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Sat 20 November 2021 | 11:30

Top facts about Jorge Sampaoli, the lice slide

Marseille’s decision to hire Jorge Sampaoli was a bold one and it is the second time that the Argentine tactician has taken a job in Europe and the first, a single season with Sevilla, wasn’t deemed a success. Read on to find out more facts about Jorge Sampaoli, the former Argentina and Chile coach.

Jorge Luis Sampaoli Moya (born March 13, 1960) is an Argentine football coach who now serves as the head coach of Ligue 1 team Marseille. Sampaoli began his career as a young player before switching to management after a serious injury.

Jorge Sampaoli’s age

is 61. Here you can find the most important facts about Jorge Sampaoli, the most inked manager.

Sampaoli won three league championships and the Copa Sudamericana trophy as the head coach of Universidad de Chile. As a result of his achievements, he was appointed as the new coach of the Chilean men's national team in 2012, succeeding Claudio Borghi.

After beating Argentina in the 2015 Copa América final in

Chile

, he guided the Chilean national football team to their first Copa América victory. According to the press and fans, he is well-known for his aggressive tactics, which are comparable to those of Marcelo Bielsa. Sampaoli signed a two-year deal with Sevilla on June 28, 2016.

After just a year in Spain, where he led Sevilla to fourth place in La Liga and guaranteed Champions League participation the next season, Sampaoli moved to Argentina to coach the national team, which he left by mutual agreement after a dismal performance in the 2018 FIFA World Cup.

In 2019, he committed to manage Brazilian club Santos for a year, during which time he led the team to second place in the league. He returned to managing in European football in March 2021, when he was named as the manager of Marseille, a French club.

Top facts about Jorge Sampaoli:

An important

fact about Jorge Sampaoli

is that he joined Newell's Old Boys 16 years before El Pibe de Oro, playing for their junior teams between 1977 and 1979, but Tobogan de piojos - as he was nicknamed due to his early baldness - had to withdraw due to injury at the age of 19.

Jorge Sampaoli early life

Sampaoli was born in Casilda, a tiny hamlet in Argentina's Santa Fe Province's Caseros Department. Speaking about

Jorge Sampaoli’s childhood

, it should be mentioned that he was a football fanatic in his childhood, playing for amateur clubs in his neighborhood league.

Jorge Sampaoli’s parents

are Rodalgo Sampaoli and Odila Moya.

Because of his early baldness, he was given the nickname "Tobogan de Piojos" (which roughly translates as "lice slide"). He sustained a tibia and fibula injury while with the club in 1979, causing him to retire from professional football at the age of 19.

Jorge Sampaoli personal life

Jorge Sampaoli is a family guy who had previously been married to Anala Sampaolese. In February 1985, they tied the knot.

He and his wife have two children: Alejandro Sampaoli, a boy, and Sabrina Sampaoli, a daughter. Later, the two separated ways.

Benicio is the name of his lovely daughter, who is already married. She is the proud owner of a large gym.

Jorge Sampaoli professional career

Jorge Sampaoli started out as a youth player and eventually switched to management after a severe injury. He had a severe leg injury that forced him to retire from football at the very young age of nineteen. Sampaoli also suffered from a tibia and fibula injury at a surprisingly young age.

Later, he started with an exciting managerial run to Coronel Bolognesi of Peru in 2004 and resumed with brief but victorious terms at O’Higgins of Chile and Ecuador’s Emelec.

Jorge Sampaoli coaching career

A notable fact about Jorge Sampaoli is that he took over as temporary coach for local club Club Atlético Alumni in October 1991, while manager Mario Bonavera was out on a personal vacation.

He was already working as a fitness teacher in addition to being a defensive midfielder throughout the season. In the following year, he was promoted to manager of the club's youth program, although he didn't resign until 1993.

Alumni de Casilda

In 1994, he was chosen manager of the first squad, and he led the team to the Liga Casildense de Ftbol finals, where they were defeated by CA 9 de Julio de Arequito. He reached the finals again the following season, but was defeated by the same team.

Belgrano de Arequito

For the 1996 season, Sampaoli took over as coach of 9 Julio's opponents, CA Belgrano de Arequito, and led them to the league championship.

Argentino de Rosario

An important

fact about Jorge Sampaoli

is that he was recruited by Primera B Metropolitana team Argentino de Rosario in May of that year, and finished the season in 13th place. After that, he went back to Alumni and Belgrano before taking over CA Aprendices Casildenses in 1999, when he won two Liga Casildense championships in a row.

