Mauricio Pochettino

Mauricio Pochettino

Mauricio Roberto Pochettino Trossero (born 2 March 1972) is an Argentine professional football manager and former player. As a centre-back, he spent 17 years as a professional player, ten of which were in La Liga with Espanyol. He also played in France for two clubs, Paris Saint-Germain and Bordeaux. An Argentina international for three years, he represented the country at the 2002 FIFA World Cup and the 1999 Copa América. He began his managerial career in January 2009, remaining in the post for almost four years. He then managed in the Premier League, first with Southampton where he led them to an eighth-place finish in the 2013–14 season – their highest league position

About Mauricio Pochettino in brief

Summary Mauricio PochettinoMauricio Roberto Pochettino Trossero (born 2 March 1972) is an Argentine professional football manager and former player. As a centre-back, he spent 17 years as a professional player, ten of which were in La Liga with Espanyol where he scored 13 goals in 275 games. He also played in France for two clubs, Paris Saint-Germain and Bordeaux, having started his career with Newell’s Old Boys. An Argentina international for three years, he represented the country at the 2002 FIFA World Cup and the 1999 Copa América and was capped 20 times. He began his managerial career in January 2009, remaining in the post for almost four years. He then managed in the Premier League, first with Southampton where he led them to an eighth-place finish in the 2013–14 season – their highest league position since 2002–03. Following one season at Southampton, he became the new manager of Tottenham, whom he led to top-three finishes in three of his first four seasons. In 2019, he led Tottenham to the Champions League final for the first time in the club’s history. He was sacked by Tottenham in November the same year after a run of poor results in the following season, and has since been linked with a move away from the north London club. His family is of Italian descent from the Piedmont region. He started playing at an early age for Unión y Cultura, where he played as a centre back, but he has also played as striker and midfielder.

When he was 13, he trained two days a week with Rosario Central in Rosario, Santa Fe, a 160 mile bus-ride away from Murphy. He played in Murphy in the first division of the regional Venadense league together with his older brother Javier. He studied agriculture in a school 20 miles from home, and also learned judo, and supported Racing Club de Avellaneda as a child. In 1994, he had the option of joining a number of clubs including Boca Juniors, but chose the Catalan club as it was the least financially attractive. In February 1997, he moved to Barcelona as part of the new intake of players for the 1994–95 season. He helped out in the local derby against their rival Barcelona at the soon-to-be-demanded Sarri-beoled home ground at the Stadium of A.S. de Sarri. In January 1998, he helped out the central defender, Ronaldo, out of the starting line-up against their local rival Barcelona. During his five-year stint at the club, he won the 1990–91 national championship as well as the 1992 Clausura. The side reached the final of the Copa Libertadores where they were beaten 3–2 in a penalty shoot-out by São Paulo after both teams drew 1–1 on aggregate over the course of two legs – Pochettinos had previously netted a crucial goal in the semi-final. During this time he played with Diego Diegoadona, sharing a room before games.