Diego Simeone

Profile Overview

Diego Pablo Simeone González (Spanish pronunciation: [ˈdjeɣo ˈpaβlo simeˈone]; Italian: [ˈdjɛːɡo simeˈoːne, ˈdjeː-]; born 28 April 1970), nicknamed "Cholo" ([ˈtʃolo]), is an Argentine professional football manager and former player who played as a midfielder. He has been the manager of La Liga club Atlético Madrid since December 2011, making him the second longest serving professional manager in Europe.
In his club career that started in 1987, Simeone played in Argentina, Italy, and Spain for Vélez Sarsfield, Pisa, Sevilla, Atlético Madrid, Inter Milan, Lazio and Racing Club. He won a domestic double with Atlético Madrid in 1996, and the UEFA Cup with Inter in 1998, also winning another domestic double with Lazio in 2000, as well as the 1999 UEFA Super Cup and the 2000 Supercoppa Italiana. Simeone was capped over 100 times for the Argentina national team and represented the country at the 1994, 1998, and 2002 FIFA World Cups, and in four editions of the Copa América, winning the tournament in 1991 and 1993. He also won the FIFA Confederations Cup in 1992, the 1993 Artemio Franchi Cup, and a silver medal at the 1996 Summer Olympic games.
As a manager, Simeone has coached Argentine sides Racing Club, Estudiantes, River Plate, San Lorenzo and Italian club Catania, before joining Spanish club Atlético Madrid in 2011. He won the Argentine Primera División both with Estudiantes and River Plate.
Simeone has had his biggest managerial success with Atlético Madrid, turning the team into a competitor for the La Liga and breaking the Real Madrid–Barcelona duopoly. He has won La Liga twice, the Copa del Rey, two UEFA Europa Leagues, two UEFA Super Cups, as well as being runner-up of the UEFA Champions League twice. Simeone is the longest-serving manager in La Liga, having stayed for well over a decade at Atlético. He won Atléti their first derby against arch-rivals Real Madrid in 14 years in the 2013 Copa Del Rey final at the Santiago Bernabeu.