1. Overview
Alfio Rubén "Coco" Basile (born November 1, 1943) is an Argentine football manager and former player. He is widely recognized for his significant impact on Argentine football, both as a formidable defender during his playing career with clubs like Racing Club and Huracán, and as a highly successful manager. Basile notably holds the unique distinction of being the only manager to have coached both legendary players Diego Maradona and Lionel Messi internationally for the Argentina national team across his two separate tenures. Throughout his extensive managerial career, he achieved considerable success, particularly with Racing Club, where he won the Supercopa Libertadores, and with Boca Juniors, securing five titles in just two years. His contributions to the sport reflect a career marked by significant achievements and a lasting legacy.
2. Playing Career
Alfio Basile's playing career spanned from the mid-1960s to the mid-1970s, establishing him as a solid and reliable defender for prominent Argentine clubs and the national team.
2.1. Early Life and Youth Career
Born in Bahía Blanca, Argentina, Basile began his football journey in his hometown, joining Club Bella Vista. His talent soon caught the attention of larger clubs. He later recalled that a Racing Club member brought him to the club for a tryout, where he was coached by Carlos Peucelle. After successfully passing the test, he began his career in the 7th division, steadily progressing through the ranks. In his early playing days, he primarily played as a "number 5" or central midfielder. His debut in the Argentine Primera División came in the final round of a championship match against Huracán, where he played as a "number 6," or centre-back.
2.2. Club Career
Basile spent the majority of his playing career with two major Argentine clubs: Racing Club and Huracán. From 1964 to 1970, he played for Racing Club. Initially a midfielder, he was transitioned to a central defensive role by coach Juan José Pizutti. In this position, Basile formed a celebrated defensive partnership with Roberto Perfumo, contributing to an era of significant success for the club. With Racing Club, he won three major titles: the Primera División in 1966, the Copa Libertadores in 1967, and the Intercontinental Cup in 1967, defeating Celtic FC. This Intercontinental Cup victory marked the first time an Argentine team achieved an intercontinental title. He also was a runner-up in the Intercontinental Champions' Supercup in 1969. Basile made a total of 186 appearances for Racing Club before moving on.
In 1971, Basile transferred to Huracán, where he continued to be a pivotal player until his retirement in 1975. At Huracán, he was an integral part of the team that won the 1973 Metropolitano Championship under the guidance of coach César Luis Menotti.
2.3. International Career
Alfio Basile also represented the Argentina national football team during his playing career, featuring in eight international matches and scoring one goal between 1968 and 1973. His tenure with the national team allowed him to compete at the highest level of international football before he concluded his playing career in 1975.
3. Managerial Career
Following his retirement as a player in 1975, Alfio Basile embarked on a long and distinguished managerial career, coaching numerous clubs in Argentina, Uruguay, Mexico, and Spain, as well as two significant stints with the Argentina national team.
3.1. Early Managerial Stints
Basile began his coaching journey immediately after retiring from playing, taking the helm at CA Chacarita Juniors from 1975 to 1976. He then went on to manage various Argentine clubs, including Rosario Central (1976), Racing Club (1977, 1978, 1980, 1983), Racing de Córdoba (1978, 1980, 1981), Instituto AC Córdoba (1979, 1981), Huracán (1982), Nacional in Uruguay (1982), Talleres (Córdoba) (1983), and Vélez Sarsfield (1984-1986, 1989-1990). During his time at Racing de Córdoba in 1981, he secured the Liga Cordobesa de Fútbol, Torneo Neder Nicola, and Copa Córdoba titles. At Vélez Sarsfield, he guided the team to a runner-up finish in the 1985 Nacional Primera División.
3.2. First Stint with Argentina National Team (1991-1994)
Basile's career as a coach reached its first peak in 1991 when he was appointed manager of the Argentina national football team, succeeding Carlos Bilardo. He actively promoted young talents such as Gabriel Batistuta, Diego Simeone, and Fernando Redondo. Under his leadership, Argentina achieved significant success, winning two consecutive Copa América titles in 1991 and 1993. Additionally, they secured the King Fahd Cup (now known as the FIFA Confederations Cup) in 1992 and the CONMEBOL-UEFA Cup of Champions in 1993.
