There are many sons in the football world who are coached by their fathers. Father and son winning the Champions League had never happened yet. Diego and Giuliano Simeone from Atletico Madrid now want to change that.
Diego Simeone has a dream. The Argentine has been the coach of Atletico Madrid for almost 15 years. He became Spanish champion, cup winner and Europa League winner with the club. The only thing he is missing is winning the Champions League.
Semi-final second leg at Arsenal FC
Now he’s close. With the “Rojiblancos” the 56-year-old is in the semi-finals. On Tuesday (9 p.m.) he has to play in the second leg at FC arsenal ran. And after the 1-1 draw in the first leg, a win is needed there – no matter what. For the first time in ten years, Madrid could reach the final of the premier class. They already proved that the Madrilenians are suited to the role of underdogs in the emotional quarter-finals against FC Barcelona (2:0, 1:2) under coach Hansi Flick.
Close to Atletico as a child
Winning the handle pot would be something very special for Simeone. Not just because it would be the last in his trophy collection, but rather because he could celebrate it with his son Giuliano. He is currently a regular player in his team.
Giuliano was born in Rome. His father was playing for Lazio and later moved to Atletico Madrid. In 2005 he left the club and moved back to his native Argentina with his family to end his active career there.
But already in 2011, Diego ended up back at Atletico – this time as a coach. Giuliano stayed in Buenos Aires and played there in the youth department River Plate. But the connection to Atletico was always there through his father.
“I’m an Atletico fan”said Giuliano as a child. He was even a ball boy during one of his visits to Madrid. In 2019 he moved to Atletico’s U19 team.
A detour into his father’s team
But getting into his father’s team was a long journey. In 2022 he was loaned to the then second division club Real Zaragoza, and a year later he went to the first division club Deportivo Alaves. He then returned to Atletico in 2024.
At first he was viewed critically. Maybe not from his teammates, but from fans and those around him. The accusation: nepotism. But it didn’t take long for Giuliano to convince his critics. With commitment and the will to win, the attributes that his eccentric father exemplifies to him on the sidelines in every game.
Only Griezmann and Koke are there more often
And since this season he has been an integral part of Atletico. He has 50 appearances this season, only Antoine Griezmann and Koke have more. As a right winger, he has seven goals and eight assists.
Argentina’s Giuliano Simeone celebrates
professionalism and that Performance principle to count
His father Diego does everything he can to avoid giving the impression that he favors his son. When he talks about him, he does so objectively and often critically. Professionalism and the performance principle are important. He substituted him 29 times. Which of course has nothing to do with poor performance. After all, Giuliano is now an Argentine national player. He has already made eleven international appearances and will also be part of the defending champion’s squad at the World Cup in the USA, Canada and Mexico this summer.
Giuliano also always emphasized that he was proud of his name and his father, but wanted to go his own way. But first both of them head to the semi-final second leg in London. One win is still missing for a place in the final. And there father and son could then make history.
