Juan Carlos Osorio Arbeláez (Spanish pronunciation: [xwaŋ ˈkaɾlos oˈsoɾjo aɾβeˈlaes]; born 8 June 1961) is a Colombian football manager and former footballer who is the current head coach of Liga MX club Tijuana.

Juan Carlos Osorio
Osorio as Mexico manager at the 2018 FIFA World Cup
Personal information
Full name Juan Carlos Osorio Arbeláez
Date of birth (1961-06-08) 8 June 1961 (age 63)
Place of birth Santa Rosa de Cabal, Colombia
Height 1.78 m (5 ft 10 in)
Position(s) Midfielder
Team information
Current team
Tijuana (head coach)
College career
Years Team Apps (Gls)
1985–1986 New Haven Chargers
Senior career*
Years Team Apps (Gls)
1982–1984 Deportivo Pereira
1984–1985 Internacional
1986–1987 Once Caldas
Managerial career
2006–2007 Millonarios
2007 Chicago Fire
2007–2009 New York Red Bulls
2010–2011 Once Caldas
2011–2012 Puebla
2012–2015 Atlético Nacional
2015 São Paulo
2015–2018 Mexico
2018–2019 Paraguay
2019–2020 Atlético Nacional
2021–2022 América de Cali
2023 Zamalek
2024 Athletico Paranaense
2024– Tijuana
*Club domestic league appearances and goals

Osorio began his playing career with Deportivo Pereira in 1982, and went on to play for Brazilian club Internacional in 1984 before returning to his native Colombia a year later, ultimately retiring in 1987 at the age of 26 due to injury.[1]

Nicknamed El Recreacionista (The Recreationist in Spanish) due to his unorthodox training methods,[2] Osorio held various assistant coaching jobs before beginning his managerial career in 2006 with Millonarios, moving abroad the following year to manage Major League Soccer teams Chicago Fire and New York Red Bulls, leading the latter to their first conference title in 2008. He managed Once Caldas in 2010 and led them to a league title, as well as managing Atlético Nacional in 2012 and winning numerous championships. In October 2015, he was named as manager of the Mexico national team, a post he held until July 2018.

Early life

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After playing for Deportivo Pereira and Internacional, Osorio moved to the USA and represented University of New Haven's New Haven Chargers from 1985 to 1986.[3] He graduated from Southern Connecticut State University in 1990 with a B.A. in Exercise Science. Osorio also holds a diploma in Science and Football from Liverpool John Moores University, a UEFA "A" coaching license from the English FA, and a coaching certificate from the Royal Netherlands Football Association.

Managerial career

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Assistant

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Juan Carlos Osorio began his coaching career during the 1998–1999 season joining the Staten Island Vipers as their assistant/conditioning coach. He would then join the MetroStars staff during the 2000 season under Octavio Zambrano. He would go on to join English club Manchester City as conditioning coach in June 2001.

Millonarios

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In 2006, Osorio started his career as a manager when he was hired by Millonarios in his native Colombia. He led the Bogotá-based club to an 11-6-7 record during the 2007 Finalizacion (closing) season and a fourth-place finish out of 18 teams in the Mustang Cup. In 2007, he was the recipient of the DIMAYOR (División Mayor del Fútbol Colombiano) Excellence in Football Coaching award becoming the first coach to win that award in his first year of coaching.

Chicago Fire

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In July 2007 he was appointed manager of Major League Soccer side Chicago Fire. He took over a last-place team and led them to a playoff spot. He also helped Chicago orchestrate a first-round series victory against D.C. United, which entered the playoffs with the best record in MLS. On 10 December, the Chicago Fire announced that Osorio had resigned due to "family reasons". In his short time with the Fire, Osorio went 6-3-6 in the league, 7-5-7 across all competitions and led the team to the Conference Final for the sixth time in nine seasons.