The path to the 1994 FIFA World Cup was not without its challenges. Argentina faced a traumatic 5-0 defeat at home to Colombia during the qualifiers, which led to the recall of veteran star Diego Maradona from international retirement to participate in a crucial play-off against Australia, which Argentina narrowly won to secure their World Cup spot.
In the 1994 World Cup itself, held in the United States, Argentina started impressively with victories over Greece (4-0, featuring a hat-trick by Batistuta) and Nigeria. However, a major controversy erupted when Maradona tested positive for ephedrine after the Nigeria match and was subsequently suspended from the tournament. This incident shattered the team's morale. Argentina advanced to the last 16 despite a 0-2 loss to Bulgaria but was ultimately eliminated after a 2-3 defeat to Romania. Basile resigned as national team coach following this disappointment.
3.3. Club Management Return and First Stint with Boca Juniors (1995-2006)
After his departure from the national team, Basile returned to club management. His subsequent stints included managing Atlético Madrid in Spain (1995), a third spell with Racing Club (1996-1998), San Lorenzo (1998), Club América of Mexico (2000-2001), and Colón (2004), experiencing varied levels of success. At Club América, he won the CONCACAF Giants Cup in 2001.
In July 2005, Basile took over as coach of Boca Juniors, a period that proved to be highly successful. Just a month after his appointment, he won the Recopa Sudamericana 2005. He then led Boca to his first Argentine league title, winning the 2005 Apertura tournament. Four days later, Boca secured another major title, defeating UNAM Pumas of Mexico in the final of the Copa Sudamericana 2005. This remarkable run saw Boca Juniors win three trophies within the first six months of his tenure.
3.4. Second Stint with Argentina National Team (2006-2008)
In July 2006, Basile was once again offered the position of Argentina national football team coach, taking over from José Pekerman. Before fully committing to the national team role, he remained with Boca Juniors until September 14, 2006, guiding them to a second consecutive Recopa Sudamericana 2006 victory against São Paulo FC of Brazil.
Basile led Argentina through the 2007 Copa América, which marked Lionel Messi's debut in the tournament. Argentina had a strong performance in the group stage, winning all three matches against the United States, Colombia, and Paraguay. They continued their impressive form with convincing victories over Peru in the quarter-final and Mexico in the semi-final. Despite being strong favorites to win the final, Argentina suffered a surprising 3-0 defeat to arch-rivals Brazil.
On October 16, 2008, amidst significant controversy following Argentina's historic 1-0 defeat to Chile in the World Cup qualifiers-their first loss to Chile in 35 years-Basile tendered his resignation. This decision ultimately paved the way for the appointment of Diego Maradona as the new national team coach. Basile's two stints with the Argentina national team spanned from 1991 to 1994 and from 2006 to 2008.
3.5. Later Club Management (2009-2012)
On July 1, 2009, Basile returned to Boca Juniors for his second spell with the club, replacing Carlos Ischia. However, this second period was less successful. After a series of poor results, including failing to qualify for the Copa Libertadores 2010 and a crushing 3-1 defeat to arch-rivals River Plate during a summer tournament in Mar del Plata, he resigned on January 21, 2010.
On December 26, 2011, Basile returned to Racing Club for his fourth spell as their coach, succeeding Diego Simeone. This marked his final professional coaching role. One year later, he resigned after a controversial incident occurred in the change room at the Estadio Libertadores de América. Racing Club forward Teófilo Gutiérrez was accused of threatening a teammate with a gun, leading to a confusing and unsettling situation that prompted Basile's departure.
4. Post-retirement Activities
Since his final departure from Racing Club in 2012, Alfio Basile has not managed any other team, openly stating that he is "retired" from active football management. Despite his retirement, he has maintained a public profile, occasionally appearing in interviews to discuss football and his career. He also participated in the TV show Buenos Muchachos (Buenos MuchachosGood GuysSpanish), where he appeared alongside fellow football personality Héctor Veira and singer Cacho Castaña.
In a notable and somewhat unusual public appearance in 2019, Basile made headlines by offering to manage Flat Earth FC, a Spanish amateur football team whose philosophy is based on the idea that the Earth is flat. Basile stated that he agreed with the club president, Javi Poves's, views on the subject, further highlighting his unique personality beyond football.
