Diego Pablo Simeone (born April 28, 1970 in Buenos Aires) is an Argentine football manager and former player. A defensive midfielder, he was once the most capped player for Argentina. He is the current manager of Atlético Madrid.
When Simeone was 14, his youth coach Victorio Spinetto nicknamed him Cholo as his energetic play reminded him of former Boca Juniors player and Argentine international Carmelo Simeone (no relation) who had that nickname.[1]
In his club career that started in 1987, Simeone played for Vélez Sársfield, Pisa, Sevilla, Atlético Madrid, Internazionale, Lazio and Racing.
Club career [edit]
Simeone spent most of his career in Italy with Pisa his first European club in 1990 in which he was brought in by manager Mircea Lucescu. After spells at Sevilla and Atlético Madrid where he was part of the club's 1996 La Liga and Copa Del Rey double triumph, Simeone returned to Serie A with Internazionale in 1997 and played two full seasons, winning the UEFA Cup in 1998 in a side spearheaded by Ronaldo up front. They beat his future club Lazio 3–0 in the final.
In 1999 Lazio, bankrolled by food empire Cirio and its owner Sergio Cragnotti and under the guidance of Sven-Göran Eriksson, bought Simeone to join a strong Argentine flavour at the Biancocelesti which included veteran Néstor Sensini, Matías Almeyda, Hernán Crespo and the mercurial passing skills of Juan Sebastián Verón.
The side had gone close to the Scudetto just before Simeone's arrival and he helped deliver the championship after a gruelling season where Juventus led the standings by two points going into the last day, but a Juve loss at rainy Perugia coupled with Lazio's comfortable home win over Reggina at the Stadio Olimpico ensured Simeone's first Serie A title. After winning the double in Spain he would then add the Italian double as Lazio edged out Internazionale to claim the 2000 Coppa Italia.
He went on to play three more seasons at the Biancocelesti which included more last day drama as a Simeone goal against former club Inter on the last day of the 2001–02 campaign effectively ruined his old employers' title dream.
Simeone returned to Atlético Madrid in 2003 and played two more seasons before leaving Europe to return to Argentina with Racing.
International career [edit]
For the Argentine team, Simeone amassed 106 caps,[2] the first coming in 1988. Simeone won the 1991 and 1993 editions of the Copa América with Argentina. He played in the 1994, 1998 and 2002 World Cups. He was a member of the team that won the silver medal at the 1996 Summer Olympics in Atlanta, Georgia, as one of the three over-23 players allowed per squad. As a midfielder, Simeone scored 11 goals for his country, including one in the final of the 1992 Confederations Cup.
During the 1998 World Cup, England's David Beckham was sent off for kicking Simeone in retaliation for a foul (see also Argentina and England football rivalry). Simeone later admitted to simulating the injury from the kick, in order to get Beckham sent off.[3] Sports Illustrated was critical of the Argentinians' theatrics in that incident, stating that Simeone first delivered a "heavy-handed challenge" on Beckham and then "fell like a ton of bricks" when Beckham retaliated.[4] In the following match, against the Netherlands, Simeone was injured by a tackle from Arthur Numan during his team's defeat.[5]