New York Red Bulls

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Osorio during his time at New York Red Bulls

Eight days after resigning from the Chicago Fire, Osorio was hired by the New York Red Bulls.[4] The decision came after Red Bulls and Fire reached an agreement on compensation for Osorio. The Red Bulls had an up and down season in Osorio's first season in charge of the club. After a promising start, the club qualified for the playoffs on the final day of the season and was seeded as a wild card into the Western Conference bracket. In the 2008 MLS Cup Playoffs, Osorio lead the club to their first ever MLS Cup final, defeating defending champion Houston Dynamo (4–1 on aggregate) and Real Salt Lake 1–0. In the MLS Cup final, the Red Bulls lost 3–1 to Columbus Crew. In his second season with the club, Osorio guided them to one of the worst records in league history, finishing with a 2-16-4 record. In his two seasons at the club Osorio went 12-27-13, the worst mark in the league during that period of time. The club also suffered an embarrassing set-back when they were eliminated by W Connection in the preliminary round of the CONCACAF Champions League. Due to mounting pressure, Osorio resigned from his post as coach of the New York Red Bulls on 21 August 2009.

Once Caldas

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After leaving New York, on 18 November 2009 Osorio was hired by Once Caldas. After taking charge of a team that was in danger of relegation Osorio helped Once Caldas to a league title in 2010. In 44 matches in charge, he recorded a record of 23 victories, 8 draws, and 13 losses. In January 2011 it was reported that Osorio would be leaving Once Caldas to take charge of the Honduras national team.[5]

On 2 February 2011, Osorio was officially named as the new coach of the Honduras national team and to lead them during the qualifying rounds of the 2014 FIFA World Cup. However, Once Caldas announced Osorio contractually could not be released until June to assume his role with Honduras. Due to this, Honduras' football federation announced they could not wait until June, subsequently ending the negotiations.

Puebla

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On 15 November, the president of Mexican club Puebla Roberto Henaine announced via Twitter that Juan Carlos Osorio would be manager, following Sergio Bueno departure.[6] He resigned on 22 March 2012 due to poor performances, leaving the club with a 2-2-3 record.[7]

São Paulo

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On 26 May 2015, Osorio was confirmed as the new manager of São Paulo FC, signing a two-year contract.[8] He was presented on 1 June and made his debut five days later, in a 2–0 victory against Grêmio at Estádio do Morumbi.

Mexico

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Osorio at the 2017 Confederations Cup.

On 14 October 2015, after heavy media speculation, Osorio was confirmed as head coach of the Mexico national football team, signing a three-year contract.[9][10][11] He was the twelfth coach appointed in nine years,[citation needed] and the first Colombian.[12] Though information of his salary went undisclosed, Spanish newspaper El País reported that Osorio would receive an annual salary of USD$1.2 million, 60 percent less than what former manager Miguel Herrera earned during his time in charge.[13]

On 13 November, Osorio won his first game in charge of Mexico, defeating El Salvador 3–0 at Estadio Azteca in their opening match of the 2018 World Cup fourth-round qualifiers. Mexico finished at the top of Group A with 16 points, advancing to the hexagonal round.

Osorio led Mexico to the Copa América Centenario on a 16-match unbeaten streak that began in June 2016.[14] Mexico placed first in their group with 7 points, defeating Uruguay, Jamaica, and drawing with Venezuela.[15] In the quarterfinal match against Chile, the team suffered a 7–0 defeat, ending the unbeaten streak at 22 games.[16] After the match, Osorio apologized to Mexico's fans for what he described as an "embarrassment" and "an accident of soccer".[17]

Following Mexico's participation at the 2017 FIFA Confederations Cup, where the team finished in fourth place, Osorio was suspended by FIFA for six games after using insulting words and displaying aggressive and confrontational behavior towards officials during the third place play-off match against Portugal.[18]

On 2 September, following their 1–0 victory over Panama, Mexico secured their qualification to the 2018 FIFA World Cup. On 6 October, Mexico defeated Trinidad and Tobago 3–1, taking their points tally to 21, thus assuring Mexico will finish at the top of the qualification table for the first time since 1997.[19]

In March 2018, it was reported that Osorio had rejected an offer from the Mexican Football Federation to extend his contract with the Mexico national team.[20] In the 2018 World Cup group stage, he led Mexico to beat the defending champions Germany 1–0, then South Korea 2–1, before losing 3–0 against Sweden; however, they qualified to the round of 16, where they lost 2–0 to Brazil.[21] Osorio fulfilled his contract and left his post shortly after.[22]

