Francisco Maturana
Encyclopedia
Francisco Maturana, also known as Pacho (born February 15, 1949 in Quibdó
) is a Colombian ex-football player and later a successful football manager.
. Here he played professional football while attending the University of Antioquia where he later obtained a degree in Dentistry. He began his professional career in 1970 at Atlético Nacional
where he became a starting defender until 1980. During his time in Atlético Nacional
he won two Colombian League Championships in 1973 and 1976. In 1981 he transferred to Atlético Bucaramanga
and also played 6 matches with the Colombian National Team during the qualifying matches for the 1982 World Cup. In 1982 he played his last year with Deportes Tolima
until he retired at the end of the season.
in 1986. The following year the Colombia Football Federation hired him to manage the national team's youth squad and then was quickly promoted to manage the Senior Squad to compete in the 1987 Copa America
where they reached third place by beating the host Argentina. During this time, he was also hired to manage his former team Atlético Nacional
. Then in 1989 he had his most successful year in his career. He led Atlético Nacional
,composed of many Colombian legends, to win the Copa Libertadores for the first time for any Colombian club. Using Atlético Nacional
players as a base for the National Team, he qualified the team to the 1990 World Cup after 28 years of absence. In December, he lost the Intercontinental Cup
to AC Milan at the last minute of overtime. An upset to what would have been the perfect season. The following year he led Colombia to its best perfermance in World Cup competition by reaching the second round and losing to Cameroon.
After the World Cup, he was hired as coach of Spain's Real Valladolid
.
In 1993 he was voted as the South American coach of the year by El Pais and he was ranked third in Spanish Newspaper Marca's list of the worlds greatest managers.
He returned to Colombia in 1992. and got his team América de Cali
champion of Colombia. In 1993 he got Colombia qualified for a second time in a row to a World Cup, with a historic triumph over Argentina in Buenos Aires by 5-0. That score made Colombia a surprising favorite for the 1994 World Cup, but the performance there was disappointing, as the team was eliminated in the first round, being defeated by such teams as the United States and Romania.
He had later a brief stint as coach of Atlético Madrid and in 1995 he was hired as the trainer of Ecuador National Football Team. After failing to get Ecuador qualified for the 1998 FIFA World Cup
, he returned to Colombia to coach Millonarios
.
In 1999 he briefly coached Costa Rica, and in 2000 he also coached for a few months Peru.
He would later return to coach Colombia for the 2001 Copa América, winning it for the first time. His latest jobs as a coach would include Saudi Arabian side Al-Hilal
, where he won the domestic league and the Asian Champions League and a new stint for Colombia and Argentina's Colón de Santa Fe
.
Francisco Maturana is considered to be one of the greatest South American coaches of all time and a legend of the Colombian game.
He worked for FIFA
as a technical adviser where he has hold various coaching seminars around the world with the likes of Fabio Capello and Cesar Menotti.
In April 2007 Maturana accepted an offer from Argentine
Club de Gimnasia y Esgrima La Plata
. He directed his first game on April 22, 2007, the derby against Estudiantes de La Plata
. In August 2007 Maturana ended his relationship with Club de Gimnasia y Esgrima La Plata
As of February 1 he took up the position of Head Coach of Trinidad and Tobago's National Team.
His first game in charge was against Guadeloupe on February 6 at the Queens Park Oval in Trinidad. However on April 8, 2009 Maturana was sacked as manager of Trinidad and Tobago.
Quibdó
Quibdó is the capital city of Chocó Department, in western Colombia. The municipality of Quibdó has an area of 3,337.5 km² and a population of 100,000 mainly consisting of Afro Colombians and Zambo Colombians. Quibdo serves a a receptor for those persons affected by the Colombian armed...
) is a Colombian ex-football player and later a successful football manager.
Player
Born in Quibdó, Chocó, Francisco Maturana moved with his family at an early age to the city of MedellínMedellín
Medellín , officially the Municipio de Medellín or Municipality of Medellín, is the second largest city in Colombia. It is in the Aburrá Valley, one of the more northerly of the Andes in South America. It has a population of 2.3 million...