5. Honours
Alfio Basile achieved numerous titles and accolades throughout both his playing and managerial careers, underscoring his significant impact on Argentine and international football.
5.1. As a Player
Racing Club
- Argentine Primera División: 1966
- Copa Libertadores: 1967
- Intercontinental Cup: 1967
- Intercontinental Champions' Supercup runner-up: 1969
Huracán
- Argentine Primera División: 1973 Metropolitano
5.2. As a Manager
Racing Club
- Supercopa Sudamericana: 1988
- Recopa Sudamericana runner-up: 1989
Racing de Córdoba
- Liga Cordobesa de Fútbol: 1981
- Torneo Neder Nicola: 1981
- Copa Córdoba: 1981
Vélez Sarsfield
- Argentine Primera División runner-up: 1985 Nacional
Club América
- CONCACAF Giants Cup: 2001
Boca Juniors
- Argentine Primera División: 2005 Apertura, 2006 Clausura
- Copa Sudamericana: 2005
- Recopa Sudamericana: 2005, 2006
Argentina National Team
- Copa América: 1991, 1993; runner-up: 2007
- FIFA Confederations Cup: 1992
- CONMEBOL-UEFA Cup of Champions: 1993
6. Criticism and Controversies
Alfio Basile's long career was not without its share of critical moments and controversies, primarily during his tenures as manager of the Argentina national team and his later club stints.
One of the most significant controversies occurred during the 1994 FIFA World Cup when Diego Maradona, crucial to Basile's squad, was suspended after testing positive for ephedrine following the match against Nigeria. This doping scandal severely impacted the team's morale and performance, ultimately contributing to Argentina's early elimination from the tournament. Basile resigned shortly after, citing disappointment.
Another controversial period for Basile came during his second stint as Argentina's national team coach. On October 16, 2008, he tendered his resignation amidst widespread criticism following Argentina's historic 1-0 defeat to Chile in a World Cup qualifiers-their first loss to Chile in 35 years-Basile tendered his resignation. This loss was particularly painful as it marked Argentina's first defeat to Chile in 35 years, leading to immense public and media pressure.
Basile also drew attention for his vocal preference for the Italian Serie A and Spanish La Liga over the English Premier League. He publicly urged Argentine players like Carlos Tevez and Javier Mascherano to transfer to Italy, famously claiming that the move would be better for Mascherano "even if he would have to play in the second division" with Juventus. This stance sparked debate and was seen by some as a critique of the English league.
His final managerial role at Racing Club ended abruptly due to a bizarre incident involving striker Teófilo Gutiérrez. In 2012, after a match, Gutiérrez was accused of pointing a gun at a teammate in the change room of the Estadio Libertadores de América. This "confusing incident" led to Basile's resignation, marking an unfortunate end to his active coaching career.
7. Legacy
Alfio Basile leaves a profound and lasting legacy on Argentine football, distinguished by his extensive career both as a player and, more significantly, as a manager. His unique place in football history is solidified by the rare feat of being the only manager to have coached both Diego Maradona and Lionel Messi-two of football's greatest icons-in the Argentina national football team. This distinction alone speaks volumes about his longevity, adaptability, and enduring influence on the sport's highest level.
Beyond this unique achievement, Basile's legacy is marked by his consistent success in winning titles, particularly with Racing Club (winning their first international title in decades with the Supercopa Libertadores in 1988), and Boca Juniors, where he secured multiple domestic and international trophies in a relatively short period. His leadership of the Argentina national team in the early 1990s, where he guided them to two consecutive Copa América titles, a FIFA Confederations Cup, and a CONMEBOL-UEFA Cup of Champions, established a golden era for Argentine football.
Basile was known for fostering a cohesive team environment and often emphasizing a balanced playing style. Despite facing controversies, such as the Maradona doping scandal and the circumstances of his later resignations, his overall impact on the sport is viewed positively, recognizing his contributions to developing talent, instilling a winning mentality, and achieving significant triumphs at both club and international levels. His distinctive personality, characterized by a direct communication style and a passion for the game, also contributes to his memorable presence in Argentine football folklore.