West Ham United Head Coach Julen Lopetegui has appointed five coaches to his backroom staff.
Spaniard Lopetegui has confirmed that compatriots Pablo Sanz, Óscar Caro, Juan Vicente Peinado, Borja De Alba and Edu Rubio will join him at London Stadium.
All five have worked with the 57-year-old previously during his impressive coaching career with FC Porto, Spain, Real Madrid, Sevilla and Wolverhampton Wanderers.
Assistant Head Coach Sanz, 50, has been Lopetegui’s trusted number two for a decade, with the pair working first working together at FC Porto, where he was Academy Director. Sanz then joined his Head Coach with Spain, Real Madrid, Sevilla and Wolves. However, the pair’s relationship dates back to 1995, when both were players at Barcelona. In 1997, both joined Rayo Vallecano, where they were teammates for the next five seasons, and Sanz enjoyed a 13-year playing career in all.
Head of Performance and Assistant Coach Caro, 38, has worked with Lopetegui since 2016. Born in Málaga, the UEFA Pro Licence holder worked as a fitness coach at Spanish clubs Antequera CF, Atlético Malagueño and Alcorcón, Al Sadd SC and Aspire Academy in Qatar, before joining the Head Coach’s staff with the Spanish national team.
Head Analyst and Assistant Coach Juan Vicente Peinado, 50, first joined forces with Lopetegui at Sevilla in 2019. Prior to that, the Madrid-born Peinado started as a goalkeeper coach, spent three years coaching at Real Madrid’s Academy, managed Spanish clubs Alcobendas, Rayo Vallecano and CD Móstoles and assisted at Rayo Majadahonda before moving to Sevilla.
Fitness Coach Borja De Alba, 43, began working for Lopetegui when the Head Coach was appointed by Sevilla in 2019, having joined the Spanish club himself three years previously. De Alba followed his Head Coach to Wolverhampton Wanderers in 2022 and is now reunited with him in east London.
Technical Coach Edu Rubio will need no directions to Rush Green, as he spent the first part of the 2022/23 season as West Ham United’s Women’s team assistant manager. The 41-year-old UEFA Pro Licence holder coached at Valencia’s Academy before moving to English football with MK Dons in 2010. Since then, Rubio has worked as a coach at Chelsea, Crawley Town and Crystal Palace before departing the Hammers to join Lopetegui at Wolves in November 2022.
Xavi Valero will continue is his role as men’s first team Goalkeeper Coach.
West Ham United would like to welcome Pablo, Óscar, Juan Vicente, Borja and Edu to the Club and wish them a happy, productive and successful time with the Hammers.
