Who is first American coach to win major trophy in top five European league?
Real Sociedad are currently seventh in the LaLiga league table.
Pellegrino Matarazzo’s Real Sociedad team defeated Atletico Madrid on penalties on Saturday, making him the first American coach to win a major prize with a club in a top-five European league.
In a thrilling back-and-forth match, Matarazzo, who is in his first season at La Real, led the San Sebastian team to their first major trophy since 2019–2020.
On Saturday night, Pellegrino Matarazzo’s team were determined to make it as hard as they could. Against an Atleti team hoping to win their first major trophy in five years, they seized the lead twice but wasted it both times. La Real prevailed on penalties after a late equaliser by Julian Alvarez forced extra time.
Pellegrino Matarazzo leads Real Sociedad to Copa del Rey win
In the end, goalkeeper Unai Marrero proved to be a hero by stopping two penalties before replacement Pablo Marin scored the game-winning penalty.
For Pellegrino Matarazzo and La Real, who were having difficulties when he was appointed just five months ago, it is a rather impressive turnaround.
For American managers in Europe, this is genuinely unexplored ground. The majority of managers’ stories across the pond have been filled with hardships.
Jesse Marsch, the current manager of Canada, succeeded in lower European levels but was never able to reach the top level. With RB Salzburg, he won the Austrian Bundesliga twice, but he never achieved the same success with Leeds and RB Leipzig after that.
The first American manager to lift a trophy in one of the top five leagues in Europe is now Matarazzo. Their next focus is on the league now as Real Sociedad’s season is yet to end. With seven games remaining, they are two points out of qualifying for a European competition.
When did Pellegrino Matarazzo join Sociedad as a coach?
On December 20, 2025.
Where do they stand in the league table?
They are seventh.
When was the last time they won a trophy?
Before this Copa del Rey win, it was in the 2019–20 season.
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After earning a bachelor's degree in mass media, Rajarshi began his career as a sports writer in 2019, driven by his passion for sports journalism. He has been working in the field for over six years. A devoted fan of Lionel Messi and Barcelona, Rajarshi has been involved in sports since childhood. Before turning his focus to journalism, he even represented his college at the state level. Along with covering football, he enjoys playing the game, watching movies, and experimenting with new recipes in his spare time, as cooking is one of his favorite hobbies.