After a brief comeback to Argentino de Rosario the previous year, Sampaoli returned to Alumni for a third time in 2001. Despite reaching the Liga Casildense finals, he was defeated by old club Aprendices.

Juan Aurich

A notable fact about Jorge Sampaoli is that he was named coach of Peruvian Primera División team Juan Aurich on January 9, 2002; it was his first professional club.

On February 24, he supervised his first professional game, a 2–1 loss to Universitario after they had led the whole game thanks to a penalty scored by Carlos Flores (66th minute).

In Juan Aurich, Sampaoli had a bad run, directing just eight games, five of which the squad lost and two of which they drew with Coopsol Trujillo and Alianza Lima. With goals from César Sánchez and Flores, the club defeated Cienciano 2–0. Aurich was at the bottom of the standings when he departed the club in April.

Sport Boys

A notable fact about Jorge Sampaoli is that he was appointed by Sport Boys in June to coach the squad in the Torneo Descentralizado, and he made his debut with a 3–1 defeat against Coopsol.

His team finished sixth in the competition, with victories against Alianza (1–0 with an Alfredo Carmona goal) and Universitario (2–0 at Estadio Monumental with goals by Paolo de la Haza and Carmona). After a player's strike in the 2003 Torneo Descentralizado, he quit the club.

Coronel Bolognesi

An important

fact about Jorge Sampaoli

is that he replaced Roberto Mosquera as coach of fellow top-tier side Coronel Bolognesi in 2004.

He had an erratic start there, but was soon able to guide the squad to a fifth-place finish in the Apertura during the Peruvian Descentralizado in 2005, and then to a third-place finish in the Clausura the following year, bringing the club to their first international tournament.

In December 2005, Sampaoli chose to quit the club, but he returned on June 27, 2006, to replace compatriot Ral Donsanti.

His team finished third in the national league after competing in both the Clausura and the Sudamericana tournaments in 2006.

Sporting Cristal
Sporting Cristal

signed Sampaoli as their head coach in 2007. His stint at Cristal, on the other hand, was a disappointment, with just five victories in 18 games. In May of that year, he was fired from the "Celestes," therefore terminating his coaching career in Peru.

O'Higgins

On the 12th of December 2007, Sampaoli landed in Chile to replace Jorge Garcés at O'Higgins. The squad proved difficult to break for stronger Chilean clubs in 2008, finishing third in the Apertura. In the quarterfinals of the playoffs, they were ousted by superpower Universidad de Chile.

The next year was a difficult one for Sampaoli, as "La Celeste" had an uneven season, finishing in 8th place and, although qualifying for the 2009 Apertura Playoffs, being crushed 6–1 by Unión Espaola in the second leg of the quarterfinals. Geraldo Silva took his position when he resigned in August 2009.

Emelec

Sampaoli was appointed Emelec coach for the next season on December 18, 2009. The team competed in the 2010 Copa Libertadores, but was eliminated in the group stage.

However, they had an impressive run in the local competition, finishing first in the first stage of the 2010 tournament and earning a spot in the 2010 Copa Sudamericana and 2011 Copa Libertadores preliminary stages.

That year, Emelec met Liga de Quito, who had finished top in the second part of the year, but had lost.

Universidad de Chile

A notable fact about Jorge Sampaoli is that he was introduced as the new coach of Universidad de Chile on December 15, 2010. He had a successful season with the team, winning the 2011 Apertura, 2011 Clausura, 2012 Apertura, and 2011 Copa Sudamericana. With 80 victories in 135 games, he departed the club after accepting an offer from the national squad.

National team of Chile

After a good spell with La U, Chile's Asociación Nacional de Ftbol Profesional announced on December 3, 2012 that Sampaoli will take over as coach of the national squad.

Chile won three of their first four World Cup qualifiers following his hiring, resulting in a dramatic change in performance and results.

Chile resorted to Marcelo Bielsa's dynamic, high-pressing style under Sampaoli, the Argentinian coach who influenced Sampaoli's coaching philosophy. Chile won the 2015 Copa America, the country's first major title, under Sampaoli's leadership.

He was selected to the final three-man shortlist for the 2015 FIFA World Coach of the Year award on November 30, with Spaniards

Pep Guardiola

(Bayern Munich) and

Luis Enrique

(Barcelona).

After apparently having disagreements with Arturo Salah, the newly elected president of the ANFP, Sampaoli quit as Chile's coach on January 19, 2016.

Sevilla

Sevilla FC announced on June 27, 2016, that Sampaoli will take over the team for a two-year period. His team defeated Zinedine Zidane's Real Madrid 2–1 on January 15, 2017, snapping their 40-match undefeated streak.

