Nico Estévez, fifth Spanish coach in MLS history

Nico Estévez is the great hope of FC Dallas. The Texan team was a long way from contesting the ‘play-offs’ for the MLS Cup this season and the Spaniard, a great connoisseur of American football – arrives after almost three years as Gregg Berhalter’s assistant in the United States senior team-, has returned the illusion to Toyota Stadium. “This is a phenomenal opportunity to lead FC Dallas. The club is recognized worldwide for developing talent and I am excited to work with these players,” said Estévez, who became the fifth Spanish coach in MLS history.

Nico Estévez will be the fifth Spanish coach in MLS history and the second confirmed for next season after Miguel Angel Ramirez, who will be in charge of Charlotte FC. They will be the two ‘rookies’ of a competition in which three other Spanish technicians have already left their mark: Alfonso mondelo, who ran MetroStars and Tampa Bay in the late 1990s and early 2000s; Doménec Torrent, who made history during his only full season at the helm of New York City FC, and Javier Pérez, who took the reins of Toronto FC at a difficult time and led it until the end of this season.

Alfonso Mondelo, a pioneer ‘made in Barakaldo’

Alfonso Mondelo was the first Spaniard to lead an MLS club. Barakaldo’s arrived at MetroStars – now New York Red Bull – in 1998, after leading the Puerto Rico national team and the Long Island Rough Riders. In his only season with Mondelo on the bench, MetroStars finished third in the Eastern Conference, earning him a spot in the quarterfinals of the MLS Cup play-offs. The Spaniard, however, was sacked. before the end of the regular season and his position was filled by the Serbian Bora Milutinovic. Subsequently, Alfonso Mondelo was Bruce Arena’s assistant on the United States national team and later returned to MLS to coach Tampa Bay. He currently serves as the Sports Director of MLS Soccer Development.

It took 17 years to see a Spaniard lead an MLS club again. Mondelo’s witness was picked up by Domènec Torrent, who came to the New York City bench in June 2018, after Patrick Viera’s departure to Nice vacated the ‘sky blue’ bench. In his first full season in charge of the US side, Pep Guardiola’s former assistant at FC Barcelona, ​​Bayern Munich and Manchester City made history. The ‘New Yorkers’ became champions of the Eastern Conference for the first time, beating their personal record for points (64). They also managed to qualify for the CONCACAF Champions League, but found their ceiling in the play-offs for the MLS Cup, where Toronto cut them off in the conference semifinals.

A Toronto FC on whose bench Javier Pérez sat this season. The Spaniard replaced Chris Armas and faced his first big break in North America, where he has a long history since arriving in 2007 from the Real Madrid quarry. Despite the fact that his time on the Canadian club’s bench started well, Pérez was unable to resume the course of a team that was already sunk upon arrival. Toronto fell far short of the MLS Cup play-offs and, although it had the opportunity to end the season by bringing joy to its fans, it failed to defeat CF Montreal in the Canadian Cup final. “We would like to thank Javier for his hard work this season. He entered a difficult situation and was a true professional in all aspects. We wish him the best in his next challenge,” said Bill Manning, president of the club ‘red’, in a statement.