Article by Cosmin Nistor – Published on Saturday, 02 May 2026, 19:33 / Updated on Saturday, 02 May 2026 19:34
Diego Simeone ticked off a historic moment in his career: match number 1000 as a coach. The milestone was reached in the duel between Atletico Madrid and Valencia, in the 34th round of La Liga, which the Madrid team won 2-0 on Saturday afternoon.
The success comes at an important time of the season, ahead of the return of the UEFA Champions League with Arsenal, scheduled for Tuesday, May 5, after the score was 1-1 in Madrid.
Diego Simeone, 1000 matches on the technical bench
Simeone's coaching career began in Argentina at Racing Club and then went on to several major teams: Estudiantes de La Plata, River Plate, San Lorenzo and Catania.
In total, before the Atletico era, Simeone had amassed 205 games on the bench, but the peak of his career came in Madrid, where he reached 795 games for Atleti and passed the historic mark of 1000.
“Cholo”, the longest serving coach in the history of Atletico Madrid
The period spent on the Atletico bench represents the peak of his career. Under his command, the club won two La Liga titles (2013/14, 2020/21), the Spanish Cup (2012/13) and the Spanish Super Cup (2014).
At European level, the record is just as solid: two UEFA Europa League trophies (2012, 2018) and two European Super Cups (2012, 2018). In addition, Simeone took the team to the UEFA Champions League final twice in 2014 and 2016, both of which they lost in dramatic fashion.
Now, the Argentine has the chance to lead Atletico to a Champions League final again if the return with Arsenal goes well.
With 467 victories in the almost 800 matches on the Madrid bench, Simeone is already the longest-serving coach in the club's history. His contract runs until 2027.
