Daniel Xuereb
A forward whose clinical finishing earned Olympic gold and a World Cup run in the golden era of French football.
Born 1959 (age 67)·French footballer·Birthday: June 22·Baby Boomers
Biography
Daniel Xuereb’s career is a snapshot of French football’s rise in the 1980s, a period of technical flourish and national triumph. A prolific, opportunistic striker, he made his name at RC Lens, where his goal-scoring consistency propelled the club and caught the eye of national team selectors. His peak aligned perfectly with the Michel Platini-led generation, earning him a spot on the squad that won the 1984 European Championship. Xuereb’s defining moment came at the Los Angeles Olympics that same summer, where he finished as joint top scorer and netted a crucial goal in the final against Brazil to secure the gold medal. Though not always a first-choice starter, his reliable presence earned him a place in France’s 1986 World Cup campaign. After Lens, his club journey took him to Paris Saint-Germain and Marseille, making him a veteran of several of France's most passionate football arenas.
Baby Boomers
1946–1964
The largest generation in history at the time. Shaped by postwar prosperity, the Vietnam War, the sexual revolution, and Watergate. They questioned every institution their parents built — then ran them.
Daniel was born in 1959, placing them squarely in the Baby Boomers. The events that shaped this generation — postwar prosperity, civil rights, Vietnam, and the counterculture — shaped the world they entered and the choices available to them.
#1 When Daniel Was Born
The biggest hits of 1959
#1 Movie
Ben-Hur
Best Picture
Ben-Hur
#1 TV Show
Gunsmoke
Daniel's Life & Times
The world at every milestone
1959Born
Fidel Castro takes power in Cuba
Gas: $0.30/galHome: $12,400Min wage: $1.00/hrPresident: Dwight D. Eisenhower"The Battle of New Orleans" — Johnny HortonBest Picture: Ben-Hur
1964Started school
Civil Rights Act signed; Beatles arrive in America
Gas: $0.30/galHome: $13,450Min wage: $1.25/hrPresident: Lyndon B. Johnson"I Want to Hold Your Hand" — The BeatlesBest Picture: My Fair Lady
1972Became a teenager
Watergate break-in; last Apollo Moon mission
Gas: $0.36/galHome: $19,550Min wage: $1.60/hrPresident: Richard Nixon"The First Time Ever I Saw Your Face" — Roberta FlackBest Picture: The Godfather
1975Could drive
Fall of Saigon ends the Vietnam War
Gas: $0.57/galHome: $27,600Min wage: $2.10/hrPresident: Gerald Ford"Love Will Keep Us Together" — Captain & TennilleBest Picture: One Flew Over the Cuckoo's Nest
1977Could vote
Star Wars premieres; Elvis dies
Gas: $0.62/galHome: $31,800Min wage: $2.30/hrPresident: Jimmy Carter"Tonight's the Night" — Rod StewartBest Picture: Annie Hall
1980Turned 21
John Lennon shot and killed in New York
Gas: $1.19/galHome: $47,200Min wage: $3.10/hrPresident: Jimmy Carter"Call Me" — BlondieBest Picture: Ordinary People
1989Turned 30
Berlin Wall falls; Tiananmen Square protests
Gas: $1.00/galHome: $79,100Min wage: $3.35/hrPresident: George H.W. Bush"Look Away" — ChicagoBest Picture: Driving Miss Daisy
1999Turned 40
Columbine shooting; Y2K panic builds
Gas: $1.17/galHome: $113,900Min wage: $5.15/hrPresident: Bill Clinton"Believe" — CherBest Picture: American Beauty
2009Turned 50
Michael Jackson dies; Bitcoin created
Gas: $2.35/galHome: $148,500Min wage: $7.25/hrPresident: Barack Obama"Boom Boom Pow" — The Black Eyed PeasBest Picture: The Hurt Locker
2019Turned 60
First image of a black hole; Hong Kong protests
Gas: $2.60/galHome: $224,400Min wage: $7.25/hrPresident: Donald Trump"Old Town Road" — Lil Nas XBest Picture: Parasite
2026Age 67 today
Gas: $3.91/galPresident: Donald Trump
Key Achievements
- Won an Olympic gold medal with France in 1984, scoring in the final against Brazil and finishing as the tournament's joint top scorer.
- Was part of the French squad that won the UEFA European Championship in 1984.
- Represented France at the 1986 FIFA World Cup in Mexico, making one appearance in the tournament.
- Enjoyed a successful club career with RC Lens, becoming a fan favorite and a consistent goal threat in Ligue 1.
Did You Know?
He was born in Tunis, Tunisia, before moving to France as a child.
After retiring, he had a brief stint as a manager in the French lower leagues.
He scored on his international debut for France in a 1982 friendly against Northern Ireland.
He played for both major Paris clubs, Paris Saint-Germain and their rivals Paris FC, at different points in his career.
“The ball must go in the net; that is the striker's only truth.”
