Carlos Bianchi

The only manager to secure four Copa Libertadores and three Intercontinental Cups.

Carlos Bianchi (born 26 April 1949), nicknamed El Virrey, is an Argentine former football player and manager renowned as one of the most successful coaches in history. A prolific goalscorer during his playing days in Argentina and France, he achieved legendary status managing Boca Juniors to a vast array of titles. He stands alone as the only coach to win four Copa Libertadores trophies and shares with Josep Guardiola and Carlo Ancelotti the record for three club world championship titles (Intercontinental Cups). Boca Juniors and Vélez Sarsfield honored his contributions by erecting statues in his memory.

Quick Facts

Born: 26 April 1949
Birthplace: Buenos Aires, Argentina
Height: 1.78 m / 5 ft 10 in
Position: Forward
Total caps: 562
Total goals: 393

Lore & Background

Bianchi's journey began as a youth player for Club Ciclón de Jonte before being spotted for Vélez Sarsfield. By age 16, he reached the third division, debuting in the first squad at 18 against Boca Juniors. His scoring prowess exploded quickly; on July 7, 1968, he scored his first Primera División goal against Argentinos Juniors and one week later broke Amadeo Carrizo's long-standing record of 769 unbeaten minutes. He became the top scorer in the 1970 Nacional with 18 goals and the 1971 Metropolitano with an astonishing 36 goals.

His career spanned continents, including a stint in France where he scored 107 goals for Reims in four seasons, becoming the league's top scorer in 1974 (30 goals), 1976 (34 goals), and 1977 (28 goals). He later joined Paris Saint-Germain, scoring 37 goals in 38 matches in his first season, earning best player of the season honors despite PSG's poor league finish.

Reader's Guide

Fans of Carlos Bianchi should recognize his unique duality as both a record-breaking striker and a trophy-laden manager. As a player, he is recognized by FIFA as Argentina's top scorer in first-division tournaments globally with 385 total goals (206 in Argentina, 179 in France), surpassing legends like Alfredo Di Stefano. His playing style relied on intuition; as he stated regarding his time at PSG: 'I had intuition, I knew where the ball was about to be.' As a manager, his most defining moments include leading Vélez Sarsfield to their first Copa Libertadores in 1994 after a dramatic penalty shootout against São Paulo, and guiding Boca Juniors to back-to-back continental titles. He earned 14 caps for Argentina between 1970 and 1972, scoring 7 goals, before dedicating his life to the sport that made him a legend in two nations.