Argentine coach Ricardo Gareca became the new Chilean coach this Wednesday and will be unveiled this Thursday, as sources close to the Chilean Football Federation (FFCh) told EFE Agency.
Gareca, 65 years old, He came to the Chile team after directing the Peru team and changing position to Argentine Eduardo Berizzo, who resigned in November at the end of Chile’s goalless draw at home to Paraguay in the South American qualifiers for the 2026 World Cup.
Announcement pending
The appointment was expected since December passed after the report of the Chilean press that both parties reached an agreement, after a meeting in Buenos Aires, but for it to be finalized, the Argentine coach has to resolve the previous contractual issues in Peru.
Gareca’s seven-year cycle with the Peru team It was one of the most successful experiences of his career, as he managed to qualify for the World Cup after a 36-year absence thanks to his play-off victory against New Zealand to win a ticket to Russia 2018.
The coach of Argentina He will have a contract until the end of the South American qualifiers for the 2026 World Cup which, according to the Chilean press, is about 2.8 million dollars annually.
As EFE Agency has learned, he arrived with most of his trusted team, consisting of Oscar Ibanez, international exporter with Peru and goalkeeper coach, Nestor Bonillo, physical trainer, and assistants Sergio Sintín and Hugo Alves.
Gareca faces the challenge of putting together a transition, which Berizzo started in his two years on the bench, between building a new group with future emblematic players of Chile and the extinction of the so-called ‘Golden Generation’ that won two editions in a row of the Copa América, in 2015 and 2016.
Friendlies, Copa América and World Cup 2026
Chile’s new coach will make his FIFA debut on the date of March, where Chile is scheduled to play two friendlies international yet to be confirmed. Then, you will have its first official Copa América competition United States 2024, where Chile will face Peru, Argentina and the winner of the play-off between Canada and Trinidad and Tobago.
His toughest test was the World Cup qualification stagea challenge for Chilean football after failing to qualify for Russia 2018 and Qatar 2022.
Berizzo leaves Chile with five points from six duels played at the end of 2023, which puts them in eighth place in the table, outside the qualifying positions.
La Roja will continue their contention of the South American qualifiers in September facing Argentina as a visitor and Bolivia as a local. In October they will host Brazil and visit Colombia. In November, they close the year against Peru in Lima and Venezuela at home.
Source: La Verdad
I’m Rose Herman and I work as an author for Today Times Live. My expertise lies in writing about sports, a passion of mine that has been with me since childhood. As part of my job, I provide comprehensive coverage on everything from football to tennis to golf.