Paraguay

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On 3 September 2018, the Paraguayan Football Association appointed Osorio as manager of the Paraguay national football team to face the 2019 Copa América and the CONMEBOL qualifiers for the 2022 FIFA World Cup in Qatar.[23] A mutual termination of the contract occurred on 13 February 2019.[24]

Atlético Nacional

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On 10 June 2019, Juan Carlos Osorio was confirmed as manager of Atlético Nacional. Osorio's second spell with the club ended on 1 November 2020 after 20 wins, 18 draws and 12 losses, as he was sacked following a 3–0 defeat to Nacional's rivals Millonarios.[25]

América de Cali

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On 16 June 2021, Osorio was announced as the new manager of América de Cali.[26] On 31 March 2022, he left his post at the club by mutual consent due to poor results and disagreements on sports project with the board of directors.[27]

Zamalek

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On 13 April 2023, Egyptian club Zamalek announced the appointment of Osorio as head coach.[28] Later that year, on 5 November, he was sacked from his position after two consecutive losses in the first six matches of the 2023–24 season.[29]

Athletico Paranaense

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On 3 January 2024, Osorio was announced as head coach of Athletico Paranaense, returning to Brazil after nearly nine years.[30] Two months later, on 3 March, the club parted ways with Osorio.[31]

Tijuana

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On 24 May 2024, Mexican club Tijuana announced Osorio as their new head coach.[32] On 30 July 2024, Osorio received a four-game ban for violent conduct after he confronted a linesman during a Leagues Cup match.

Managerial statistics

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Statistics accurate as of match played 30 November 2024
Team Nat From To Record
P W D L Win %
Millonarios   1 January 2006 30 June 2007 48 22 9 17 045.83
Chicago Fire   1 July 2007 10 December 2007 18 7 7 4 038.89
New York Red Bulls 18 December 2007 21 August 2009 59 14 15 30 023.73
Once Caldas   1 January 2010 27 December 2011 100 48 24 28 048.00
Puebla   1 January 2012 21 March 2012 11 2 2 7 018.18
Atlético Nacional   3 May 2012 25 May 2015 237 126 59 52 053.16
São Paulo   26 May 2015 6 October 2015 28 12 7 9 042.86
Mexico   14 October 2015 27 July 2018 52 33 9 10 063.46
Paraguay   3 September 2018 13 February 2019 1 0 1 0 000.00
Atlético Nacional   1 July 2019 17 November 2020 50 22 17 11 044.00
América de Cali 1 July 2021 31 March 2022 49 15 11 23 030.61
Zamalek   13 April 2023 5 November 2023 25 13 6 6 052.00
Athletico Paranaense   3 January 2024 3 March 2024 11 6 4 1 054.55
Tijuana   24 May 2024 Present 23 10 6 7 043.48
Total 712 330 177 205 046.35

