Néstor Gabriel Lorenzo (born 26 February 1966) is an Argentine football manager and former player who played as a defender. He is the current head coach of the Colombia national team.
 Lorenzo at the 2018 FIFA World Cup as Colombia's assistant manager | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Personal information | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Full name | Néstor Gabriel Lorenzo | |||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Date of birth | 26 February 1966 | |||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Place of birth | Villa Celina, Argentina | |||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Height | 1.85 m (6 ft 1 in) | |||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Position(s) | Defender | |||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Team information | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Current team | Colombia (head coach) | |||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Youth career | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Argentinos Juniors | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Senior career* | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Years | Team | Apps | (Gls) | |||||||||||||||||||||||
| 1985–1989 | Argentinos Juniors | 68 | (1) | |||||||||||||||||||||||
| 1989–1990 | Bari | 23 | (1) | |||||||||||||||||||||||
| 1990–1992 | Swindon Town | 24 | (2) | |||||||||||||||||||||||
| 1992–1994 | San Lorenzo | 63 | (3) | |||||||||||||||||||||||
| 1994–1995 | Banfield | 25 | (1) | |||||||||||||||||||||||
| 1995–1996 | Ferro Carril Oeste | 29 | (4) | |||||||||||||||||||||||
| 1996–1997 | Boca Juniors | 14 | (0) | |||||||||||||||||||||||
| 1997–1998 | Quilmes | |||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Total | 246 | (12) | ||||||||||||||||||||||||
| International career | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 1988 | Argentina U23 | 4 | (0) | |||||||||||||||||||||||
| 1988–1990 | Argentina | 13 | (0) | |||||||||||||||||||||||
| Managerial career | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 2000–2001 | Argentina U20 (assistant) | |||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 2003–2004 | Leganés (assistant) | |||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 2004–2006 | Argentina (assistant) | |||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 2007–2008 | Toluca (assistant) | |||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 2009 | Tigres UANL (assistant) | |||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 2012–2019 | Colombia (assistant) | |||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 2021–2022 | Melgar | |||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 2022– | Colombia | |||||||||||||||||||||||||
Medal record
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| *Club domestic league appearances and goals | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Lorenzo played for Argentinos Juniors, A.S. Bari, Swindon Town, Club Atlético San Lorenzo de Almagro, Ferrocarril Oeste and Boca Juniors. Lorenzo also represented Argentina in the 1990 FIFA World Cup in Italy, including the final which the Argentines lost to Germany.
Club career
editBorn in Villa Celina, La Matanza, Buenos Aires Province, Lorenzo was a product of Argentinos Juniors' youth categories.[1] After making his first team debut in 1985, he spent four seasons at the club before moving to Italian side Bari in 1989.
After Italia '90 and after an attempt by Brian Clough to sign Lorenzo for Nottingham Forest fell through, Argentine legend Ossie Ardiles signed the defender for Swindon Town on loan and eventually the deal became a permanent switch. He played 27 times for The Robins, scoring two goals: one in his debut at the County Ground against Portsmouth in a 3–0 win, and one away at Watford in a 2–2 draw.
After seeing out his contract, Lorenzo returned to Argentina and signed for San Lorenzo in 1992. After two seasons as a starter, he had one-year spells at Banfield, Ferro Carril Oeste, Boca Juniors and Primera B Nacional side Quilmes, retiring with the latter in 1998.[2]
International career
editAfter featuring in the 1988 Summer Olympics, Lorenzo made his international debut with the Argentina national team on 6 July 1988, in a 2–2 friendly against Saudi Arabia. He was included in Carlos Bilardo's 23-man squad for the 1990 FIFA World Cup, featuring in two matches in the group stage before starting in the final against West Germany.[3]
Managerial career
editAssistant coach
editAfter retiring, Lorenzo joined José Pékerman's staff in the Argentina national under-20 team in 2000, as an assistant coach. He worked with Carlos Aimar at Spanish side CD Leganés under the same role, before reuniting with Pékerman in the Argentina national team in 2004.
Lorenzo remained working with Pékerman at Toluca, Tigres UANL and the Colombia national team.
Melgar
editOn 16 December 2020, Lorenzo had his first managerial experience after being named at the helm of Peruvian Primera División side FBC Melgar.[4] After a poor start in the Fase 1, as the club finished in the last position of their group, they finished fourth in the Fase 2 and qualified to the 2022 Copa Sudamericana.
