Heir to Sevilla's legacy - Matias Almeyda

As a player, he was always in charge of doing the dirty work on the pitch. Teammates like Ariel Ortega, Hernan Crespo, Pavel Nedved, Marcelo Salas, Christian Vieri, Alvaro Recoba were responsible for creativity, beauty, and goals. Matias Almeyda's job was to keep the team together and put a dent in the rivals' attacks, hopes, and expectations.

Now, he's doing the same as a coach and is even better in the dugouts than on the pitch.

Born in Azul ("blue" in Spanish), he was predestined to achieve the greatest successes in a jersey of this colour. After five years at River Plate, where he nourished the incredible talent, and a season at Sevilla, his first in Europe, he joined one of the most outstanding Lazio generations in this club's history.

Almeyda with Lazio in 1999 (©Claudio Villa /Allsport/Gallo Images)

Almeyda, Nedved, Sinisa Mihajlovic, Fernando Couto, Alessandro Nesta, Giuseppe Favalli, Diego Simeone, Juan Sebastian Veron, Dejan Stankovic, Sergio Conceicao, Roberto Mancini, Simone Inzaghi, and Co. brought the Roman team its last Serie A title in 2000 and its last European trophy, the UEFA Cup Winners' Cup, a year before.

Once he left the Italian capital, Almeyda represented Parma, Inter Milan, Brescia, Quilmes, the Norwegian Lyn, and Fenix, before returning to his first love, River Plate, where he hung up the boots. He made 40 appearances for Argentina, scored one goal, and participated in two FIFA World Cups.

Matias Almeyda with Argentina in the 1998 FIFA World Cup (©AFP)

He played under huge coaching names like Daniel Passarella, Sven-Goran Eriksson, Roberto Mancini, and Marcelo Bielsa, and learned a lot. Hence, his managerial successes should surprise no one. Almeyda knows his stuff.

In his first job as a head coach - where else but at his River Plate? - he instantly returned the struggling giants to the Argentinian top tier, quickly annuling their shocking relegation from the previous season.

Two years later, he replicated the success with Banfield, establishing himself as a "saviour."

In September 2015, he sat on the Mexican Chivas Guadalajara's bench and less than two months later he won the Copa MX, ending the club's nine-year trophyless spell. In total, he won five trophies with the popular Goats, including the 2018 CONCACAF Champions League, and returned this giant on its paths of former glory.

With the San Jose Earthquakes, Almeyda reached the MLS playoffs, but his utmost coaching success came the moment he crossed the Atlantic Ocean and moved to Europe, to the Greek AEK Athens in 2022.

In his debut season in Greece, the Argentinian led the club from the capital to its first double after 45 years! The Union was without the title since 2018 and without the cup since 2016. Almeyda did wonders!

Last May, he parted ways with AEK and a month later returned to the club he had once played at, Sevilla, trying to save them the way he did with every team he coached, after side from Ramon Sanchez Pizjuan Stadium had barely avoided relegation the season before, finishing just one spot above the relegation zone.

It didn't start well, as Los Rojiblancos began the season with two defeats to Athletic Bilbao and Getafe, respectively, but then a phoenix-like rise followed. Sevilla won five of their next six games, losing only to Villarreal, a UCL participant.

Pale Barcelona suffer a shocking meltdown in scorching Sevilla sun!

And yesterday, Almeyda and his men dismantled Barcelona 4-1, recording the heaviest win over the Catalans since 1951! That was the award for their hard work, but their job is not done. The goal is to qualify for some of the European competitions, and we all know which one is Sevilla's beloved one. And if the club from Andalucia actually reach UEFA Europa League, no other team would be a bigger favourite to win it.

As for Almeyda, he'll continue his relentless work and hope for some greater challenges. Rumours about Lionel Scaloni's departure from Argentina's bench following the 2026 FIFA World Cup are louder and louder. And who would better lead the national team without Lionel Messi, than the man who was born to save crews in trouble?

Perhaps the ruling World Champions will find their next boss in Seville, because Matias Almeyda proved worthy and ready.