. Here he played professional football while attending the University of Antioquia where he later obtained a degree in Dentistry. He began his professional career in 1970 at Atlético Nacional
Atlético Nacional
Corporación Deportiva Atlético Nacional is a Colombian football team based in Medellín. They play their home games at the Estadio Atanasio Girardot stadium which also serves as home to Deportivo Independiente Medellín...
where he became a starting defender until 1980. During his time in Atlético Nacional
Atlético Nacional
Corporación Deportiva Atlético Nacional is a Colombian football team based in Medellín. They play their home games at the Estadio Atanasio Girardot stadium which also serves as home to Deportivo Independiente Medellín...
he won two Colombian League Championships in 1973 and 1976. In 1981 he transferred to Atlético Bucaramanga
Atlético Bucaramanga
Club Atlético Bucaramanga Corporacion Deportiva, known simply as Atlético Bucaramanga, is a Colombian football club based in the city of Bucaramanga. The club was founded in 1949...
and also played 6 matches with the Colombian National Team during the qualifying matches for the 1982 World Cup. In 1982 he played his last year with Deportes Tolima
Deportes Tolima
Deportes Tolima, is a Colombian football club based in the city of Ibagué. The club was founded December 18, 1954 and play their home games at the Manuel Murillo Toro stadium, which has a capacity of 30,000.-Foundation:...
until he retired at the end of the season.
Manager
By motivation from Uruguyans Aníbal Ruíz and Luis Cubilla, he started managing Colombian team Once CaldasOnce Caldas
Corporación Deportiva Once Caldas is a Colombian association football team, based in Manizales. They were the surprise winners of Copa Libertadores de América in 2004, mainly due to the performances of Juan Carlos Henao and Jhon Viáfara...
in 1986. The following year the Colombia Football Federation hired him to manage the national team's youth squad and then was quickly promoted to manage the Senior Squad to compete in the 1987 Copa America
Copa América
The Copa América —previously known as South American Championship—is an international football competition contested between the men's national teams of CONMEBOL, the sport's continental governing body...
where they reached third place by beating the host Argentina. During this time, he was also hired to manage his former team Atlético Nacional
Atlético Nacional
Corporación Deportiva Atlético Nacional is a Colombian football team based in Medellín. They play their home games at the Estadio Atanasio Girardot stadium which also serves as home to Deportivo Independiente Medellín...
. Then in 1989 he had his most successful year in his career. He led Atlético Nacional
Atlético Nacional
Corporación Deportiva Atlético Nacional is a Colombian football team based in Medellín. They play their home games at the Estadio Atanasio Girardot stadium which also serves as home to Deportivo Independiente Medellín...
,composed of many Colombian legends, to win the Copa Libertadores for the first time for any Colombian club. Using Atlético Nacional
Atlético Nacional
Corporación Deportiva Atlético Nacional is a Colombian football team based in Medellín. They play their home games at the Estadio Atanasio Girardot stadium which also serves as home to Deportivo Independiente Medellín...
players as a base for the National Team, he qualified the team to the 1990 World Cup after 28 years of absence. In December, he lost the Intercontinental Cup
Intercontinental Cup (football)
The European/South American Cup, commonly referred to as the World Club Championship, Intercontinental Cup or Toyota Cup, was a football competition endorsed by UEFA and CONMEBOL, contested between the winners of the European Cup and the South American Copa Libertadores...
to AC Milan at the last minute of overtime. An upset to what would have been the perfect season. The following year he led Colombia to its best perfermance in World Cup competition by reaching the second round and losing to Cameroon.
After the World Cup, he was hired as coach of Spain's Real Valladolid
Real Valladolid
Real Valladolid Club de Fútbol, S.A.D. is a Spanish football club based in Valladolid, in the autonomous community of Castile and León, from where the nickname Pucela is derived....
.
In 1993 he was voted as the South American coach of the year by El Pais and he was ranked third in Spanish Newspaper Marca's list of the worlds greatest managers.
He returned to Colombia in 1992. and got his team América de Cali
América de Cali
Corporación Deportiva América, commonly known as América de Cali or simply América is a Colombian football club based in Cali. They currently play in the Categoría Primera A, the top-flight professional league in the country....
champion of Colombia. In 1993 he got Colombia qualified for a second time in a row to a World Cup, with a historic triumph over Argentina in Buenos Aires by 5-0. That score made Colombia a surprising favorite for the 1994 World Cup, but the performance there was disappointing, as the team was eliminated in the first round, being defeated by such teams as the United States and Romania.
He had later a brief stint as coach of Atlético Madrid and in 1995 he was hired as the trainer of Ecuador National Football Team. After failing to get Ecuador qualified for the 1998 FIFA World Cup
1998 FIFA World Cup
The 1998 FIFA World Cup, the 16th FIFA World Cup, was held in France from 10 June to 12 July 1998. France was chosen as host nation by FIFA on 2 July 1992. The tournament was won by France, who beat Brazil 3-0 in the final...
