There are years when Argentine football grossly exposes its own destiny lack of trust in work processes. And this evaporating year of 2025 was one of them. A tight schedule, changing leaders, fragile economies and impatient grandstands once again put coaches at the center of the action: as a driver, a shield and almost always the first line of defense in the face of adversity.
A look at the current situation of the top 30 technicians confirms this using data. Only eight managed to get through the year without their continuity being seriously questioned. The rest lived abrupt changes, recurrences, longer interim periods or still open endings. An X-ray that says as much about the coaches as it does about the clubs.
He went through the year with the burden of hope and demand. Diego Milito has already offered to extend it until the end of his term. The academy was the protagonist throughout 2025. They failed in the Libertadores semi-final with Flamengo, but recovered emotionally and reached the Clausura final, where they lost on penalties to Estudiantes.
Nicolás Diez (Argentinos Juniors)
It is one of the most appreciated cases of the year. He arrived in early 2025, gave Bicho identity, qualified him for the Copa Libertadores and secured coaching support with a contract extension until 2027. A project that combines form and results.
Guillermo Barros Schelotto (Vélez)
He took a team that had started the year very poorly and quickly gave it an identity. Vélez was competitive on all fronts, he had a clear vision, but he failed to reach the big stages. At the Libertadores they lost to Racing in a very even quarter-final game. The Twin not only ordered, but also convinced and motivated. Its continuity for 2026 appears to be a logical consequence.
Marcelo Gallardo (River)
The announcement of his continuity came before the Superclásico and after River’s worst year since 2011, with no title to be attributed to him. Millo was poor in results and performance and did not perform as expected, but Muñeco is committed to restoring the collective memory and voracity that made him the winningest manager in the club’s history. After spending nearly $100 million on expansions that didn’t work, leadership chose to believe even in an adverse environment.
Rubén Darío Insua (Barracas Central)
It represents the quiet stability of a club that is always under scrutiny due to its family closeness to Claudio Tapia, the president of the AFA. El Gallego led Guapo to a historic qualification for the Copa Sudamericana, which was not without controversy: thanks to refereeing errors, Barracas scored 15 points more than necessary.
Alfredo Berti (Independiente Rivadavia)
His quiet work was rewarded by winning the Argentine Cup, which allowed the Mendoza club to advance to the group stage of the Copa Libertadores. A milestone.
Gustavo Benitez (Riestra)
As man of the house, he organized the team, made them competitive and brought them into the Copa Sudamericana. The Tata will continue to lead the international debut.
Daniel Oldrá (Institute)
He took office in April and brought calm, order and a competitive spirit. La Gloria closed 2025 with stability and confirmed continuity.
Claudio Ubeda (Boca)
After the enthusiasm he had generated with good performances since taking office after the death of Miguel Ángel Russo, he found himself in a gray area. What was considered assured continuity with Racing before the Clausura semi-final became doubtful after the defeat. But not just because of the result itself, but also because of the form and because of that unusual change he made when he removed Exequiel Zeballos, the team’s most unstable player, from a crucial game. With a contract valid until June (as field assistant), a meeting with Juan Román Riquelme is expected that will determine his future, in the epilogue of a year in which Xeneize had four coaches and did not win a title.
Jorge Almiron (Rosario Central)
He was chosen following the surprise departure of Ariel Holan. After his latest move in Colo Colo, he will be tasked with overseeing Canalla’s return to the Copa Libertadores in 2025. His strength is experience: with Lanús (2017) and Boca (2023) he reached the final of the most important continental tournament at club level.
Diego Martinez (Hurricane)
After his experience at Cerro Porteño, he returned to Globo. He replaced Frank Kudelka with the challenge of restoring confidence and competitiveness. “We have chosen each other again,” he summarized when signing the contract.
Mauricio Pellegrino (Lanus)
He is one of the big winners of the year. He arrived at the beginning of 2025, withstood initial criticism and ended up winning the Copa Sudamericana. Its renewal is a matter of time.
Carlos Tevez (workshops)
He took over in an extreme context, rescued the team, saved them from relegation and qualified them for the round of 16 of the Clausura. In 2025, he not only added points, but also more experience and legitimacy.
Pedro Troglio (Banfield)
After a good performance in 2025, he extended his contract until the end of 2026. He came to save the team from relegation, achieved permanent membership and then fought for the qualification places in the Clausura tournament. You get the feeling that the team hasn’t reached its limit yet.
Fernando Zaniratto (Gimnasia y Esgrima La Plata)
He took over the management on an interim basis and soon brought enthusiasm and commitment to a team that was affected by a serious institutional and economic crisis. He scored an epic win against River at the Monumental, reached the semi-finals of the Clausura with Lobo and won the biggest prize: it will continue until the end of 2026.
Ricardo Zielinski (Belgrano)
He returned in February and, despite an irregular season, extended his contract until 2026. The highlight: he led the Pirates to the semi-finals of the Argentine Cup.
Hugo Colace (Atlético Tucuman)
After replacing Lucas Pusineri, he moved from interim to confirmed squad.
Guillermo Farré (Aldosivi)
He played the main role in one of the comebacks of the year: three opening defeats and then the rescue of Tiburón, who seemed condemned to the Primera Nacional and will swim among Argentina’s most important clubs for at least another season.
Lucas Pusineri
This was announced at Central Córdoba in Santiago del Estero following the departure of Omar De Felippe.
Mariano Soso (Defense and Justice)
After the Clausura he was self-critical and his continuity seems to be on the right track.
Diego Dabove (Tigers)
He gave the team identity and qualified them for the Copa Sudamericana and the Clausura quarterfinals; It is about to be renovated.
Leonardo Madelon (Union)
He returned for the fourth time and put together a solid team that was among the best in its field and qualified for the round of 16. The rapid elimination in the crucial phases of the Clausura does not destroy the good work of the semester.
Walter Zunino (Plates)
He took over after the departure of Kily González and will lead Calamar in the Copa Libertadores, the great pride of the Saavedra club after the historic success of its first star.
Gustavo Quinteros (Independent)
“We will bring Independiente back to the top,” the coach said when he took over in September following the departure of Julio Vaccari. That is the goal for 2026, when the year begins with a planned preseason and is equipped with additions.
Ariel Broggi (Mendoza Gymnastics)
He achieved promotion to the Primera and extended his term until the end of 2026.
Damian Ayude (San Lorenzo)
In a volcanic institution where president Marcelo Moretti is still concerned about moving on (or not), at least one thing is clear at the Azulgrana: Damian Ayude will be coach until next June.
Iván Delfino (Río Cuarto students)
He has not yet defined his continuity after the historic rise with Estudiantes de Río Cuarto.
Facundo Sava (Sarmiento)
He took over in August, saved Verde from relegation and came very close to the Clausura playoffs.
Favio Orsi – Sergio Gómez (Newell’s)
In Lepra everything was at a standstill due to last Sunday’s elections in which Ignacio Boero was installed as the new president. The technical duo that led Platense to its first stardom in the Apertura will be announced these days and will be at the helm of the professional team.
Eduardo Domínguez (Students of La Plata)
At several seasons it seemed as if his cycle at Estudiantes was complete. However, Domínguez always trusted in his professionalism and was rewarded: Clausura champion and fourth title with Pincha in just two years. In fact, this Saturday they will try to win the Champions Trophy against Platense, the winners of the Apertura. “Hopefully it will be Eduardo,” said president Juan Sebastián Verón, referring to participation in next year’s Libertadores. The DT has not yet commented publicly and his future is unknown.
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