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Juan Antonio Pizzi
Juan Antonio Pizzi.jpg
Pizzi as Saudi Arabia manager at the 2018 World Cup
Personal information
Date of birth (1968-06-07) 7 June 1968 (age 56)
Place of birth Santa Fe, Argentina
Height 1.85 m
Playing position Striker
Club information
Current club Bahrain (head coach)
Youth career
Rosario Central
Senior career*
Years Team Apps (Gls)
1987–1990 Rosario Central 57 (27)
1990–1991 Toluca 30 (12)
1991–1993 Tenerife 68 (30)
1993–1994 Valencia 19 (4)
1994–1996 Tenerife 73 (46)
1996–1998 Barcelona 48 (11)
1998–1999 River Plate 17 (6)
1999–2000 Rosario Central 28 (19)
2000 Porto 11 (3)
2001–2002 Rosario Central 28 (11)
2002 Villarreal (loan) 13 (1)
Total 364 (160)
National team
1994–1998 Spain 22 (8)
Teams managed
2005 Colón Santa Fe
2006 Universidad San Martín
2009–2010 Santiago Morning
2010–2011 Universidad Católica
2011–2012 Rosario Central
2012–2013 San Lorenzo
2013–2014 Valencia
2014–2016 León
2016–2017 Chile
2017–2019 Saudi Arabia
2019 San Lorenzo
2021 Racing Club
2022–2023 Al Wasl
2023– Bahrain
Honours
Men's football
Representing  Chile (as manager)
Copa América
Winner 2016
FIFA Confederations Cup
Runner-up 2017
  • Senior club appearances and goals counted for the domestic league only.
† Appearances (Goals).

Juan Antonio Pizzi Torroja (Spanish pronunciation: [ˈxwan anˈtonjo ˈpisi], Italian: [ˈpittsi]; born 7 June 1968) is a retired professional footballer who played as a striker, currently head coach of Bahrain national football team.

He spent the bulk of his club career in Spain, mainly at Tenerife, helping to the side's consolidation in La Liga and amassing top division totals of 221 matches and 92 goals over eight seasons – he also played for Valencia and Barcelona.

Born in Argentina, Pizzi represented the Spain national team for four years, appearing with it in one World Cup and one European Championship. He embarked on a managerial career after retiring, winning the Copa América Centenario for Chile in 2016.

Club career

Born in Santa Fe, Pizzi started his professional career with Rosario Central, before transferring to Mexico's Deportivo Toluca FC. After only one year he moved to CD Tenerife, experiencing great individual success (a total of 30 goals in his first two seasons) while also helping the Canary Islands club to qualify for the UEFA Cup in his second year.

This performances prompted interest from fellow La Liga side Valencia CF, and Pizzi's subsequent purchase. However, highly unsettled, he returned at the end of the campaign to his previous team and in the second season in his second spell he fired them into another UEFA Cup qualification, topping the goal charts at 31 in 41 games and adding a further five in the Copa del Rey.

After that, Pizzi transferred to FC Barcelona. Never an undisputed starter, barred by Ronaldo, Sonny Anderson and the versatile Luis Enrique during his two-season stint, he managed to net 18 times in competitive matches, being very popular among the Camp Nou faithful.

With Barcelona, Pizzi won the Supercopa de España in 1996, the UEFA Super Cup and Spanish Cup in 1997, conquering the latter again the following year while also winning his only league title. Arguably, his most memorable moment was the decisive goal in the 5–4 home win over Atlético Madrid in the domestic cup's quarter-finals second leg, after the Blaugrana trailed 3–0 at half-time.

Subsequently, Pizzi returned to Argentina to play for Club Atlético River Plate, then had an unassuming spell in Portugal for FC Porto. After starting 2001–02 back with Rosario he signed with Villarreal CF for its closure, as the club had lost to a severe leg injury countryman Martín Palermo.

International career

Pizzi earned 22 caps for Spain and scored eight goals, his debut coming on 30 November 1994 in a 2–0 friendly win with Finland. The following 20 September, he helped to beat his country of birth Argentina 2–1, in an exhibition game played in Madrid.

Pizzi was part of the squads for UEFA Euro 1996 and the 1998 FIFA World Cup. In the latter, after being replaced by Fernando Morientes in a 0–0 draw against Paraguay as Spain exited in the group stage, he retired from the international scene.

Coaching career

After his retirement, aged almost 34, Pizzi played polo in the Barcelona region, then started his coaching career. Together with José del Solar he managed Argentine Primera División's Club Atlético Colón at the beginning of the Clausura 2005, but both were sacked after three losses in the first three matches.

On 13 April 2006, Pizzi became the coach of Club Deportivo Universidad de San Martín de Porres in the Peruvian Primera División. He returned to his country of birth five years later, working with Rosario Central and San Lorenzo de Almagro and winning the 2013 Inicial with the latter.

On 26 December 2013, Pizzi returned to Valencia after 20 years, being appointed manager. His first game in charge was on 4 January of the following year, a 2–0 derby home win over Levante UD.

