Diego_Alonso

Diego Alonso

Diego Alonso

Uruguayan footballer and coach (born 1975)

In this Spanish name, the first or paternal surname is Alonso and the second or maternal family name is López.

Diego Martín Alonso López (Spanish pronunciation: [ˈdjeɣo aˈlonso]; born 16 April 1975) is a Uruguayan professional football manager and former player who played as a striker.

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Other than in his own country, he played football in Argentina, Spain, Mexico and China in a 16-year career, notably winning the 2001–02 Segunda División with Atlético Madrid while being crowned top scorer. He represented Uruguay at the 1999 Copa América.

Alonso began working as a coach in 2011, being in charge of clubs in Uruguay, Paraguay, Mexico and the United States and leading Pachuca to the 2016 Clausura and the 2016–17 CONCACAF Champions League titles. In December 2021, he was appointed at the Uruguay national side, coaching them at the 2022 World Cup and leaving his position following a group stage exit. In October 2023, he signed for Sevilla, being dismissed two months later.

Playing career

Club

Alonso was born in Montevideo, the country's capital. He made his professional debut with Bella Vista where he remained four seasons, helping the side to the Uruguayan Segunda División title in 1997.[2]

After a brief spell in Argentina for Gimnasia La Plata (he would also represent the club towards the end of his career), Alonso moved to Spain, where he played with five teams in as many years: Valencia,[3] Atlético Madrid (where he scored 22 goals in 2001–02's Segunda División, helping the Colchoneros to return to La Liga and forming an efficient attacking partnership with countryman Fernando Correa, who added 13),[4][5] Racing de Santander, Málaga[6] and Real Murcia,[7] where he did not have a good scoring record overall. In between his fourth and fifth club, he played one year in Mexico with UNAM.[2]

In 2006, the 31-year-old Alonso returned to his country and joined hometown's Nacional. However, shortly after, he moved abroad again, signing with Shanghai Shenhua in the Chinese Super League; after two seasons with Gimnasia, the veteran switched to Peñarol.[8]

International

Alonso made seven appearances for the Uruguay national team in two years. His debut came on 17 June 1999 in a 3–2 friendly win over Paraguay, in Ciudad del Este.[9]

Alonso was chosen for the nation's squad for that year's Copa América, and scored on his quarter-final penalty shootout attempt (5–3 victory) for the eventual runners-up, also against Paraguay, the hosts.[10] In spite of his season with Atlético he was not selected for the 2002 FIFA World Cup, and subsequently criticised manager Víctor Púa.[11]

Coaching career

Early career

Alonso started working as a manager in 2011, being in charge in quick succession of Bella Vista, Guaraní, Peñarol and Olimpia (the second and fourth sides from the Paraguayan Primera División).[12]

Pachuca

In December 2014, Alonso was appointed at Pachuca of the Mexican Liga MX.[13] He led them to the 2016 Clausura[14] and the subsequent edition of the CONCACAF Champions League.[15] On 4 May 2018, he was released.[16]

Monterrey

On 2 June 2018, Alonso was named coach of Monterrey.[17] In May of the following year, after the 2–1 aggregate victory over Tigres UANL in the Champions League final,[18][19] he became the first manager to win the competition with two different clubs.[20] On 30 September 2019, following a 2–0 loss to the same opposition that left his team in 12th place on the general table, he was dismissed.[21]

Inter Miami

On 30 December 2019, Alonso was announced as the inaugural head coach of Major League Soccer side Inter Miami.[22][23] On 7 January 2021, he left by mutual consent.[24]

Uruguay national team

Alonso was appointed manager of Uruguay on 14 December 2021, replacing Óscar Tabárez who had occupied the position for the previous 15 years.[25] On 24 March 2022, after four wins in his first four games in charge, he secured qualification for the World Cup in Qatar.[26] In December, after failing to progress from the group stage in the finals, he presented his resignation and cited his desire to return to club duties.[27][28]

Sevilla

On 10 October 2023, Alonso was named manager of Sevilla, replacing José Luis Mendilibar;[29] the team stood 14th in the table at the time of his arrival.[30] On 16 December, having failed to win once in eight league matches and been eliminated from the UEFA Champions League group stage as last, he was dismissed.[31]

Personal life

Alonso is a cousin of Iván Alonso, who also played several years in Spain, mainly with Alavés.[32]

His uncle Daniel represented Sevilla and Castellón in the 70s.[33]

Managerial statistics

As of 16 December 2023[34]
More information Team, Nation ...