Honours

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Manager

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New York Red Bulls

Once Caldas

Atlético Nacional

Individual

References

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  1. ^ "Las diez cosas que no sabías de Juan Carlos Osorio" (in Spanish). Grupo Milenio. 14 October 2015. Retrieved 14 October 2015.
  2. ^ "Por qué le apodan "El Recreacionista"" (in Spanish). Diario Más. Archived from the original on 27 February 2015. Retrieved 3 February 2011.
  3. ^ "Former New Haven Men's Soccer Player Osorio to Manage Mexican National Team". New Haven Chargers. 7 October 2015. Retrieved 17 December 2019.
  4. ^ "Osorio Leaves Fire to Coach Red Bulls". The New York Times. 19 December 2007. Retrieved 17 December 2019.
  5. ^ "Osorio, efectivo y de rachas". Archived from the original on 6 February 2011. Retrieved 1 February 2011.
  6. ^ "Juan Carlos Osorio llega al Puebla / Estadio :: Impacto Diario". Archived from the original on 25 April 2012. Retrieved 18 November 2011.
  7. ^ "Puebla FC - Sitio Oficial". Archived from the original on 14 April 2012. Retrieved 22 March 2012.
  8. ^ "São Paulo fecha com Juan Carlos Osorio". Archived from the original on 6 June 2016. Retrieved 26 May 2015.
  9. ^ "Se Presentó a Juan Carlos Osorio Como Nuevo Director Técnico de la Selección Nacional de México". Federación Mexicana de Fútbol. Retrieved 14 October 2015.[permanent dead link]
  10. ^ "Juan Carlos Osorio fue presentado como nuevo DT de México". Colombia.com. 14 October 2015. Retrieved 14 October 2015.
  11. ^ "Juan Carlos Osorio firmó con la Selección Mexican hasta el 2018". ESPN Deportes. 10 October 2015. Archived from the original on 15 March 2016. Retrieved 16 October 2015.
  12. ^ "Ex-Red Bulls coach Juan Carlos Osorio takes over Mexico job". New York Daily News. 14 October 2015. Retrieved 16 October 2015.
  13. ^ Beauregard, Luis Pablo (8 October 2015). "Juan Carlos Osorio: Cenicienta vuelve al fútbol mexicano". El País. Retrieved 16 October 2015.
  14. ^ Arnold, Jon (3 June 2016). "Both Mexico, Uruguay dismiss El Tri streak as factor". Goal.com. Retrieved 19 June 2016.
  15. ^ "Copa América: Mexico through as group winners after draw with Venezuela". The Guardian. Associated Press. 13 June 2016. Retrieved 19 June 2016.
  16. ^ Tucker, Duncan (19 June 2016). "Chile humiliate Mexico in 7–0 thrashing to advance to Copa América semi-final". The Guardian. Retrieved 19 June 2016.
  17. ^ Arnold, Jon (19 June 2016). "Osorio, Mexico players apologize to Mexican fans after defeat". Goal.com. Retrieved 19 June 2016.
  18. ^ FIFA.com
  19. ^ "20 años después, México volvió a asegurar el liderato en un Hexagonal". 10 August 2017.
  20. ^ "Osorio revela que rechazó extender contrato con el Tri". 3 January 2018.
  21. ^ "Brazil 2–0 Mexico". BBC Sport. 2 July 2018.
  22. ^ "Juan Carlos Osorio: Mexico manager quits after three years". BBC Sport. 28 July 2018. Retrieved 28 July 2018.
  23. ^ "La Albirroja tiene DT" [The Albirroja has DT] (in Spanish). Paraguayan Football Association. 3 September 2018. Archived from the original on 5 September 2018. Retrieved 5 September 2018.
  24. ^ ""Queremos agradecer al Profesor Osorio por todo lo bueno que nos enseñó en esta corta estadía en el fútbol nacional. También, aclarando que él y nosotros hemos cumplido a cabalidad con el contrato que nos une hasta el día de hoy" @RHarrisonP presidente de la #APF". @APFOficial (in Spanish). 13 February 2019. Retrieved 13 February 2019.
  25. ^ "Oficial: Atlético Nacional confirma la salida de Juan Carlos Osorio" (in Spanish). Futbolred. 1 November 2020.
  26. ^ "¡Es oficial! América de Cali anunció la llegada de Juan Carlos Osorio como técnico" (in Spanish). El País. 16 June 2021.
  27. ^ "America de Cali and Juan Carlos Osorio reached an agreement, this Thursday the coach would resign". Infobae. 31 March 2022.
  28. ^ "Zamalek confirm appointment of Juan Osorio as head coach". KingFut. 13 April 2023.
  29. ^ "Zamalek part ways with coach Osorio". ahram.org. 5 November 2023.
  30. ^ "Juan Carlos Osorio é o novo treinador do Athletico" [Juan Carlos Osorio is the new head coach of Athletico] (in Brazilian Portuguese). Club Athletico Paranaense. 3 January 2024. Retrieved 4 January 2024.
  31. ^ "Mudanças no futebol profissional do Athletico Paranaense" (in Brazilian Portuguese). Club Athletico Paranaense. 3 March 2024.
  32. ^ "Juan Carlos Osorio, nuevo técnico de Tijuana para el Apertura 2024". ESPN México (in Spanish). 24 May 2024.
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