Under Lorenzo's guidance, Melgar won the 2022 Apertura tournament in July.[5] He left after qualifying the club to the quarterfinals of the Copa Sudamericana.[6]
Colombia national team
editOn 2 June 2022, the Colombian Football Federation announced Lorenzo as head coach of the national team for the following four years;[7] he remained in charge of Melgar until July.[8] On 20 June 2023, Colombia beat the Germany national team for the first time in its history in a dominant 2–0 victory under Lorenzo.[9]
In July 2024, Colombia went 28 games undefeated under Lorenzo and had significant victories over the national teams of Germany, Brazil, Uruguay and Spain.[10] Another major achievement of Lorenzo's was leading the national team to its first Copa America final in 23 years and managing Colombia to score 12 goals in the 2024 Copa America, their highest record in the competition;[11] they lost the final on extra time to Argentina.
Career statistics
editEngland
edit| Season | Team | League Apps | League Goals | F.A. Cup Apps | F.A. Cup Goals |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1991–92 | Swindon Town | 2 (+2) | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| 1990–91 | Swindon Town | 18 (+2) | 2 | 3 | 0 |
Managerial statistics
edit- As of match played 19 November 2024
| Team | From | To | Record | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| P | W | D | L | Win % | |||
| Melgar | 1 January 2021 | 8 July 2022 | 63 | 35 | 12 | 16 | 55.56 |
| Colombia | 9 July 2022 | Present | 32 | 21 | 7 | 4 | 65.63 |
| Total | 95 | 56 | 19 | 20 | 58.95 | ||
Honours
editPlayer
editArgentinos Juniors
AS Bari
Argentina
- FIFA World Cup runner-up: 1990
Manager
editFBC Melgar
Colombia
- Copa América runner-up: 2024
References
edit- ^ "Fue subcampeón del mundo con Argentina, dirigió a Scaloni y se lanzó como DT principal recién a los 54 años: Néstor Lorenzo, el DT que va por la gloria con Colombia" [He was a runner-up of the World Cup with Argentina, managed Scaloni and launched himself as a manager on his own at the age of 54: Néstor Lorenzo, the manager who seeks glory with Colombia] (in Spanish). Infobae. 14 July 2024. Retrieved 16 July 2024.
- ^ "El técnico finalista de Colombia se retiró en Quilmes" [The manager finalist with Colombia retired at Quilmes] (in Spanish). El Sol. 11 July 2024. Retrieved 16 July 2024.
- ^ "La historia de Néstor Lorenzo con la Selección Argentina: jugó un Mundial y fue asistente técnico en otro" [The story of Néstor Lorenzo with the Argentina national team: played a World Cup and was assistant coach in another one] (in Spanish). Olé. 11 July 2024. Retrieved 16 July 2024.
- ^ "Melgar anunció al argentino Néstor Lorenzo como entrenador" [Melgar announced the Argentine Néstor Lorenzo as manager] (in Spanish). El Comercio. 16 December 2020. Retrieved 7 January 2021.
- ^ "Néstor Lorenzo campeón con Melgar" [Néstor Lorenzo champion with Melgar] (in Spanish). Olé. 3 July 2022. Retrieved 16 July 2024.
- ^ "Melgar eliminó a Cali y ahora Néstor Lorenzo se dispone a iniciar trabajos con Selección Colombia" [Melgar knocked out Cali and now Néstor Lorenzo is available to start working with the Colombia national team] (in Spanish). ESPN. 6 July 2022. Retrieved 16 July 2024.
- ^ "Colombia hire Lorenzo as national team coach". 3 June 2022. Archived from the original on 23 June 2023. Retrieved 23 June 2023.
- ^ "Néstor Lorenzo dirigirá a Melgar hasta los octavos de la Copa Sudamericana" [Néstor Lorenzo will manage Melgar until the round of 16 of the Copa Sudamericana] (in Spanish). La República. 3 June 2022. Retrieved 3 June 2022.
- ^ "Colombia stun Germany 2-0 in latest setback for Euro 2024 hosts". Reuters. 20 June 2023. Archived from the original on 23 June 2023. Retrieved 23 June 2023.
- ^ "Copa América 2024: Néstor Lorenzo y una Colombia que acumula 28 partidos invicto" [2024 Copa América: Néstor Lorenzo and a Colombia which reaches 28 matches unbeaten] (in Spanish). RPC Televisión. 11 July 2024. Retrieved 16 July 2024.
- ^ "Lo que tiene y lo que le falta a Colombia para ganar la final" [What Colombia has and what Colombia lacks to win the final] (in Spanish). Página 12. 12 July 2024. Retrieved 16 July 2024.
External links
edit- Néstor Lorenzo at National-Football-Teams.com
- Néstor Lorenzo coach profile at National-Football-Teams.com