Honours

Player

Bella Vista

Atlético Madrid

UNAM

Shanghai

Peñarol

Uruguay

Individual

Manager

Pachuca

Monterrey

Individual

  • CONCACAF Champions League Team of the Tournament: 2019

References

  1. [1]
    Diego Alonso at WorldFootball.net
  2. [2]
    "Diego Alonso un DT "marcado" por Ribas, Gregorio, "Rafa" Benítez y Aragonés" [Diego Alonso HC "marked" by Ribas, Gregorio, "Rafa" Benítez and Aragonés] (in Spanish). Tenfield. 29 January 2013. Retrieved 19 December 2023.
  3. [3]
    Villalba, Juan M. (28 July 2001). "El Valencia ficha a Salva y cede a Diego Alonso al Atlético" [Valencia sign Salva and loan Diego Alonso to Atlético]. El País (in Spanish). Archived from the original on 3 July 2018. Retrieved 23 April 2016.
  4. [4]
    "Diego Alonso: "Tenemos que disfrutar de cada segundo"" [Diego Alonso: "We have to enjoy every second"]. Diario AS (in Spanish). 10 May 2002. Archived from the original on 4 May 2016. Retrieved 23 April 2016.
  5. [5]
    Bruña, Manuel (7 August 2013). "Diego Alonso y Correa no olvidan al Atleti" [Diego Alonso and Correa do not forget Atleti]. Mundo Deportivo (in Spanish). Archived from the original on 28 July 2018. Retrieved 23 April 2016.
  6. [6]
    "El Málaga ficha al uruguayo Diego Alonso" [Málaga sign Uruguayan Diego Alonso]. El Mundo (in Spanish). 21 August 2003. Archived from the original on 28 July 2018. Retrieved 23 April 2016.
  7. [7]
    Pallarés, Pepe; Calleja, José Luis (19 July 2005). "El fichaje de Samuel, del Sporting, se aplaza" [Signing of Samuel, from Sporting, postponed]. Mundo Deportivo (in Spanish). Archived from the original on 17 April 2023. Retrieved 17 April 2023.
  8. [8]
    "Alonso fue presentado en Peñarol" [Alonso was presented at Peñarol] (in Spanish). Fútbol Uruguay. 31 July 2009. Archived from the original on 12 December 2022. Retrieved 12 December 2022.
  9. [9]
    "Los siete partidos que Diego Alonso jugó en la Selección Uruguaya" [The seven matches Diego Alonso played in the Uruguayan national team] (in Spanish). ESPN Deportes. 16 December 2021. Archived from the original on 16 December 2021. Retrieved 16 December 2021.
  10. [10]
    Tabeira, Martín. "Copa América 1999". RSSSF. Archived from the original on 9 July 2015. Retrieved 23 April 2016.
  11. [11]
    "Diego Alonso: "Víctor Púa no ha sido fiel a sus principios"" [Diego Alonso: "Víctor Púa has not been faithful to his principles"]. Diario AS (in Spanish). 10 May 2002. Archived from the original on 5 May 2016. Retrieved 23 April 2016.
  12. [12]
    "Diego Alonso es el nuevo entrenador de Olimpia de Paraguay" [Diego Alonso is the new manager of Paraguay's Olimpia] (in Spanish). La Red 21. 12 March 2014. Archived from the original on 16 August 2019. Retrieved 16 August 2019.
  13. [13]
    "El uruguayo Diego Alonso es nuevo entrenador del Pachuca" [Uruguayan Diego Alonso is new manager of Pachuca] (in Spanish). ESPN. 4 December 2014. Archived from the original on 16 August 2019. Retrieved 16 August 2019.
  14. [14]
    "Diego Alonso, campeón como DT y jugador" [Diego Alonso, champion as HC and player] (in Spanish). Estadio Deportes. 2016. Archived from the original on 13 May 2019. Retrieved 13 May 2019.
  15. [15]
    González, Édgar (26 April 2017). "Pachuca es campeón de la 'Concachampions'" [Pachuca are champions of the 'Concachampions']. Milenio (in Spanish). Archived from the original on 28 July 2018. Retrieved 4 June 2018.
  16. [16]
    "Diego Alonso se despide del Pachuca con una emotiva carta" [Diego Alonso says goodbye to Pachuca through emotional letter]. Marca (in Spanish). 4 May 2018. Archived from the original on 29 October 2021. Retrieved 13 September 2020.
  17. [17]
    "Diego Alonso es el nuevo DT de Monterrey" [Diego Alonso is the new Monterrey HC]. El Observador (in Spanish). 2 June 2018. Archived from the original on 28 October 2021. Retrieved 16 August 2019.
  18. [18]
    "Diego Alonso: a mano con Rayados" [Diego Alonso: hand in hand with Rayados] (in Spanish). Televisa. 1 May 2019. Archived from the original on 13 May 2019. Retrieved 13 May 2019.
  19. [19]
