River Plate announces return of Marcelo Gallardo

Marcelo Gallardo, the greatest manager in the history of River Plate, is back after a frustrating stint at Al-Ittihad.

Marcelo Gallardo was dismissed from Al-Ittihad in early May, but due to a stalemate in finalizing his termination, the coach managed the team for the last three matches in the Saudi Championship and was officially dismissed in early July.

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Gallardo’s Brilliant History at River Plate

Marcelo Gallardo’s journey with River Plate began in his early career as a player. He was developed by the club and played over 305 matches wearing the Millonarios jersey.

He started as a professional in the 1992-1993 season, winning several important titles, such as three Apertura Tournaments (93, 94, and 96), one Clausura Tournament (1997), and a Copa Libertadores in 1996.

His first successful spell with Los Millonarios lasted until the 1998-99 season. By then, he had played 162 official matches, scoring 27 goals.

Photo: Getty Images

He then moved to Monaco, and in his second season (1999–00), he won the French League title, being named the player of the year. The star-studded team included names like Fabien Barthez, Willy Sagnol, Christian Panucci, David Trezeguet, Rafa Márquez, and John Arne Riise.

In the 2000-01 season, he was unhappy with manager Didier Deschamps, as he spent half of the games on the bench. At the end of the season, he left Monaco and returned to River Plate.

He came back as captain with a contract valid until the end of the 2005–06 season and won the Clausura Tournament in 2004.

He played for Paris Saint-Germain and DC United before having his third stint with the Millonarios in 2009, finally ending his cycle as a player with his beloved club in 2010.

He finished his playing career at Nacional, winning the Uruguayan Championship in 2011. In the same year, he began his managerial career, also at Nacional, where El Muñeco maintained the team’s good performance and lifted his first trophy as a manager in the same season, becoming the Uruguayan Championship winner. After the triumph, however, Gallardo announced in June 2012 that he would not manage Nacional in the next season, leaving the team due to family issues.

In June 2014, he started his new cycle with River Plate, this time becoming the greatest manager in the club’s history. In his debut year, he won the Copa Sudamericana, and at the beginning of 2015, he also won the Recopa Sudamericana.

In 2015, River Plate advanced from the group stage with only 7 points but ended up as champions, beating Tigres 3-0 in the final.

In the following years, Gallardo’s River Plate reached the semifinals between 2015 and 2020, equaling Peñarol’s historic record. In 2018, he won the Libertadores against his biggest rival, Boca Juniors, with a 2-2 draw in the first leg at La Bombonera and a 3-1 victory in extra time (1-1 in regulation time) at Santiago Bernabéu.

Photo: Reuters

His last major title with River Plate was the 2020-21 Argentine Championship. In total, he lifted 14 trophies with the Millonarios, further cementing his name in the club’s history.

At the end of 2022, he left River Plate, and in November 2023, he signed with Al-Ittihad.

Disappointing Spell at Al-Ittihad

The wealthy Al-Ittihad, with its ambitious project of signing global football stars like Benzema, Kanté, and others, hired Marcelo Gallardo as the head coach.

The first major challenge was the 2023 Club World Cup. However, Al-Ittihad was eliminated in their second match, losing 3-1 to Al Ahly and saying goodbye to the competition.

Poor performance in the Saudi Championship, finishing only in 5th place, and clashes with Benzema, the team’s star, were factors in his dismissal.

Gallardo was dismissed in May, but due to disagreements over the compensation for him and his coaching staff, he managed the team for the last three matches in the Saudi Championship and was officially dismissed in early July.

Al-Ittihad stated that Gallardo was fired for requesting Benzema’s departure. Louay Nazer, the Saudi club’s president, considered the Argentine coach’s stance unacceptable and said the forward “is an essential part of Saudi Arabia’s and the club’s project.”

Photo: Stringer / Reuters

Gallardo Back to River Plate

River Plate secured Gallardo’s return, and the coach signed until the end of 2025.

— We have to regain the response of a very good team, to feel confident and start playing important matches like next Saturday against Huracán, which will be a good measure for the Libertadores. The main objective is the Copa Libertadores — said Gallardo.

 

Written by Henry Miller.