In the 2002 World Cup, his last, Argentina was eliminated in the group stage, which included a 1-0 loss to England where David Beckham converted a penalty. Simeone once described his style as "holding a knife between his teeth".[citation needed] Simeone admitted to being "embarrassed" at having surpassed Diego Maradona as Argentina's most capped player (he has since been surpassed by Roberto Ayala and Javier Zanetti).[citation needed]
Managerial career [edit]
Simeone ended his playing career for Racing, playing his last match on February 17, 2006, and then became manager for the same team. After a rough start, the team made an impressive finish in the 2006 Clausura. When ownership of the club changed hands, Simeone left Racing in May 2006 and was replaced with Reinaldo Merlo. On May 18, he became head coach of Estudiantes de La Plata and soon led them to their first League title in 23 years after defeating Boca Juniors 2–1 in a final match played December 13, 2006. In an October 2006 poll in the sports daily Ole, Simeone was voted as the best manager in the Argentine league.[6] He was also praised as a "born manager" by former Argentine international Roberto Perfumo.[7] Simeone left Estudiantes after the end of the 2007 Apertura, where Estudiantes was not a contender after a bad start, but had a strong finish of nine lossless games. On December 15, 2007 Simeone was unveiled as the new River Plate coach, succeeding Daniel Passarella. The contract was reported to be a year long, starting on January 3, 2008.[8] After an early elimination in the Copa Libertadores losing to San Lorenzo in the second round, Simeone and River Plate went on to win the 2008 Clausura championship after beating Olimpo 2–1 in the Monumental.[9] On November 7, 2008 Simeone announced his resignation as coach of River Plate after their elimination at the Quarter-final stage of Copa Sudamericana 2008 by the Mexican team Chivas and a poor run of form of 11 domestic games without a win which left them bottom of the Primera División Argentina with only six games remaining.[10][11] On April 15, 2009 Simeone joined San Lorenzo to replace Miguel Angel Russo, following the club's exit in the first round of Copa Libertadores 2009.[12] On April 3, 2010 the coach quit San Lorenzo due poor results and mounting criticism.[13] On January 19, 2011, Simeone flew to Sicily to join Serie A side, Catania, replacing Marco Giampaolo who left the club just hours earlier.[14][15] On June 1, 2011, he left his post after helping Catania stave off relegation.[16] On June 21, 2011, Simeone was named as the new coach of Racing Club for a second spell in charge, replacing Miguel Ángel Russo who had resigned the prior week.[17]
On December 23, 2011, Simeone was unveiled as the new Atlético Madrid coach, succeeding Gregorio Manzano. On May 9, 2012, Simeone won the UEFA Europa League with Atlético Madrid beating Athletic Bilbao 3–0. On August 31, 2012 he won UEFA Super Cup with same team beating Chelsea 4–1, earning his first two European trophies. On May 17, 2013, he won the Copa del Rey with Atletico Madrid beating Real Madrid 2-1.[18] Simeone led the team to a 3rd place finish in 2012-13 La Liga, the club's best finish in the competition since 1996.
Career statistics [edit]
Club career statistics [edit]
[19]
International career statistics [edit]
[20]
| Argentina national team |
| Year |
Apps |
Goals |
| 1988 |
2 |
1 |
| 1989 |
3 |
0 |
| 1990 |
1 |
0 |
| 1991 |
9 |
2 |
| 1992 |
3 |
1 |
| 1993 |
13 |
1 |
| 1994 |
10 |
0 |
| 1995 |
8 |
2 |
| 1996 |
6 |
2 |
| 1997 |
9 |
1 |
| 1998 |
12 |
0 |
| 1999 |
11 |
1 |
| 2000 |
11 |
0 |
| 2001 |
6 |
0 |
| 2002 |
2 |
0 |
| Total |
106 |
11 |
Managerial statistics [edit]
- As of 17 May 2013.
