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The former Argentine international has established himself as one of the best young coaches in South America and will now try his luck in MLS.
Atlanta United has confirmed that Gabriel Heinze will be the club’s new manager.
The 42-year-old Argentine signed a two-year contract with the MLS team, which he joined after spending two and a half seasons in charge of Velez Sarsfield.
After a playing career that saw him represent Manchester United, Real Madrid and Paris Saint-Germain among others, Heinze retired in 2014 and began a coaching career.
After a brief stint in charge of Godoy Cruz, Heinze took over Argentinos Juniors and led the club to promotion to the second division before taking over at Velez Sarsfield.
“We widely sought this important recruitment, and Gabriel quickly emerged as the number one candidate,” Atlanta United president Darren Eales said in a club statement.
“Gabriel is one of the best coaches in South American soccer and we are delighted that he chose Atlanta United. While his resume speaks for itself, Gabriel’s playing philosophy and commitment to youth development align closely with our ideas at Atlanta United, and we are happy to welcome him as we move into the next chapter of our club. “
Atlanta United fired Frank de Boer in July after a season and a half in charge, replacing the Dutchman with Stephen Glass on an interim basis. Heinze will be the club’s third full-time head coach, as his Argentine compatriot, Gerardo “Tata” Martino, led the club to the MLS Cup in 2018 before leaving to take over the Mexico national team.
“I am excited to take on this new challenge with Atlanta United,” said Heinze. “I think my football philosophy is aligned with the vision of the club and its structure and facilities are world class. I can’t wait to meet the players, staff and fans and get down to business in 2021. “
Heinze will be tasked with helping the club rebound from a difficult 2020 campaign that saw them finish 12th in the Eastern Conference and miss the playoffs.
“Since we launched Atlanta United, our goal has been clear: to play an aggressive, attacking-minded style of play,” said manager Carlos Bocanegra. “Gabriel fits that mold and has a dynamic playing style that aligns with our club’s identity, which is what we were specifically looking for in our next head coach.
“We are excited to bring him to Atlanta and get to work on a promising 2021 season.”
