Esteban Vigo Benítez is a Spanish retired football midfielder and manager. He played the vast majority of his professional career with Málaga and Barcelona, amassing La Liga totals of 240 games and 24 goals over 13 seasons. Vigo became a manager in 1995, going on to coach several clubs.
Playing career
Known as Esteban during his playing days, he was born in Vélez-Málaga, and had his first professional spell with local CD Málaga, achieving La Liga promotion in 1976. He subsequently attracted attention from country giants FC Barcelona who signed him in December 1976 for 25 million pesetas, and he proceeded to be regularly used during ten years although never an undisputed starter ; he also scored the winner in a 3–1 Copa del Rey defeat of Sporting de Gijón, also in that campaign. Esteban returned to his first club in 1987, retiring four years later at the age of 36. He earned three caps for Spain during a two-month span in 1981 as the nation prepared for itsFIFA World Cup, but did not make the final cut; he also represented the country at the 1976 Summer Olympics.
Coaching career
Taking up coaching afterwards, Vigo began in his nativeAndalusia with UD Almería, and continued to work mainly in the region, also having an abroad spell in Romania. In 2009 he led Xerez CD to their first top-level promotion but, in July 2009, switched to another side in Segunda División, moving to Hércules CF and achieving the same as runner-up, with the Alicante club returning to the top flight after 13 years. Vigo was sacked by Hércules on 21 March 2011, following a 0–4 home loss against CA Osasuna – it was the team's fourth consecutive defeat of the season, winning just one point out of 15 possible. He was named the new Almería manager on 4 April of the following year, replacingLucas Alcaraz. In July 2012, Vigo returned to Xerez on a two-year deal with the option of two more. He and his three assistants were dismissed the following February, with the club last-placed and seven points from safety.