| Team |
Nat |
From |
To |
Record |
| G |
W |
D |
L |
Win % |
| Racing |
 |
February 2006 |
May 2006 |
700114000000000000014 |
70005000000000000005 |
70003000000000000003 |
70006000000000000006 |
700135710000000000035.71 |
| Estudiantes |
|
May 2006 |
December 2007 |
700160000000000000060 |
700134000000000000034 |
700115000000000000015 |
700111000000000000011 |
700156670000000000056.67 |
| River Plate |
|
December 2007 |
November 2008 |
700144000000000000044 |
700120000000000000020 |
700112000000000000012 |
700112000000000000012 |
700145450000000000045.45 |
| San Lorenzo |
|
April 2009 |
April 2010 |
700148000000000000048 |
700121000000000000021 |
70009000000000000009 |
700118000000000000018 |
700143750000000000043.75 |
| Catania |
 |
19 January 2011 |
1 June 2011 |
700118000000000000018 |
70007000000000000007 |
70003000000000000003 |
70008000000000000008 |
700138890000000000038.89 |
| Racing |
|
June 2011 |
December 2011 |
700120000000000000020 |
70008000000000000008 |
700110000000000000010 |
70002000000000000002 |
700140000000000000040.00 |
| Atlético Madrid |
 |
December 2011 |
Present |
700185000000000000085 |
700153000000000000053 |
700116000000000000016 |
700116000000000000016 |
700162350000000000062.35 |
| Total |
7002289000000000000289 |
7002148000000000000148 |
700168000000000000068 |
700173000000000000073 |
700151210000000000051.21 |
Honours [edit]
Player [edit]
- Atlético Madrid
- Internazionale
- Lazio
- Argentina
Manager [edit]
- Estudiantes
- River Plate
- Atlético Madrid
See also [edit]
References [edit]
- ^ "Diario Deportivo Olé – El más odiado, el más bancado". Ole.com.ar.
- ^ "RSSSF Argentine international players". Rsssf.com.
- ^ Carlin, John (May 19, 2002). "England v Argentina – A history". Observer Sport Monthly, 19 May 2002 (London). Retrieved November 15, 2006.
- ^ "CNN/SI - World Cup France '98 - The Netherlands pay back controversial loss to Argentina - Saturday July 04, 1998 03:33 PM". Sportsillustrated.cnn.com. 1998-07-04.
- ^ "CNN/SI - World Cup France '98 - Bergkamp scores in 90th minute to lead the Netherlands to victory - Wednesday September 16, 1998 05:34 PM". Sportsillustrated.cnn.com. 1998-09-16.
- ^ "Simeone, el gran estratega del fútbol argentino". Clarin.com. 2006-10-31.
- ^ El técnico se hace, sí, pero sobre todo nace[dead link]
- ^ "Guardian football". Football.guardian.co.uk.
- ^ "River Plate crowned champion of Argentine Clausura –". International Herald Tribune. 2009-03-29.
- ^ Diego Simeone renunció a la dirección técnica de River at ESPN Deportes (Spanish)
- ^ "Las causas de una salida inevitable". Msn.foxsports.com.
- ^ "Ex-River boss Simeone to manage San Lorenzo". Soccernet.espn.go.com. 2009-04-16.
- ^ "Simeone quits San Lorenzo post after dismal run". Soccernet.espn.go.com. 2010-04-04.
- ^ "ESCLUSIVA TMW - Criscitiello: "Colpo Lo Monaco: Simeone a Catania"" [TMW EXCLUSIVE - Criscitiello: "Lo Monaco strikes: Simeone to Catania"]. Tutto Mercato Web (in Italian). January 19, 2011. Retrieved January 19, 2011.
- ^ "Diego Pablo Simeone è il nuovo allenatore del Catania" (in Italian). Calcio Catania. January 19, 2011. Retrieved January 19, 2011.
- ^ "Catania, rescinde Simeone" [Simeone quits Catania]. Tutto Mercato Web (in Italian). June 1, 2011. Retrieved June 1, 2011.
- ^ "Diego Simeone fue presentado como nuevo técnico de Racing Club" [Diego Simeone was introduced as new coach of Racing Club]. Racing (in Spanish). June 21, 2011. Retrieved June 21, 2011.
- ^ "Europa League - Falcao inspires Atletico to Europa crown". Atlético Madrid. May 9, 2012. Retrieved May 9, 2012.
- ^ ".. Player – Diego Simeone". National Football Teams.
- ^ "Diego Pablo Simeone - Century of International Appearances". Rsssf.com. 2002-06-15.
External links [edit]
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Diego Simeone managerial positions
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| Persondata |
| Name |
Simeone, Diego |
| Alternative names |
|
| Short description |
Argentine footballer and manager |
| Date of birth |
April 28, 1970 |
| Place of birth |
Buenos Aires, Argentina |
| Date of death |
|
| Place of death |
|
Argentina
