Biography
Who is Quique Setién?
Early life and career beginnings
Born in Santander, Spain, Quique Setién began his professional football career in 1977. He made his La Liga debut with his hometown club, Racing de Santander. During his initial period with the Cantabrians, he was not always a regular starter and experienced two relegations.
He later moved to Atlético Madrid for a three-year period. While his first two seasons were successful, his final year at the club was difficult due to disagreements with the chairman, Jesús Gil. In 1988, he joined Logroñés, where he helped the team maintain its status in the top division.
Playing career and international honors
Quique returned to Racing de Santander in 1992 for a second stint. During his first year back, he scored 11 goals, which was his highest single-season total. He eventually retired in June 1996 after playing for Levante in the Segunda División B play-offs. Throughout his professional career, he played nearly 600 official matches and scored 95 league goals.
On the international stage, he represented the Spain national team three times. He earned his debut in a friendly against Austria in Zaragoza on 20 November 1985. He was also a member of the 1986 FIFA World Cup squad in Mexico, though he did not enter the pitch during the tournament.
Managerial career highlights
His coaching career began on 5 October 2001 when he took over at Racing. He successfully led the team to promotion as runners-up to Atlético. Later, he managed several different clubs, including Polideportivo Ejido, Lugo, and Las Palmas. At Las Palmas, he took the team from the relegation zone to an 11th place finish during his first season.
Quique Setién managed Real Betis from May 2017, leading them to a sixth-place finish and Europa League qualification. In January 2020, he became the head coach of Barcelona. His time at the club ended in August 2020 following an 8-2 defeat to Bayern Munich in the UEFA Champions League. He later managed Villarreal and Beijing Guoan, where he won Manager of the Month awards in May and June 2025.
Personal life and interests
The former midfielder is a skilled chess player with a FIDE rating of 1965. He has played matches against world champions like Anatoly Karpov and Garry Kasparov. He has noted that the strategy used in chess influences his football tactics, specifically his focus on ball possession and controlling the midfield.
His family has strong ties to football and the city of Santander. His son, Laro, is a midfielder who also plays football. Also, his father-in-law, José Antonio Lozano, played in the Spanish second tier during the 1960s. All three of these relatives have represented Racing Santander at some point in their lives.
Birthday and age
Quique Setién was born on September 27, 1958, which makes Quique 68 years old today. That birthday falls under the Libra sign. Quique shares the date with 68 other famous people.
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