Diego Martín Alonso López (Spanish pronunciation:[ˈdjeɣoaˈlonso]; born 16 April 1975) is an Uruguayan professionalfootballmanager and former player who played as astriker.
Alonso began working as a coach in 2011, being in charge of clubs in Uruguay, Paraguay, Mexico and the United States and leadingPachuca to the2016 Clausura and the2016–17 CONCACAF Champions League titles. In December 2021, he was appointed at the Uruguay national side, coaching them at the2022 World Cup and leaving his position following a group stage exit. In October 2023, he signed forSevilla, being dismissed two months later.
After a brief spell in Argentina forGimnasia La Plata (he would also represent the club towards the end of his career), Alonso moved to Spain, where he played with five teams in as many years:Valencia,[3]Atlético Madrid (where he scored 22 goals in2001–02'sSegunda División, helping theColchoneros to return toLa Liga and forming an efficient attacking partnership with countrymanFernando Correa, who added 13),[4][5]Racing de Santander,Málaga[6] andReal Murcia,[7] where he did not have a good scoring record overall. In between his fourth and fifth club, he played one year in Mexico withUNAM.[2]
In 2006, the 31-year-old Alonso returned to his country and joined hometown'sNacional. However, shortly after, he moved abroad again, signing withShanghai Shenhua in theChinese Super League; after two seasons with Gimnasia, the veteran switched toPeñarol.[8]
Alonso was chosen for the nation's squad forthat year'sCopa América, and scored on his quarter-finalpenalty shootout attempt (5–3 victory) for the eventual runners-up, also against Paraguay, the hosts.[10] In spite of his season with Atlético he was not selected for the2002 FIFA World Cup, and subsequently criticised managerVíctor Púa.[11]
Alonso started working as a manager in 2011, being in charge in quick succession of Bella Vista,Guaraní, Peñarol andOlimpia (the second and fourth sides from theParaguayan Primera División).[12]
On 2 June 2018, Alonso was named coach ofMonterrey.[17] In May of the following year, after the 2–1 aggregate victory overTigres UANL in theChampions League final,[18][19] he became the first manager to win the competition with two different clubs.[20] On 30 September 2019, following a 2–0 loss to the same opposition that left his team in 12th place on the general table, he was dismissed.[21]
Alonso was appointed manager of Uruguay on 14 December 2021, replacingÓscar Tabárez who had occupied the position for the previous 15 years.[25] On 24 March 2022, after four wins in his first four games in charge, hesecured qualification for theWorld Cup in Qatar.[26] In December, after failing to progress from the group stage in the finals, he presented his resignation and cited his desire to return to club duties.[27][28]
On 10 October 2023, Alonso was named manager ofSevilla, taking over fromJosé Luis Mendilibar;[29] the side stood 14th in the table at the time of his arrival.[30] On 16 December, having failed to win once in eight league matches and been eliminated from theUEFA Champions League group stageas last, he was dismissed.[31]
On 10 June 2024, Alonso signed a two-year contract withPanathinaikos ofSuper League Greece.[32] He was sacked on 29 October, with his team eighth in the table.[33]
^Pallarés, Pepe; Calleja, José Luis (19 July 2005)."El fichaje de Samuel, del Sporting, se aplaza" [Signing of Samuel, from Sporting, postponed].Mundo Deportivo (in Spanish).Archived from the original on 17 April 2023. Retrieved17 April 2023.
^"Alonso fue presentado en Peñarol" [Alonso was presented at Peñarol] (in Spanish). Fútbol Uruguay. 31 July 2009.Archived from the original on 12 December 2022. Retrieved12 December 2022.
^"Despiden a Diego Alonso de Monterrey" [Diego Alonso is dismissed from Monterrey].Milenio (in Spanish). 30 September 2019.Archived from the original on 1 October 2019. Retrieved13 September 2020.
^Ros, Cayetano; Villalba, Juan M. (8 February 2001)."Primos hermanos bajo distinta bandera" [First cousins under a different flag].El País (in Spanish).Archived from the original on 28 July 2018. Retrieved23 April 2016.
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