Argentina

The Argentine Football Association confirmed Sampaoli's appointment as the next national team coach on May 20, 2017. On June 1, 2017, he was formally introduced. Argentina won 1–0 in a friendly match against

Brazil

on June 9 in Australia, Sampaoli's first game in command.

Argentina, on the other hand, struggled in the qualifications, and it needed a hat trick from Lionel Messi against Ecuador to ensure qualification for the 2018 FIFA World Cup.

On May 14, 2018, Sampaoli named a preliminary 35-man roster for the 2018 World Cup. On May 21, 2018, he revealed the final lineup.

Argentina lost 1–1 with Iceland in their first World Cup group encounter, a disappointing performance that garnered criticism from former Argentina captain and Coach

Diego Maradona

.

Argentina's second group encounter ended in a 0–3 defeat to Croatia owing to "an exposed defense, an overrun midfield, and a blunted attack," putting them on the verge of elimination and prompting unverified rumours that Sampaoli would be fired.

Senior players like Lionel Messi and Javier Mascherano addressed Sampaoli and his assistants in the dressing room, as well as addressing officials of the Argentine FA to express their concerns, and there were even reports that Messi was engaged in squad selection, undermining Sampaoli's authority.

Despite a variety of attacking options, the defense was terrible in his 13th game in charge, in which he employed 13 lineups and a total of 59 players and despite a variety of offensive options, the defense was weak.

Argentina advanced to the knockout round after defeating

Nigeria

2–1 in the final group encounter. Sampaoli stayed in charge. Argentina was eliminated from the competition after losing 4–3 against France in the round of 16.

The Argentine Football Association confirmed on July 15, 2018, that Sampaoli has resigned as national coach by mutual agreement.

Santos

Santos FC confirmed on December 13, 2018, that Sampaoli has achieved a "in principle agreement" to become the club's coach for the 2019 season. On the 17th of December, he signed a two-year deal and was introduced the next day.

During his stay at the club, Sampaoli was lauded by the media, particularly for the attacking football he played. Despite being eliminated from the Campeonato Paulista and Copa Sudamericana that year, he led the team to second place in Série A. On December 9, 2019, Sampaoli resigned, and Santos confirmed the coach's resignation the next day.

Atlético Mineiro

A notable fact about Jorge Sampaoli is that he became the manager of Atlético Mineiro on March 1, 2020. Sampaoli asked that his contract be terminated at the conclusion of the 2020 season on February 22, 2021. On the same day, Atlético Mineiro stated that Sampaoli's contract had been terminated.

Marseille
Olympique de Marseille

, a Ligue 1 team, confirmed Sampaoli as their coach till June 2023 on February 26, 2021. Andre Villas-Boas was his predecessor.

Jorge Sampaoli coaching style

In March 2021, at the age of 60, the esteemed Jorge Sampaoli won a comeback to European football as the replacement to André Villas-Boas at Olympique de Marseille.

He is another follower of the revered Marcelo Bielsa, who constructed the most thrilling of teams at Marseille in 2014/15 before succeeding Unai Emery at Sevilla and then trying to manage

Argentina

, his national team.

"Flexibility is one of a coach's finest traits, not falling in love with their own ideas," Bielsa, a fan of his colleague, stated. "I don't back down from my beliefs, and that isn't a virtue - it's a fault." Sampaoli, unlike me, is willing to compromise because he has the ability to adapt. That clearly distinguishes him from me."

An important fact about Jorge Sampaoli is that he is an attack-minded coach whose sides have played against a range of formations. Those teams try to attack on a frequent basis and defend from as high up the field as feasible. They also have a lot of rotations and motions, and they want to stay in the attacking half as long as possible.

In Sampaoli's method, there is a readiness to adapt as well as a long-term inclination to organize teams in a 4-3-3 formation. That knowledge of the need to adapt has also contributed to the usage of a back three, such as in Chile's 3-5-2 formation at the 2014 World Cup, when he recognised the advantages of expanding their numbers in midfield for both attacking and defensive transitions.

When he was in charge of Argentina, he used a 4-2-3-1 formation in which the three behind his striker stayed in tight positions to prioritize attacking via the three center channels; similar ideas were used with their 3-4-2-1 formation.

While his playing ideas were retained, Santos also experimented with a 4-2-3-1, 3-4-3, and 3-5-2, and Atlético Mineiro used the same 3-4-3, especially when an overload was desired in midfield.

Such concepts are guided by a possession-based strategy, which means Sampaoli's sides are constructed to control the ball and include players who commit to advanced positions and, as a result, regularly urge the ball to be passed forward.

