Montevideo
Alvaro Recoba, the former Inter Milan and Uruguay star, has assumed the role of head coach for Nacional, securing his position until the end of 2024. The 47-year-old steps in to replace Alvaro Gutierrez, who was dismissed after Nacional’s 2-0 loss to Boston River in the Uruguayan Primera Division on Thursday. At a press conference on Saturday, Recoba expressed his ambition, saying, It’s my goal to foster the players’ growth day by day. I can’t think of any other place I’d rather be, and I’m motivated to get started.Recoba, who enjoyed two stints as a player with Nacional, sandwiched between a successful European career, retired in 2015. He has been part of Nacional’s coaching staff, serving as an assistant and reserve team manager since 2020. Regarding his managerial approach, Recoba highlighted his emphasis on high intensity from his players while pledging to maintain a human side. He shared his perspective, saying, We’d all love to play like [Pep] Guardiola’s Barcelona. The challenge lies in the fact that to play like Guardiola’s Barcelona, you need the best players in the world. The reality is that it’s eleven against eleven, where you must occupy spaces, and if you have intelligent players, you can achieve better results than with those who are less perceptive. Currently, Nacional holds the seventh position in Uruguay’s top-flight standings, a 16-team league, with just two wins from six matches.
