Unai Emery Etxegoien is a Spanish football manager and former player who is the manager of Premier League club Aston Villa. Born on 3 November 1971, Emery has had a distinguished career in football, both as a player and a manager, with numerous achievements and milestones.
Main Milestones
Birth
3 November 1971
Unai Emery was born in Hondarribia, Gipuzkoa, Basque Country, Spain.
Playing Career
1990s
Emery played mostly in Spain's Segunda División, amassing totals of 215 matches and nine goals over seven seasons. He was a left-sided midfielder and appeared in five La Liga games for Real Sociedad, scoring against Albacete in an 8–1 home win.
Transition to Coaching
2004
Emery transitioned into coaching after retiring as a player. He began at Lorca Deportiva, where he achieved promotion to the Segunda División in his first season.
Valencia Manager
2008-2012
Emery joined Valencia, leading the team to top-three finishes and direct qualification to the Champions League twice. However, he was heavily criticized and let go at the end of the 2011-2012 season due to underperformance.
Spartak Moscow Manager
2012-2013
Emery had a short-lived tenure at Spartak Moscow, being sacked just a few months after being appointed due to poor results.
Seville Manager
2013-2016
Emery joined Seville and won the UEFA Europa League for three consecutive seasons, equalling the record number of wins in the competition.
Paris Saint-Germain Manager
2016-2018
Emery moved to Paris Saint-Germain, where he won a Ligue 1 title, two Coupe de France titles, two Coupe de la Ligues, and two Trophée des Champions, including a domestic quadruple in his second season.
Arsenal Manager
2018-2019
Emery was appointed as head coach of Arsenal, succeeding Arsène Wenger. He finished Europa League runner-up in his first season but was dismissed in November 2019.
Villarreal Manager
2020-2022
Emery joined Villarreal and won the Europa League in his first season, guiding the club to a Champions League semi-final run in the following season.
Aston Villa Manager
2022-Present
Emery was appointed as head coach of Aston Villa, transforming the team and leading them to a UEFA Conference League semi-final and Champions League qualification in 2024.
Champions League Qualification
2024
Emery led Aston Villa to a 4th-place finish in the Premier League, securing qualification to the UEFA Champions League for the first time since 1982-83.