When facing a high press, his midfielders typically work on various lines to open up more passing lanes and allow the initial line of the press to be passed through.

When required, his goalie contributes to overloads in the same manner as a defensive midfielder may recede into a deeper position to do so, frequently forming a diamond structure with that goalkeeper and two central defenders. Even though they like to play penetrative passes into the more central sections of the ground, they can still build around opponents with their full-backs spread wide.

Everson Felipe, the goalie for Santos, was the basis of the diamond, contributing with an outstanding diversity of passes into either the two center defenders or the defensive midfielder in front of him, who formed the diamond's summit.

Because of his defensive midfielder's stance, he became a vital connection between their offensive midfielders, who often stayed advanced, giving him more time and space and perhaps allowing him to play with one less marker. Bielsa's midfielders have a comparable space between them.

If their opponents choose to defend with a mid-block, Sampaoli's sides try to widen the gaps between the lines. Chile did so especially well with a 3-4-3 formation in which Gary Medel, Marcelo Daz, and Francisco Silva comprised the back three, allowing the midfield to extend the game by making frequent runs in behind.

Possession was cycled quickly across the defense to lure opponents to one side of the field and therefore provide the opportunity for play to be shifted.

Between Mauricio Isla and Jean Beausejour, who did the same from wide areas to assist Chile's front three, Charles Aránguiz and Arturo Vidal offered forward runs from central midfield. Further threats were presented behind their opposition midfield, with Aránguiz functioning similarly to a pivot and providing the connection from those in defense, and Vidal moving to a more advanced position.

Argentina faced low defensive blocks on a frequent basis, putting more attention on them to create overloads — notably between the lines.

To that end, their central defenders advanced into midfield to draw their opponents' midfielders out of position and thus create suitable spaces to play through to the talented, creative players in front of them, as well as to provide time and space for their deepest-lying midfielder to play through.

Because the low blocks reduced the attacking spaces available and thus their opportunities to make behind-the-back runs, Sampaoli instructed his players to provide more, short passing options within the block, to the point where the in-possession player had multiple teammates supporting him through the three central lanes.

Their offensive midfielders rotated often without abandoning the ability to connect with one another via rapid passing combinations, and they were backed up by those who stayed wide and sent crosses into the penalty area following changes of play.

Atlético Mineiro used comparable offensive formations against lesser blocks, but a greater emphasis on broader combinations – producing more opportunities from the outside of their opponents' block – and their wide midfielders and full-backs were both creative and goalscoring threats.

Their central midfielders' movements and positioning were centered on assisting the ball carrier, and they took more risky forward runs than Argentina's, with the goal of attacking crosses, cut-backs, and through balls delivered from the wider areas of the pitch – at least one of those central midfielders would also try to penetrate into the area.

Sampaoli's sides had variation in their formations and the emphasis of their attacks, but it was a variety based on his taste for offensive football based on efficient off-the-ball positions and numbers in the final third.

Because Sampaoli prefers a possession-based style of play, his defensive systems emphasize an aggressive press and early regains. His teams often push in advanced territory and, as a result, give up ground grudgingly.

Whereas another coach's aim during spells without the ball could be to avoid conceding, Sampaoli's priority is to recover the ball as fast as possible in the hopes of launching another assault, even if the reality of not always being able to press entailed the employment of a mid-block on occasion.

The majority of Argentinian teams press outwards in an effort to lock the ball to one side of the field, and those in the center will aggressively go over to assist that press, preventing changes of play.

Sevilla

were especially good at it because to their 3-4-3 formation, which brought them into such advanced territory on a regular basis.

Wissam Ben Yedder triggered the first line of Sevilla's press in the direction of the initial pass, and from that pressing trigger, adjustable moves were made from the second line, where Franco Vázquez and Samir Nasri's defensive block may have narrowed the gaps available for central passes.

When the ball was driven wide, Pablo Sarabia and Vitolo were the most usual players to go wide, and they were sometimes assisted by the full-backs behind them.

Jorge Sampaoli quotes on Messi

Former Argentina manager, Jorge Sampaoli, once blamed

Lionel Messi

's struggles with the team and his poor performance for his homeland, "I coached the best player in the world, I don't [know] if he's the best in history, because he now has more than 600 goals in Europe, he's broken all the records, but he arrives in his country and he's criticised.

"Beyond his ability, he's a human being, Argentinians struggle to enjoy Messi as Barcelona fans enjoy him.

"The boy suffers a lot, from what I've gone through, he suffers that reality a lot.

"He cannot show the world all that he is when plays for Argentina.

"[Argentine] society enjoys destroying things much more than it enjoys success."

