CARLOS BIANCHI

Despite never having a great playing career at international level, Argentinian striker Carlos Bianchi enjoyed an extremely successful career at club level in Argentina and France. He went on to become one of South America's most successful coaches, winning numerous domestic honours in Argentina in the 1990s and the early years of the 21st Century.

Bianchi's club career started in 1967 with Vélez Sarsfield, where he would enjoy two extremely successful spells. His six year first stay with the club saw him become one of Argentina's most prolific strikers, forcing his way briefly into the national team in the early 1970's, although he never played in a major tournament. Vélez won the only major trophy of Bianchi's playing career in 1968, taking the Nacional Championship. In 1973, Bianchi left Argentina and embarked on a very successful career in France.

Although he won no major honours during his seven years in France, Bianchi was leading scorer in the French League no fewer than five times in six seasons. He spent four years with Stade de Reims and two with Paris Saint Germain, and was by some margin the leading scorer in France during this period. After one season with Racing Club Strasbourg, he returned to Argentina to end his playing career with a second spell at Vélez Sarsfield.

After retiring from playing, Bianchi returned to Stade de Reims to start his managerial career in 1984, and after short spells at OGC Nice and Paris FC he returned to Vélez for the third time to become manager in 1993. In his first year, Bianchi led Vélez to the Argentinian Closing Championship, and added the Libertadores Cup the following year. After guiding Vélez to the Opening Championship in 1995 and another Closing Championship in 1996, Bianchi spent a short time with AS Roma, but by 1998 he had taken charge of Boca Juniors.

It was with Boca that Bianchi secured his reputation as one of the world's finest coaches. In two spells in charge, between 1998 and 2004, he led the club to three Opening Championships and one Closing Championship, but it was in the Libertadores Cup that the greatest success would come. Boca won the competition three times in four years - 2000, 2001 and 2003. Bianchi became the first coach to win four Libertadores Cups in his career. He was named South American manager of the year each time, an award he had already won in 1994 and 1998. Shortly after leaving Boca for the second time in 2004, Bianchi turned down the chance to manage the Argentinian national team and returned to Europe in 2005 to coach Atlético Madrid, but failed to last a season in the job.