Fewer legends, more grafters: how LaLiga dugouts have changed

LaLiga’s dugouts have pivoted from icons to industrious tacticians, with Diego Pablo Simeone the last emblem of that star-player era. Recent years still featured Xabi Alonso, Álvaro Arbeloa and Xavi.

AS notes a clear shift this season. Few current coaches starred on the grandest stages and none has been up for the Ballon d’Or. Grafters now prevail, some with modest careers, others curtailed by injury or juggling jobs.

A Clásico now pits Hansi Flick against José Mourinho. Flick’s managerial haul dwarfs his playing days, which included Bayern and Köln before a player-coach spell and retirement in 2000, and he was never capped by Germany. Mourinho logged 94 games from 1980 to 1987 for Rio Ave, Os Belenenses, Sesimbra and Comércio e Indústria.

Edin Terzic, now at Athletic, spent his career in Germany’s fourth tier until 30, then joined Hannes Wolf at Borussia Dortmund’s academy and led the club to the 23-24 Champions League final. Beñat San José, at Rayo Vallecano, rose from Real Sociedad’s youth via Al Ittihad and Al Ettifaq to posts in Belgium, Mexico and the UAE.

José Bordalás retired at 28 after injuries, never debuting for Hércules, then worked his way through the Alicante scene before Alavés, where he won promotion. He reached the Primera in 17-18 by taking Getafe up. Many others fit the solid-pro mould, seven of 20, typified by Quique Sánchez Flores, a 304-game LaLiga full back who later won the Europa League and UEFA Super Cup with Atlético.

“Artificial intelligence was used to assist in creating this article based on reporting from the original source quoted.”