Julen Lopetegui Set to Guide Qatar in FIFA World Cup 2026
Julen Lopetegui’s career is a fascinating one. Born in the town of Asteasu, which has a population of just over 1,500, Lopetegui enjoyed a fairly decent playing career, being one of the rare footballers to play for both Real Madrid and Barcelona.
After retirement, he built up a solid reputation as a youth team coach before making the switch to senior manager. His managerial CV has a lot of big names on it: Real Madrid, Sevilla, Porto, West Ham, and Wolverhampton Wanderers. Yet, he has never won a league title and has often been dismissed while facing relegation troubles.
Still, Lopetegui’s tactical acumen is unmatched, and he will have a chance to show it on the biggest stage of all as he leads Qatar in the FIFA World Cup 2026. The tiny Middle Eastern country is making its first appearance at the tournament on merit, and the entire nation will rest their hopes on Lopetegui.
The Basque Boy
Another manager who is all too aware of being the harbinger of hopeful days for a fanbase is Imanol Alguacil. Born in Orio and a former teammate of Arteta, Alguacil spent 14 years coaching various teams at Real Sociedad, the flagship football club of Gipuzkoa.
After taking charge of the senior side in 2018, Alguacil led La Real to the 2020 Copa del Rey title, their first trophy since 1987. Next year, he helped Sociedad qualify for the Champions League for the first time in a decade.
His departure in 2025 truly marked the end of an era for the Basque hometown hero, and Alguacil will go down as one of the most successful managers in Real Sociedad’s history.
He isn’t the only manager from Gipuzkoa to enjoy success in Spanish football. Jagoba Arrasate, who is currently in charge of the Basque Country national team, led minnows Osasuna to the Copa del Rey final three years ago.
Juan Manuel Lillo, also from Tolosa, is one of the most influential coaches in Spanish football and is considered a tactical mentor to Pep Guardiola. Interestingly, he is the one who replaced Arteta as Manchester City’s assistant coach following the latter’s move to Arsenal.
All these men, from Arteta to Emery to Alonso to others, are united by their roots – not just the geographical aspects, but the cultural ones too. The sense of community that runs through Basque veins, especially in Gipuzkoa, manifests itself in the tactical discipline of these managers. That, precisely, is how a small place in Spain has carved such a big niche in world football.