, he returned to Colombia to coach Millonarios
Millonarios
Millonarios Fútbol Club is a Colombian football club based in Bogotá. As of 2011, Millonarios shares with rivals América de Cali the most Fútbol Profesional Colombiano championships, 13 in total, although Millonarios haven't won this tournament since 1988. They are also the third Colombian team to...
.
In 1999 he briefly coached Costa Rica, and in 2000 he also coached for a few months Peru.
He would later return to coach Colombia for the 2001 Copa América, winning it for the first time. His latest jobs as a coach would include Saudi Arabian side Al-Hilal
Al-Hilal
Al-Hilal Saudi Football Club , also known simply as Al-Hilal, is a Saudi Arabian sports club based in the country's capital of Riyadh and best known for its professional football team, known as Al-Hilal Saudi Football Club...
, where he won the domestic league and the Asian Champions League and a new stint for Colombia and Argentina's Colón de Santa Fe
Colón de Santa Fe
Club Atlético Colón, commonly referred to as Colón de Santa Fe, is a football team from Santa Fe, Argentina. As of Primera División Argentina 1946 the football squad plays in the highest division of Argentine football, and has done so continuously since 1995-96...
.
Francisco Maturana is considered to be one of the greatest South American coaches of all time and a legend of the Colombian game.
He worked for FIFA
FIFA
The Fédération Internationale de Football Association , commonly known by the acronym FIFA , is the international governing body of :association football, futsal and beach football. Its headquarters are located in Zurich, Switzerland, and its president is Sepp Blatter, who is in his fourth...
as a technical adviser where he has hold various coaching seminars around the world with the likes of Fabio Capello and Cesar Menotti.
In April 2007 Maturana accepted an offer from Argentine
Argentina
Argentina , officially the Argentine Republic , is the second largest country in South America by land area, after Brazil. It is constituted as a federation of 23 provinces and an autonomous city, Buenos Aires...
Club de Gimnasia y Esgrima La Plata
Club de Gimnasia y Esgrima La Plata
Club de Gimnasia y Esgrima La Plata Gimnasia y Esgrima was promoted to the first division after becoming champions of the División Intermedia of Argentine football in 1915. Later, in 1929, the club would become champions of the Primera División...
. He directed his first game on April 22, 2007, the derby against Estudiantes de La Plata
Estudiantes de La Plata
Club Estudiantes de La Plata , simply referred to as Estudiantes, is an Argentine professional sports club based in La Plata. The club's football team currently competes in the Primera División, where it has spent most of its history....
. In August 2007 Maturana ended his relationship with Club de Gimnasia y Esgrima La Plata
Club de Gimnasia y Esgrima La Plata
Club de Gimnasia y Esgrima La Plata Gimnasia y Esgrima was promoted to the first division after becoming champions of the División Intermedia of Argentine football in 1915. Later, in 1929, the club would become champions of the Primera División...
As of February 1 he took up the position of Head Coach of Trinidad and Tobago's National Team.
His first game in charge was against Guadeloupe on February 6 at the Queens Park Oval in Trinidad. However on April 8, 2009 Maturana was sacked as manager of Trinidad and Tobago.
Manager
- Copa Libertadores (1): 1989 with Atlético NacionalAtlético NacionalCorporación Deportiva Atlético Nacional is a Colombian football team based in Medellín. They play their home games at the Estadio Atanasio Girardot stadium which also serves as home to Deportivo Independiente Medellín...
- Copa Mustang (1): 1992 with América de CaliAmérica de CaliCorporación Deportiva América, commonly known as América de Cali or simply América is a Colombian football club based in Cali. They currently play in the Categoría Primera A, the top-flight professional league in the country....
- Copa AmericaCopa AméricaThe Copa América —previously known as South American Championship—is an international football competition contested between the men's national teams of CONMEBOL, the sport's continental governing body...
(1): 2001 with ColombiaColombia national football teamThe Colombian national football team represents Colombia in international football competitions and is controlled by the Colombian Football Federation. It is a member of the CONMEBOL... - Saudi Premier LeagueSaudi Premier LeagueThe Saudi Professional League, officially known as , is the main football competition in Saudi Arabia. The first competition was held in the year of 1976–77...
(1): 2002 with Al-HilalAl-HilalAl-Hilal Saudi Football Club , also known simply as Al-Hilal, is a Saudi Arabian sports club based in the country's capital of Riyadh and best known for its professional football team, known as Al-Hilal Saudi Football Club... - World Cup Qualification (2): 1990, 1994 World Cup with ColombiaColombia national football teamThe Colombian national football team represents Colombia in international football competitions and is controlled by the Colombian Football Federation. It is a member of the CONMEBOL...