Juan Manuel “Juanma” Lillo Díez is a respected Spanish football manager.
Currently serving as an assistant coach at Premier League club Manchester City, he is known for his innovative tactical approach and deep understanding of the game.
Lillo began his coaching career at a remarkably young age, taking charge of La Liga club Salamanca before he turned 30, making him the youngest manager in the history of Spain’s top division.
Throughout his career, Lillo has developed a reputation as a tactical innovator, implementing progressive, possession-based playing styles at the clubs he has managed.
Early Life And Education
Juan Manuel “Juanma” Lillo Díez is a Spanish football manager born in Tolosa, Spain, on November 3, 1965. He was born to his parents, whose father’s name is Anacleto Lillo, while his mother’s name is unknown. It is unclear if he grew up with siblings, as their names were not provided.
Lillo’s educational background is unknown. It is known that he began his coaching career at the age of 16, initially managing local youth teams. Lillo’s ethnicity is Spanish, but his religious beliefs were not disclosed in the information provided.
Career
Juan Manuel Lillo is a renowned Spanish football manager with an extensive coaching career spanning several decades. He began coaching at a young age, taking charge of local club Amaroz KE at just 16 years old.
Over the next few years, he coached Tolosa in the Tercera División and then Mirandés, leading the latter to promotion to Segunda División B in the 1988–89 season.
Lillo’s reputation grew further during his time at Salamanca, where he finished second in the third division in his first season and achieved promotion the following campaign with minimal squad changes.
This caught the attention of higher-level clubs, and Lillo subsequently had spells managing in Spain’s top division with the likes of Real Oviedo and Tenerife.
After a brief hiatus from coaching, Lillo returned to management, taking charge of clubs such as Real Zaragoza, Ciudad de Murcia, and Terrassa, with varying degrees of success.
In 2009, he was appointed as the manager of Almería, helping them finish 13th before being dismissed the following season. Lillo’s career then saw him move abroad, taking over Colombian club Millonarios in 2013, though he was let go the following year.
He later joined the coaching staff of the Chile national team and Atlético Nacional in Colombia before becoming Manchester City’s assistant manager in 2020. In 2022, he was named the new head coach of Qatari club Al Sadd.
In August 2023, he returned to Manchester City, and later that month, he stood in for Pep Guardiola in victories over Sheffield United and Fulham as the head coach recovered from back surgery in Spain.
Throughout his career, Lillo has been known for his tactical acumen. He advocated a 4-2-3-1 formation during his time at Cultural Leonesa and was the youngest coach to attain the national coaching badge in Spain.
Personal Life
Juanma Lillo, the renowned Spanish football manager, maintains a private personal life with no publicly available information about his relationship or spouse.
As a private individual, he has chosen not to share details about his personal life with the media. Lillo’s focus remains solely on his professional coaching career, where he has established himself as a respected figure in football.
Net Worth
Juanma Lillo’s net Worth is not publicly disclosed, but various sources estimate his wealth to be around $5 million. This substantial net Worth is primarily attributed to his extensive and successful career as a football manager, which has spanned several decades.
Lillo‘s current role as the assistant coach at Manchester City, working alongside the renowned Pep Guardiola, is a testament to his expertise and experience in the field.
{{comment.anon_name ?? comment.full_name}}
{{timeAgo(comment.date_added)}}
{{comment.body}}
{{subComment.anon_name ?? subComment.full_name}}
{{timeAgo(subComment.date_added)}}
{{subComment.body}}