It’s not easy to sum up an entire career dedicated to football in a few words, but this video shows a good summary.
COMPETITIVE PERSONALITY
There are times in which it is impossible to counterattack, and there are others in which counterattacking is a fantastic solution. It all depends on the context. If you want to learn more about my personal coaching philosophy, read on.
MY FOOTBALL
PLAYING STYLE
WORK
GROUP MANAGEMENT
MODERN COACH
RELATIONSHIP WITH THE COMMUNITY
1
Europa League 2020
1
UEFA Euro Sub-21 2013
1
EFA Euro Sub-19 2012
425
Games as a Coach
63.6
Victories as a Coach
65
Games as a National Coach
84.62
Victories as a National Coach
MY COACHING STAFF
Football is a team sport. Meet my staff.
Pablo Sanz
Assistant Coach
Óscar Caro
Conditioning Coach
Borja De Alba
Second Fitness coach
Edu Rubio
First-team coach
Daniel Lopetegui
Performance analyst
Juanvi Peinado
Technical Assistant
Julen y Arsene Wenger
Lopetegui Film
Lopetegui Minors
A well-deserved tribute to the talent and figure of José Antonio Reyes
Julen Lopetegui e hijo
Lopetegui and Guardiola
Lopetegui – PFA AWARDS 2023
Lopetegui en la nieve
A friend even off the pitch.
Sharing is part of the learning process.
I don’t believe in imposing but rather in influencing the team to keep them motivated
Captains are leaders both on and off the pitch.
LMA Masterclass
Camaraderie before the competition.
A night to remember.
Communication beyond the locker room.
The privilege of training the greatest.
MY OTHER PASSION
Gastronomy connects me to the land and reminds me of multiple memories. I grew up in a family restaurant, surrounded by cattle and nature. Today, together with my business partners, I enjoy sharing the best, freshest products through Asador Imanol.
I always want the players to understand the purpose of all types of exercises I propose. I want them to appreciate the benefits of each one, so that they recognize how they help us on game day.
I believe much more in the effectiveness of a task rooted in conviction rather than imposition. It enhances the player’s responses and motivates his work. In order to achieve this, we must explain the purpose and the goal of every training.
MODERN COACH
A coach has to be very attentive to how the profession evolves. Technologies have advanced a lot, but they don’t win games. They give us more resources, they help us save time and know how to convey our ideas, but the essence and spirit of the game does not come from technology.
I strongly believe in managing your own experiences to be self-critical about them in order to progress and continually improve. Having been a player in the past is an important asset, but it is not definitive or decisive for being a good coach.
RELATIONSHIP WITH THE COMMUNITY
The relationship with the media, managers, and fans is an important part of coaching.
A coach must be capable of always remembering where he is and what he represents, all the while, handling external pressures naturally and skillfully. For this reason, it is essential to have a staff that complements the work of the coach and that allows the coordination of the appropriate messages at the right times among all the actors that make up the football industry.
GROUP MANAGEMENT
You manage a locker room with young people under great pressure, many of them still without the tools to handle these kinds of situations. And as a coach, tactics, technique, and physical work are not sufficient, you also need to ensure that the player is balanced enough to be able to take advantage of his skills. In this process, the mental and emotional management of the player must be developed by the coach and the coaching staff, and even by a specialist at certain times.
Players are the main protagonists. If they are not emotionally balanced or do not have the peace of mind to foster all their skills, they will not be able to reach their potential and my team will be worse off. My goal is to bring together both the management of the player and his commitment to an idea and its development. You have to feel like your players believe in your goals, and receive feedback that shows you the players are motivated and committed.
PLAYING STYLE
I understand football as a whole. My thought is that formations are no longer so important in football – the styles and decision-making are what really determines everything.
Football is a living thing, and there are four key moments that are directly related: attack, attack-defense, defense, and defense-attack transition. To develop these four phases, we need to have a handle on all the concepts of the game, both offensive and defensive. I think it’s easier to control and win games by having possession of the ball, but fortunately in football there are many other ways to win.
Above all, I aspire for my team to have a defined personality, and clear tactics so that during the game we know how to come up with the best solutions. For that to happen, each player’s commitment and understanding of the game is essential.