-football-l-avenir-de-stephane-masala-en-suspens-6787387|archive-url=|archive-date=|accessdate=2 February 2021|website=Ouest-France|language=fr}} his father left Sardinia when he was 16, and his mother is from Marche, Italy.{{cite web| url= https://www.goal.com/it/notizie/les-herbiers-il-sardo-stephane-masala-allorigine-del/jz7b78jri3k61nufco31zsum0| title=Les Herbiers, il sardo Stephane Masala all'origine del miracolo| language=it| trans-title=Les Herbiers, the Sardinian Stephane Masala at the origin of the miracle| publisher=Goal.com| date=5 May 2018| accessdate=9 February 2021}}

Honours

= Player =

Luçon

Championnat de France Amateur: 2012–13{{Citation needed|date=June 2023}}

= Manager =

Les Herbiers

Coupe de France runner-up: 2017–18