FORMER MANCHESTER UNITED defender Gabriel Heinze has been appointed the new head coach of MLS outfit Atlanta United.
The 42-year-old Argentine recently left Velez Sarsfield in his native country after three seasons at the helm, during two of which Heinze steered Velez to South America’s secondary continental competition, the Copa Sudamericana.
Heinze takes over a team that missed the playoffs in 2020 but of which big things are expected.
“This is a milestone moment in Atlanta United history, and we couldn’t be more excited to welcome Gabriel as our next head coach,” club president Darren Eales said in a press release.
“We cast the net widely for this important hire, and Gabriel quickly emerged as the no. 1 candidate. Gabriel is one of the top coaches in South American soccer and we are delighted that he chose Atlanta United.
“Whilst his resume speaks for itself, Gabriel’s playing philosophy and commitment to youth development closely align with our ideas at Atlanta United, and we are happy to welcome him as we move into our club’s next chapter.”
Heinze enjoyed playing stints at PSG, Manchester United, Real Madrid, Marseille and Roma, and earned 72 caps with the Argentinian national team. He started and finished his career with his boyhood club Newell’s Old Boys, where he played under former Atlanta United boss Tata Martino in 2012-13.
