Martín Lasarte


Martín Bernardo Lasarte Arróspide is a Uruguayan former footballer who played as a defender, and a manager.
He represented five teams in his country, and also had a three-and-a-half-year spell in Spain with Deportivo during a 16-year senior career.
Lasart began working as a coach in 1996, and managed several clubs over the next decades including Nacional where he also had played.

Playing career

Lasarte was born in Montevideo to a Spanish father and an Uruguayan mother, with the former having immigrated from the Basque Country and the latter also having Basque descent.
In his country, he represented C.A. Rentistas, Central Español, Rampla Juniors, Club Nacional de Football and Defensor Sporting, winning four major titles with the fourth club including the 1988 edition of the Copa Libertadores followed by the Intercontinental Cup.
Abroad, Lasarte played four seasons for Deportivo de La Coruña in Spain. In 1990–91, he helped the Galicians return to La Liga, appearing in 35 complete matches the following campaign as the side finally avoided relegation; he also acted as team captain in several games.

Coaching career

Lasarte's career as manager began at the age of 35 with Rampla Juniors, which he led to the second position in the Primera División in the 1996 Clausura. In the following years he was in charge of several clubs, including Al Wasl F.C. from the United Arab Emirates in 2002, which he joined with the team in the last position, eventually leading them to fifth.
In 2003, Lasarte was appointed at Club Atlético River Plate, helping to promotion from the second level in his second season. He led his following team, Nacional de Montevideo, to two consecutive national championships; after finishing fifth in the 2006–07 Apertura he did not have his contract renewed, going on to have a very brief spell in Colombia.
After one season with Danubio F.C. in his country, Lasarte returned to the land of his father and signed for Real Sociedad in the second division. In his first season the team returned to the top flight after an absence of three years and, in late August 2010, he extended his contract until June 2012.
In 2010–11, Real Sociedad were close to the qualifying positions to the UEFA Europa League late into the first half of the campaign, but eventually had to wait until the last matchday to be safe from relegation, which eventually happened. On 24 May 2011, however, he was relieved of his duties.
On 15 May 2014, Lasarte was named manager of Club Universidad de Chile. In June 2016, in the same capacity, he returned to Nacional.
In December 2018, Lasarte was appointed at Egyptian Premier League's Al Ahly SC. He led the team to their 41st national championship in his first season but, on 18 August 2019, was dismissed after being ousted from the Egypt Cup by Pyramids FC.

Honours

Player

Nacional
River Plate Montevideo
Nacional
Real Sociedad
Universidad Chile
Al Ahly