    "1–1. El argentino Sánchez marca y firma el título del Monterrey en la Concacaf" [1–1. Argentine Sánchez scores and signs Monterrey's Concacaf title] (in Spanish). EFE. 2 May 2019. Archived from the original on 28 October 2021. Retrieved 16 August 2019.
  20. [20]
    "Diego Alonso, el único técnico en ganar la Concachampions con dos clubes" [Diego Alonso, the only manager to win the Concachampions with two clubs]. Marca (in Spanish). 2 May 2019. Archived from the original on 29 October 2021. Retrieved 16 August 2019.
  21. [21]
    "Despiden a Diego Alonso de Monterrey" [Diego Alonso is dismissed from Monterrey]. Milenio (in Spanish). 30 September 2019. Archived from the original on 1 October 2019. Retrieved 13 September 2020.
  22. [22]
    "Diego Alonso: David Beckham's Inter Miami MLS franchise name first manager". BBC Sport. 31 December 2019. Archived from the original on 4 January 2020. Retrieved 5 January 2020.
  23. [23]
    "Inter Miami CF selects Diego Alonso as first-ever head coach in club history". Inter Miami. 30 December 2019. Archived from the original on 30 December 2019. Retrieved 30 December 2019.
  24. [24]
    "Inter Miami CF and manager Diego Alonso mutually agree to part ways". Inter Miami. 7 January 2021. Archived from the original on 31 January 2021. Retrieved 11 January 2021.
  25. [25]
    "Uruguay appoint Diego Alonso as head coach". Reuters. 14 December 2021. Archived from the original on 15 December 2021. Retrieved 15 December 2021.
  26. [26]
    "Diego Alonso, el análisis del triunfo ante Chile, la competitividad del jugador uruguayo y el apronte para Qatar 2022" [Diego Alonso, analysis of win against Chile, competitiveness of the Uruguayan footballer and preparations for Qatar 2022] (in Spanish). ESPN. 30 March 2022. Archived from the original on 21 December 2022. Retrieved 22 April 2022.
  27. [27]
    "Diego Alonso se va de la selección uruguaya luego de la eliminación del Mundial Qatar 2022" [Diego Alonso leaves Uruguay national team following elimination from the 2022 Qatar World Cup]. El Observador (in Spanish). 2 December 2022. Archived from the original on 12 December 2022. Retrieved 12 December 2022.
  28. [28]
    "Diego Alonso volvió a Uruguay y se prepara para anunciar su futuro como entrenador tras el Mundial Qatar 2022" [Diego Alonso returned to Uruguay and is preparing to announce his future as manager following the 2022 Qatar World Cup]. El Observador (in Spanish). 7 December 2022. Archived from the original on 28 December 2022. Retrieved 28 December 2022.
  29. [29]
    "Diego Alonso confirmed as our new coach". Sevilla FC. 10 October 2023. Retrieved 10 October 2023.
  30. [30]
    "Struggling Spanish club Sevilla hires former Uruguay coach Diego Alonso". Associated Press. 10 October 2023. Retrieved 12 October 2023.
  31. [31]
    "Sevilla fire coach Diego Alonso after just 14 games in charge". ESPN. 16 December 2023. Retrieved 16 December 2023.
  32. [32]
    Ros, Cayetano; Villalba, Juan M. (8 February 2001). "Primos hermanos bajo distinta bandera" [First cousins under a different flag]. El País (in Spanish). Archived from the original on 28 July 2018. Retrieved 23 April 2016.
  33. [33]
    Ortega, Francisco José (10 October 2023). "El tío de Diego Alonso que ya jugó en el Sevilla" [Diego Alonso's uncle who already played for Sevilla]. Diario de Sevilla (in Spanish). Retrieved 10 October 2023.
  34. [34]
    Diego Alonso coach profile at Soccerway
  35. [35]
    "Uruguay: Seis años después Peñarol volvió a gritar campeón (1–1)" [Uruguay: Peñarol screamed champions again six years later (1–1)] (in Spanish). Goal. 19 May 2010. Archived from the original on 16 August 2019. Retrieved 16 August 2019.
  36. [36]
    "¡Monterrey campeón de la Copa MX 2017! Venció 1–0 a Pachuca" [Monterrey 2017 MX Cup champions! They beat Pachuca 1–0]. El Comercio (in Spanish). 22 December 2017. Archived from the original on 16 August 2019. Retrieved 16 August 2019.
  37. [37]
    "Pachuca routs Al Jazira, makes history at FIFA Club World Cup". EFE. 16 December 2017. Archived from the original on 16 August 2019. Retrieved 16 August 2019.
  38. [38]
    "Winners: Diego Alonso". World Soccer. 2019. p. 15.
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