From Freddy to Gareca: who was the best coach of the last thirty years in Peru?

The leadership of the one who commands a campus is very important for it to reach the proposed objectives. Unfortunately, Peruvian soccer has been far from successful, but there are coaches who have been able to give an identity to the national team or the teams they led in the country.

freddy calf

Right hand of Juan Carlos Oblitas in the 90s, he made his place in the glory of Peruvian soccer by winning the Copa Sudamericana with Cienciano in 2003 and a year later winning the Recopa.

As a footballer, he wore shirts like those of Universitario (three titles). León de Huánuco (Peru Cup), San Agustín (national champion), Defensor Lima and Cienciano, but his career as coach was even more fruitful.

He began directing in 1993 in the U, three years later he reached the national team with the Sub 23 and in 1997 he took charge of the Copa América (we reached the semifinals). In 2005 he had a brief stint with the senior team as well. He carries the flag of being the only coach to lead a Peruvian club to an international title. The Sudamericana 2003 and Recopa 2004 with Cienciano are still celebrated throughout the country.

Juan Carlos Oblitas

The first technician who awakened hope in the post world generation. With his manner – he was pointed out as paternalistic – he approached the Peruvian team to the World Cup in France 98, but his numbers did not reach him.

But his career from the bank has many more achievements to highlight. Champion in his first year as a coach with the U in 1987, initiator of the triple championship of Cristal (94-95) and champion of the Ecuadorian League with LDU in 2005.

In recent years he took another step and became sports director, first of Cristal and then of the Peruvian team where he qualified for Russia 2018.

Paul Autuori

There is no player who does not say that Paulo Autuori was one of the technicians who marked him. After a long career between Brazil and Portugal, the coach arrived in Peru in 2001 to direct Alianza Lima in the year of his centenary. Various problems did not allow him to finish the year, but the intimates ended up being champions.

The following year he took command of Sporting Cristal and he was able to celebrate the title on the court despite the fact that it was difficult for him to leave historic players such as Jorge Soto and Miguel Miranda, as well as Jean Ferrari, Jorge Huamán and Manuel Marengo, out of the squad.

He made it to the Peruvian team for the 2006 Qualifiers and among his merits is the debut of Jefferson Farfán with the Bicolor. However, his time with everyone’s team also had scenes beyond the fields. He took office for the 2006 Qualifiers, but he did not finish the process. He resigned in 2005 when Congress decided to question him about the salary he received in the FPF.

He directed 31 games with a fairly poor balance. He only managed 9 wins against 10 draws and 12 losses. His position was taken by Freddy Ternero and Franco Navarro.

Sergio Markarian

Perhaps we all have as the last memory of the ‘Wizard’ his time with the Peruvian team in the 2014 Brazil Qualifiers, which fought but fell without being able to resolve the presence of the ‘fantastic four’ in the eleven. His start with the Bicolor was in 2011 with third place in the Copa América.

But Markarián is more than those four years in charge of the national team. He was the one who led Sporting Cristal to the 1997 Copa Libertadores final, with Roberto Mosquera as assistant. With the Celestes he also completed the three-time championship with the title of 96.

Before, he was champion with Universitario in 1993. He only managed creams and light blues in Peruvian soccer between 1993 and 1997, but his mark was so notorious that in 2011 he returned to the national team. It can be said that he laid some foundations so that Gareca could later reformulate the Bicolor.

Ricardo Gareca

He arrived in Peru as the ‘Flaco’ to direct Universitario in 2008 and left an Opening Tournament in the cream showcases. He returned as ‘El Tigre’ in 2015 to take on the challenge of the Peruvian national team.

And we know the story. The coach with the most appearances in the Peruvian national team (96), finalist of the 2019 Copa América (in addition to a third place in 2015) and qualification for the World Cup after 36 years.

Ricardo Gareca directed the Peruvian team for two processes, the longest time of a coach at the hands of the Bicolor. He did not achieve the dream of Qatar 2022 and when he aimed to seek revenge for 2026, contractual problems with the FPF ended his path in Videna.