A former PSG player who has carved out a star coach costume in England, Mauricio Pochettino has been officially appointed coach of Paris-Saint-Germain, replacing German Thomas Tuchel.
Europe 1 portrays the Argentinean in five highlights.
At 48, Mauricio Pochettino, who officially succeeds Thomas Tuchel on the bench of Paris Saint-Germain, already has a great experience as a player and coach behind him.
Above all, one element is in its favor: it is far from unknown to the spectators of the Parc des Princes.
Here are five things to know about the capital club's new coach.
Passed by PSG as a player
A central defender by profession, Pochettino spent two seasons in the Parisian jersey, between 2001 and 2003. Attached to the club, he even wears the captain's armband during the end of his second season.
In all, he played 81 Ligue 1 games with PSG, scoring 5 goals.
However, his record remains blank, having only managed to reach the final of the Coupe de France in 2003, lost to Auxerre (2-1).
Mauricio Pochettino will therefore be the 11th coach to have worn our colors ❤: the former central defender played there between 2001 and 2003, and even wore the captain's armband for 95 games and 6 goals scored.
Welcome home pic.twitter.com/7nsAWqoFCP
- Ricky P #Navas (@RafIcardi_) December 25, 2020
In addition, Mauricio Pochettino leaves an indelible mark in Spain, at the Espanyol club in Barcelona.
He made two stays there, before and after his years in Paris, played more than 300 matches and won two Spanish Cup ("Copa del Rey") with the "Blanquiazules".
Argentine international, he played in the World Cup in South Korea and Japan in 2002.
A fine tactician ... without a record
Pochettino embraced the coaching career in 2009, coaching the team with which he played his last game: Barcelona Espanyol.
He then left for England, first in Southampton and then in London, near Tottenham.
As a coach, he made his mark for 5 years.
The "Spurs" are among the best teams in the Premier League and in Europe.
If his record remains blank as a coach, he reached the final of the Champions League in 2019, lost to Liverpool (2-0), and finished vice-champion of England during the 2016-2017 financial year. .
The romance between the Argentinean and the London club had ended badly.
In November 2019, following a catastrophic start to the season, and in particular a slap received against Bayern Munich in the Champions League (2-7), he was dismissed by the management.
He had been without a club for over a year.
Admirer of Marcelo Bielsa
Another Argentine well known in France, Marcelo Bielsa enjoys the admiration of Pochettino.
The two men have rubbed shoulders on many occasions: Bielsa coached Pochettino at the start of his career at the Argentinian club Newell's Old Boys, then at Espanyol in Barcelona and in Argentina.
The new Parisian coach seems to have borrowed from his elder his extremely hard preparations and his sharp tactical sense.
Mauricio Pochettino on Marcelo Bielsa.
“I love Marcelo Bielsa, he's like my father.
My affection and love for him is unfailing.
He's not my mentor.
When I decided to be a manager, he was one of the coaches who inspired me.
»Pic.twitter.com/f5a0E0Bu6U
- Cultifoot (@Cultifoot) December 24, 2020
Actor and stadium god
During his years in Paris, Pochettino knew how to get out of his comfort zone.
He thus made an appearance in the film "
3 zéros
" where a young Hungarian prodigy embodied by Lorant Deutsch dreams of putting on the jersey of the France team.
In addition to rapper Stomy Bugsy, Pochettino supports his PSG teammates, Ronaldinho and Jay Jay Okocha.
Mauricio Pochettino was already there at the time of Tibor Kovacs, never forget that. # Pochettinopic.twitter.com / rNPmYJPGUA
- Le Colo (@le_colo_) December 24, 2020
We will also note its appearance in its simplest device in the calendar of the Dieux du Stade in 2003, alongside the rugby players of the Stade Français.
A heavy task in Paris
Many supporters and former players of the club in the capital see this arrival positively.
The task promises to be difficult: the Parisians have made a disappointing start to the season, both in the European Cup and in the league.
Pochettino will have to leave his mark on the sometimes stammering game of this reservoir of football stars.
Leader in the locker room as a player, the Argentine will also have a lot to do to manage the egos of Neymar and his accomplices.