Manolo Alguacil spent his entire career at Real Sociedad before his path eventually led him to the Olympiacos bench. Starting in the youth academy of the San Sebastián club in 1988, as a promising 17-year-old right back, to the first team as a player until 1998, and since 2011 as a coach—initially in the youth academy, then as an assistant, then as interim head coach, and finally as head coach from 2018 through 2025.
He spent a total of 24 years of his soccer career at Real Sociedad, and his greatest moment was undoubtedly winning the Cup in 2021. That was when the Basques eliminated Espanyol (2-0), Osasuna (3-1), Real Madrid (3-4), and Mirandés (2-1, 1-0) in succession, until they reached the final at the “Cartuja” stadium in Seville.
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There, with… a one-year delay (due to COVID, the match was rescheduled from April 20, 2020, to April 3, 2021) they lifted the Copa del Rey trophy against their “hated” (and also Basque) rivals, Athletic Bilbao, with a penalty kick goal by Oyarzabal in the 63rd minute (1-0).
It was the team’s first major title in 34 years (!) and, at the press conference, the Basque coach set aside his serious, professional demeanor and became a fan for a moment. “Now I’m going from coach to fan,” he told the media representatives, and after they brought him a jersey and he put it on, he stood up from his seat holding a scarf. “This goes out to the entire Gipuzkoa region. To everyone who feels what Real means. Let’s go, Real!” he said, before passionately singing Real Sociedad chants.