Some quick facts about Jorge Sampaoli:

Sampaoli was born in 1960 in Casilda, a tiny hamlet in Argentina's Santa Fe region, the same year as Diego Maradona. Sampaoli, like his compatriot, was always enthusiastic about football, but unlike the man who would go on to become a national hero and cultural icon as a result of his achievements in the sport, Sampaoli was never able to go above the level of a youth team.

A noticeable fact about Jorge Sampaoli is that he began his coaching career in Peru with Coronel Bolognesi in 2004, and went on to have short but fruitful stints with O'Higgins in Chile and Emelec in Ecuador.

With a top-level playing career no longer a possibility, Sampaoli worked as a banker and a physical trainer, but he never gave up on his dream of making a living through football, and in 1991, when Mario Bonavera, the manager of local team Alumni de Casilda, was ill, Sampaoli got his first taste of coaching. He took advantage of the situation.

Sampaoli spent the following decade bouncing about Argentine football's lesser echelons before launching his career farther abroad. He spent four years in Peru and two in Chile before joining Emelec in Ecuador for two seasons, but it wasn't until he returned to Chile in 2010 with Universidad de Chile that things really started to take off.

The continental triple of Apertura, Clausura, and Copa Sudamericana was completed before the end of 2011 - a first in Chilean football history - and the following season, Sampaoli led los Azules to the Copa Libertadores semi-finals, where they were defeated by Boca Juniors. The Chilean Football Association had had enough and appointed him to the national squad at the end of 2012.

It would be an understatement to claim Sampaoli was a triumph as Chile manager between 2012 and 2016. Despite having a golden age of players like as Alexis Sanchez,

Arturo Vidal

, Gary Medel, and Carlos Bravo, La Roja had been struggling before his hiring, with qualifying for the 2014 FIFA World Cup in Brazil hanging in the balance.

But he took those elite players and put them together in a high-pressing 3-3-1-3 style, guiding the team to three victories in their following four qualifiers and, eventually, a spot in the Finals competition in Brazil. Chile then defeated incumbent champions Spain on route to the final 16, when they were eliminated by the host country on penalties.

Chile, on the other hand, was unstoppable at home the next summer. On their path to a Copa America final encounter with Lionel Messi's Argentina, Sampaoli's team defeated Ecuador, Bolivia, Uruguay, and Peru. Chile won their first major prize with a penalty shoot-out triumph after a goalless draw in Santiago, disappointing Maradona's heir and Sampaoli's homeland.

A notable fact about Jorge Sampaoli is that he stepped down in January 2016 with the best victory percentage of any coach in Chilean history (69.8%).

He may have brought Chilean football unparalleled success at club and national level, as well as ending Zinedine Zidane's 40-game undefeated record as Real Madrid manager in a single season with Sevilla, but there has also been some turbulence.

His time as Argentina's manager came to an end during the 2018 World Cup in Russia, when the Albiceleste were eliminated in the last 16 by

France

, prompting both Messi and Maradona to openly criticize him.

Between then and now, Sampaoli has spent time in Brazil with Santos and Atletico Mineiro, and despite acceptable league finishes, there is a sense that he still has much to show at the 10-time French champions.

According to a writer, “sporting as he (Sampaoli) does two full sleeves of very heavy, dark tattoos. Interestingly, though, they’re a very new addition: as recently as 2016, when in charge of the Chilean national team, he had nary a Celtic cross to speak of. He’s 61 now, so therefore embarked on his ink odyssey after turning 56.

“We thought we’d missed the deadline for a midlife crisis, but Sampaoli has given us fresh hope.”

Jorge Sampaoli social media

Regarding

Jorge Sampaoli social media

, it should be mentioned that he has an Instagram page (

@sampaolioficial

) with 199k followers. In the page we can see various pictures of him with the fans and his family.

Jorge Sampaoli body measurements

Speaking about

Jorge Sampaoli body measurements

, it should be mentioned that the coach is 172cm and 75kg. He has a short stature but with muscled arms.

Jorge Sampaoli net worth and salary

Jorge used to have a two-year deal with Sevilla. After spending just a year in Spain, guiding Sevilla to fourth place in La Liga and qualifying for the Champions League the following season, Sampaoli left the club to manage Argentina's national team.

Sampaoli's football career is the most important source of money for him, since he has not revealed any information about his other sources of revenue. Argentina's national team just paid this soccer coach $1.7 million per year.

In addition, during the 2014 FIFA World Cup, the Chilean National Team awarded him $1.7 million. In 2021,

Jorge Sampaoli’s net worth

is estimated to be around $11 million.

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