Bachelet y la Selección Nacional de Fútbol con Copa América Centenario (28002464542)
Pizzi and his Chile squad meeting President Michelle Bachelet after winning the Copa América Centenario

Pizzi was sacked on 2 July 2014, after new owner Peter Lim took over. It was the first time in 16 years that Valencia had failed to qualify for Europe, after an eighth-place finish.

On 29 January 2016, after one year at the helm of Club León in the Liga MX, Pizzi replaced Jorge Sampaoli at the Chile national side. He took the nation to victory in the Copa América Centenario in the United States, notably disposing of Mexico 7–0 in the last-eight stage and defeating Argentina on penalties in the decisive match.

Pizzi took the team to the final of the 2017 FIFA Confederations Cup, Chile's first ever final in a FIFA competition and the fifth South American country to do so, losing 0–1 to Germany. However, after failing to qualify for the next year's World Cup – they reached the last matchday in third place, falling to sixth following the 3–0 away loss against Brazil – he resigned.

On 28 November 2017, Pizzi was appointed to manage Saudi Arabia, becoming the third man to hold the position in as many months. The team's run at the 2018 World Cup ended after the first three games (one win and two losses); On 21 January 2019, after round-of-16 elimination at the AFC Asian Cup and not having been approached by the Saudi Arabian Football Federation regarding the renewal of his contract, he resigned.

Pizzi returned to San Lorenzo in June 2019, six years after his first managerial spell. On 31 October, he was dismissed due to poor results.

On 21 January 2021, Pizzi was appointed at Racing Club de Avellaneda. His team lost the Supercopa Argentina 5–0 to River in March and the Copa de la Superliga final to Colón. He was removed by club president Víctor Blanco on 9 August after a 1–0 defeat to city rivals Club Atlético Independiente.

On 29 June 2022, Pizzi signed a one-year contract at Al-Wasl F.C. of the UAE Pro League. Having finished fifth in his only season, he returned to international management with Bahrain.

Career statistics

Scores and results list Spain's goal tally first, score column indicates score after each Pizzi goal.
List of international goals scored by Juan Antonio Pizzi
No. Date Venue Opponent Score Result Competition
1 18 January 1995 Riazor, A Coruña, Spain  Uruguay 1–0 2–2 Friendly
2 6 September 1995 Los Cármenes, Granada, Spain  Cyprus 3–0 6–0 UEFA Euro 1996 qualifying
3 5–0
4 20 September 1995 Vicente Calderón, Madrid, Spain  Argentina 1–0 2–1 Friendly
5 13 November 1996 Heliodoro Rodríguez, Tenerife, Spain  Slovakia 1–0 4–1 1998 FIFA World Cup qualification
6 12 February 1997 Rico Pérez, Alicante, Spain  Malta 4–0 4–0 1998 FIFA World Cup qualification
7 3 June 1998 El Sardinero, Santander, Spain  Northern Ireland 1–0 4–1 Friendly
8 2–0

