New Jersey native Pellegrino Matarazzo is making history at Real Sociedad

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Tom Weber | Writer

Multilingual sports writer who specialises in European football and American soccer.

Pellegrino Matarazzo has become the first American to win a major trophy with a team from Europe's top-five leagues after guiding Real Sociedad to a historic victory over Atletico Madrid in the Copa del Rey.

The Wayne, New Jersey native has been in charge of the LaLiga club since early January, when he replaced Sergio Francisco. The latter had struggled to make the step up from the reserves to the first team after a tumultuous summer.

The Basque side endured an unusual amount of upheaval last year, when they not only lost superstar midfielder Martin Zubimendi to Arsenal but also long-serving head coach Imanol Alguacil and sporting director Roberto Olabe.

When Francisco was sacked, Real Sociedad were 16th in the table and at risk of being sucked into a relegation battle. Since Matarazzo arrived, however, the club's fortunes could hardly look more different.

The 48-year-old has only suffered three defeats in 19 matches - all to teams in LaLiga's top four - and his team has surged up the table as a result. Erreala are now just four points off fifth and, since Saturday, reigning Spanish cup winners.

Matarazzo leads Real Sociedad to Copa del Rey glory

In March, Matarazzo made history when Real Sociedad defeated local rivals Athletic Club 1-0 in their Copa del Rey semi-final second leg, having also won the first leg in Bilbao by the same scoreline.

He became the first American coach to reach the final of a major cup competition with a team from a top-five European league, so naturally all eyes were on Saturday's clash with Atletico Madrid to see if Matarazzo could go all the way.

Long story short, he did go all the way. Erreala stormed into the fastest lead in Copa history by scoring 14 seconds into the game, before an Atleti player had even touched the ball. They were pegged back to 1-1 and then 2-2, but they ultimately prevailed on penalties.

It is only Real Sociedad's fourth Copa del Rey title (including predecessor clubs) and seventh major trophy overall, along with their two LaLiga championships and one Supercopa.

The Basque side famously won the 2020 edition of the Copa del Rey, the final of which had to be played a year after it was initially scheduled to take place due to the COVID-19 pandemic. That title ended a trophy drought of more than 30 years.

However, it was a bittersweet victory as the club's fans were not allowed to attend the game due to the pandemic. This made Saturday's triumph all the more enjoyable, as the supporters were actually able to celebrate with their heroes.

Matarazzo is now among these heroes. He has become a revered figure in San Sebastian, but the importance of this seismic achievement extends beyond the boundaries of the Basque Country.

The New Jersey native has become a trailblazer for American coaches. There is a stigma that coaches from the US don't "understand" or don't "live" football like Europeans. Matarazzo, though, is living proof that this couldn't be further from the truth.

Who is Pellegrino Matarazzo?

Matarazzo still goes somewhat under the radar across the pond, even though he has been coaching in Europe's top leagues for quite some time. It is perhaps because the American has spent his entire professional career in Europe.

Despite growing up in a Napoli-supporting family, Matarazzo has yet to work in Italy. After graduating from Columbia University, he went on trial with clubs in Italy, but they refused to sign him.

The former defender spent a year on his grandparents' farm near Naples and refused to give up on his dream of becoming a footballer. Eventually, he was able to launch a career in the lower leagues of Germany.

After his retirement, he worked his way through the youth academy of Nuremberg. He roomed with coaching prodigy Julian Nagelsmann - now in charge of the German national team - while doing his badges and eventually followed him to Hoffenheim.

In late 2019, he was appointed as the head coach of fallen giants VfB Stuttgart, who were battling for promotion from the second division at that point. Despite mixed results initially, Matarazzo managed to get the Swabians over the line.

Back in the top flight, his Stuttgart side were one of the biggest surprises of the 2020/21 season, finishing ninth. A marked decline would follow, with his team finishing 15th the following year and Matarazzo eventually getting sacked after starting the 2022/23 campaign with a nine-game winless run.

He returned to Hoffenheim in February 2023 and was immediately under pressure. He began his stint with five successive losses, which caused his relegation-threatened team to slip to the bottom of the table. However, he managed to turn things around and ultimately kept them up.

He carried that momentum over into the new campaign, which ended with Hoffenheim qualifying for the Europa League by finishing seventh. The excitement didn't last long, though, as he was sacked after a poor start to 2024/25.

Matarazzo has never been famed for his tactical nous, but he secures buy-in from his players with his personable demeanour as well as his language skills. He is fluent in English, German and Italian and is currently in the process of learning Spanish.

It is difficult to find a current or former player of his who does not speak fondly of Matarazzo's personality, so it should be no surprise that he can inspire teams to great feats, even if there may be shortcomings in other areas.

The first American to coach in LaLiga, Matarazzo has already become a Real Sociedad legend after just 19 games. But this is only just the beginning. There is much more to come from the 48-year-old and his in-form cup winners.

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