Inter Miami have confirmed the appointment of Diego Alonso as their first head coach, ahead of their inaugural season in MLS.
The 44-year-old has CONCACAF winning experience under his belt after leading Monterrey to glory last May, and has also won the domestic Mexican league title on three occasions.
He will become the first man to take charge of the David Beckham-owned franchise, who will make their bow in MLS next season, though the length of his contract has not been revealed.
Confirming his appointment in a statement on their official website, Inter Miami said: “In Diego we found a manager that fits our culture and has a strong desire to build a winning club for our fans. He brings a lot of experience and championship – winning mentality as we begin our drive to be among the best clubs in the Americas.
“We have big aspirations for our club and believe Diego has the right drive, passion and leadership to accomplish our goals.”
The statement continued with a brief rundown of Alonso’s achievements in management, which include extensive success in Mexico. He spent three years as head coach of Liga MX side C.F. Pachuca, leading them to the 2016 Liga MX Clausura league title, as well as finishing runner-up in the 2017 Copa MX Apertura.
Alonso also led Pachuca to the 2016/17 CONCACAF Champions League title, which earned a place in the 2017 FIFA Club World Cup. Los Tuzos would go on to achieve a third place finish in the competition, their best ever showing. Alonso is also the only head coach in history to lift the CONCACAF Champions League with two different teams.
During his career in management, Alonso has managed rising star Hirving Lozano, who has gone to be a major success in Europe with PSV and Napoli. The flying winger, nicknamed ‘Chucky’, is regarded as one of the quickest players in world football, with Alonso credited with much of his development at a young age.
As a player, Alonso featured prominently in Spain, turning out for Valencia and Atletico Madrid, as well as brief spells with Racing Santander and Malaga. He also represented Uruguay on eight occasions.