Managerial statistics

Managerial record by team and tenure
Team Nat From To Record
G W D L GF GA GD Win %
Colón Santa Fe Argentina 5 February 2005 26 February 2005 &&&&&&&&&&&&&&03.&&&&&03 &&&&&&&&&&&&&&00.&&&&&00 &&&&&&&&&&&&&&00.&&&&&00 &&&&&&&&&&&&&&03.&&&&&03 &&&&&&&&&&&&&&03.&&&&&03 &&&&&&&&&&&&&&08.&&&&&08 −5 &0&&&&&&&&&&&&&&00.&&&&&00.00
Universidad San Martín Peru 18 April 2006 27 November 2006 &&&&&&&&&&&&&033.&&&&&033 &&&&&&&&&&&&&013.&&&&&013 &&&&&&&&&&&&&&08.&&&&&08 &&&&&&&&&&&&&012.&&&&&012 &&&&&&&&&&&&&036.&&&&&036 &&&&&&&&&&&&&038.&&&&&038 −2 &&&&&&&&&&&&&039.39000039.39
Santiago Morning Chile 1 July 2009 24 June 2010 &&&&&&&&&&&&&044.&&&&&044 &&&&&&&&&&&&&016.&&&&&016 &&&&&&&&&&&&&&09.&&&&&09 &&&&&&&&&&&&&019.&&&&&019 &&&&&&&&&&&&&060.&&&&&060 &&&&&&&&&&&&&075.&&&&&075 −15 &&&&&&&&&&&&&036.36000036.36
Universidad Católica 8 July 2010 30 June 2011 &&&&&&&&&&&&&056.&&&&&056 &&&&&&&&&&&&&037.&&&&&037 &&&&&&&&&&&&&010.&&&&&010 &&&&&&&&&&&&&&09.&&&&&09 &&&&&&&&&&&&0120.&&&&&0120 &&&&&&&&&&&&&067.&&&&&067 +53 &&&&&&&&&&&&&066.&7000066.07
Rosario Central Argentina 1 July 2011 5 July 2012 &&&&&&&&&&&&&044.&&&&&044 &&&&&&&&&&&&&022.&&&&&022 &&&&&&&&&&&&&013.&&&&&013 &&&&&&&&&&&&&&09.&&&&&09 &&&&&&&&&&&&&054.&&&&&054 &&&&&&&&&&&&&036.&&&&&036 +18 &&&&&&&&&&&&&050.&&&&&050.00
San Lorenzo 9 October 2012 26 December 2013 &&&&&&&&&&&&&054.&&&&&054 &&&&&&&&&&&&&023.&&&&&023 &&&&&&&&&&&&&021.&&&&&021 &&&&&&&&&&&&&010.&&&&&010 &&&&&&&&&&&&&075.&&&&&075 &&&&&&&&&&&&&047.&&&&&047 +28 &&&&&&&&&&&&&042.59000042.59
Valencia Spain 26 December 2013 2 July 2014 &&&&&&&&&&&&&032.&&&&&032 &&&&&&&&&&&&&012.&&&&&012 &&&&&&&&&&&&&011.&&&&&011 &&&&&&&&&&&&&&09.&&&&&09 &&&&&&&&&&&&&043.&&&&&043 &&&&&&&&&&&&&032.&&&&&032 +11 &&&&&&&&&&&&&037.50000037.50
León Mexico 4 December 2014 29 January 2016 &&&&&&&&&&&&&051.&&&&&051 &&&&&&&&&&&&&025.&&&&&025 &&&&&&&&&&&&&&06.&&&&&06 &&&&&&&&&&&&&020.&&&&&020 &&&&&&&&&&&&&097.&&&&&097 &&&&&&&&&&&&&088.&&&&&088 +9 &&&&&&&&&&&&&049.&2000049.02
Chile Chile 29 January 2016 10 October 2017 &&&&&&&&&&&&&032.&&&&&032 &&&&&&&&&&&&&013.&&&&&013 &&&&&&&&&&&&&&07.&&&&&07 &&&&&&&&&&&&&012.&&&&&012 &&&&&&&&&&&&&048.&&&&&048 &&&&&&&&&&&&&036.&&&&&036 +12 &&&&&&&&&&&&&040.63000040.63
Saudi Arabia Saudi Arabia 28 November 2017 21 January 2019 &&&&&&&&&&&&&020.&&&&&020 &&&&&&&&&&&&&&06.&&&&&06 &&&&&&&&&&&&&&04.&&&&&04 &&&&&&&&&&&&&010.&&&&&010 &&&&&&&&&&&&&021.&&&&&021 &&&&&&&&&&&&&030.&&&&&030 −9 &&&&&&&&&&&&&030.&&&&&030.00
San Lorenzo Argentina 1 July 2019 31 October 2019 &&&&&&&&&&&&&013.&&&&&013 &&&&&&&&&&&&&&05.&&&&&05 &&&&&&&&&&&&&&02.&&&&&02 &&&&&&&&&&&&&&06.&&&&&06 &&&&&&&&&&&&&015.&&&&&015 &&&&&&&&&&&&&020.&&&&&020 −5 &&&&&&&&&&&&&038.46000038.46
Racing Club 21 January 2021 9 August 2021 &&&&&&&&&&&&&032.&&&&&032 &&&&&&&&&&&&&013.&&&&&013 &&&&&&&&&&&&&011.&&&&&011 &&&&&&&&&&&&&&08.&&&&&08 &&&&&&&&&&&&&033.&&&&&033 &&&&&&&&&&&&&030.&&&&&030 +3 &&&&&&&&&&&&&040.63000040.63
Al Wasl United Arab Emirates 1 July 2022 16 May 2023 &&&&&&&&&&&&&033.&&&&&033 &&&&&&&&&&&&&017.&&&&&017 &&&&&&&&&&&&&&09.&&&&&09 &&&&&&&&&&&&&&07.&&&&&07 &&&&&&&&&&&&&062.&&&&&062 &&&&&&&&&&&&&040.&&&&&040 +22 &&&&&&&&&&&&&051.52000051.52
Bahrain Bahrain 12 July 2023 present &&&&&&&&&&&&&&05.&&&&&05 &&&&&&&&&&&&&&03.&&&&&03 &&&&&&&&&&&&&&01.&&&&&01 &&&&&&&&&&&&&&01.&&&&&01 &&&&&&&&&&&&&&06.&&&&&06 &&&&&&&&&&&&&&03.&&&&&03 +3 &&&&&&&&&&&&&060.&&&&&060.00
Career total &&&&&&&&&&&&0452.&&&&&0452 &&&&&&&&&&&&0205.&&&&&0205 &&&&&&&&&&&&0112.&&&&&0112 &&&&&&&&&&&&0135.&&&&&0135 &&&&&&&&&&&&0673.&&&&&0673 &&&&&&&&&&&&0550.&&&&&0550 +123 &&&&&&&&&&&&&045.35000045.35

Honours

Player

Barcelona

Porto

Individual

  • Pichichi Trophy: 1995–96

Manager

Universidad Católica

San Lorenzo

Chile

Individual

  • La Liga Manager of the Month: February 2014

See also

Kids robot.svg In Spanish: Juan Antonio Pizzi para niños

  • List of Spain international footballers born outside Spain
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