1. Overview
Pablo Gabriel García Pérez (Pablo Gabriel García Pérezˈpaβlo ɣaˈβɾjel ɣaɾˈsi.a ˈpeɾesSpanish) is a Uruguayan former professional footballer who played as a defensive midfielder, and is currently a manager for Super League Greece club Atromitos. Born on May 11, 1977, in Pando, he was known for his physical and tenacious approach to the game, earning him the nickname Canario (canary), a reference to his birthplace.
García spent the majority of his playing career in La Liga in Spain, making 135 appearances over six years for four different teams, including notable spells at Osasuna and Real Madrid. He also had a significant period in Greece with PAOK, where he became a fan favorite. As an Uruguayan international, he represented his country for over a decade, participating in the 2002 FIFA World Cup and two Copa América tournaments.
After retiring as a player, García transitioned into coaching, initially working with PAOK's youth teams, where he achieved considerable success, including an impressive 78-match unbeaten streak and three national championships with the under-19 side. He later took on senior managerial roles with PAOK, Panserraikos, and Atromitos, leading PAOK to a Greek Football Cup victory in 2021.
2. Playing Career
Pablo García's professional football career began in Uruguay before he moved to Europe, where he played for several prominent clubs in Italy, Spain, and Greece, establishing a reputation as a combative defensive midfielder.
2.1. Early Career
Born in Pando, Canelones Department, García started his career at Montevideo Wanderers. After signing with Atlético Madrid, he was loaned to Peñarol for six months. However, he never progressed beyond Atlético Madrid's reserve team before being transferred to Italian giants AC Milan two years later.
During the 2000-01 season, García made only five Serie A appearances for AC Milan. In January 2002, he was loaned to fellow top-division club Venezia. Despite Venezia's eventual relegation, García delivered generally good performances during his time there, which helped showcase his talent.
2.2. Spain
García moved to Osasuna for the 2002-03 campaign, where he played with intense commitment for three seasons in Navarre. He made his La Liga debut on September 1, 2002, in a 2-2 draw against Villarreal, where he received a yellow card and scored Osasuna's final goal.
In the 2005 Copa del Rey final, García, who had become an essential part of Osasuna's midfield, was shown a straight red card for a dangerous challenge on Real Betis' Joaquín. Osasuna ultimately lost the match 2-1 in extra time. Despite the red card, his performances had attracted the attention of Real Madrid, who signed him to a three-year contract, alongside his compatriot Carlos Diogo.
During the 2004-05 season, García accumulated 17 yellow cards, the most in the league, and one red card (excluding the Cup final). He made his official Real Madrid debut on September 10, 2005, playing 11 minutes in a 2-3 home defeat to Celta. He eventually won the battle for the team's first-choice holding midfielder over Thomas Gravesen, though neither player became an undisputed starter.
García contributed to Real Madrid's runner-up finish in the 2005-06 season. However, he was deemed surplus to requirements by new manager Fabio Capello. On August 29, 2006, he agreed to a one-year loan spell at Celta. His campaign there was largely uneventful due to injuries, and Celta was relegated. He returned to the Santiago Bernabéu Stadium in July 2007, only to be immediately loaned out again, this time to newly promoted Real Murcia. After another relegation with Murcia in the 2007-08 season, García was released by Real Madrid on July 10, 2008.
2.3. Greece
Following his release from Real Madrid, Pablo García joined PAOK in Greece later in July 2008. He quickly became a fan favorite due to his tenacity and intense playing style, though this also led to controversy. He received three red cards in his first six games and was involved in an incident with Olympiacos player Diogo. During a set piece, García was hit in the face by Diogo's elbow and retaliated with a punch to the Brazilian's abdomen. Both actions surprisingly went unnoticed by the referee during the match, but García later received a three-match ban.
His second season at PAOK was significantly more successful. The team conceded only 16 goals in 30 matches, finishing second in the league, with García forming a stable midfield partnership with Spaniard Vitolo. On February 21, 2010, he scored in a 2-1 home victory against Panathinaikos, narrowing the gap to the opposition to two points. He also renewed his contract until 2012, agreeing to a salary reduction to help the club's financial situation.
On May 23, 2012, the 35-year-old García extended his contract with PAOK for another year. However, on March 20 of the following year, he was released by mutual consent after disagreements with coach Giorgos Donis. García returned to PAOK on June 4, 2013, at the request of major shareholder Ivan Savvidis, signing a one-year deal. In the subsequent winter transfer window, he left for fellow Super League Greece side Skoda Xanthi. He retired from professional football after a couple of months with Skoda Xanthi, at the age of 37, and settled in Thessaloniki.
3. International Career
Pablo García had a distinguished international career, representing the Uruguay national team for over a decade and participating in major global and continental tournaments.
He made his debut for the Uruguayan national team on December 13, 1997, in a King Fahd Cup match against the United Arab Emirates. He quickly became a mainstay for the national team, earning a total of 66 caps and scoring two goals.
García played all 270 minutes of Uruguay's matches in the 2002 FIFA World Cup. However, he was unable to help his country qualify for the 2006 FIFA World Cup after they lost a penalty shootout to Australia on November 16, 2005, during the qualification campaign.
In the 2007 Copa América quarter-finals, García scored a powerful finesse shot from outside the box against Venezuela. However, in the subsequent round against Brazil, he missed a decisive penalty during the shootout, which led to Uruguay's elimination.
4. Coaching Career
After concluding his playing career, Pablo García transitioned into football management, beginning with youth teams and progressing to senior club roles.
4.1. Start of Coaching Career
On May 24, 2015, Pablo García returned to PAOK in an unspecified capacity. The following month, the club's sporting director, Frank Arnesen, announced that García would begin his managerial career as an assistant coach for the club's under-17 team.
García achieved significant success during his tenure as coach of the PAOK under-19 side. His team remained undefeated for an impressive 78 matches and won three national championships, laying a strong foundation for his future managerial path.
4.2. Major Coaching Roles
On October 30, 2020, Pablo García was appointed coach of the PAOK senior squad following the dismissal of Abel Ferreira. Under his leadership, PAOK improved from sixth place to a final runner-up position in the league, finishing 26 points behind champions Olympiacos. On May 22, 2021, he led PAOK to victory in the Greek Football Cup, defeating the same Olympiacos opposition 2-1 in the final. Despite this success, he was fired shortly after, though he was offered a position with the reserves.
In the summer of 2023, García was appointed manager of Panserraikos, another club in the Greek top tier. In the cup quarter-finals, Panserraikos was eliminated by PAOK with a 9-0 aggregate score. On May 11, 2024, García announced his departure from Panserraikos. Later that month, he became the manager of Atromitos in the same league, signing a one-year contract.
5. Managerial Statistics
| Team | From | To | Record | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Games managed | Wins | Draws | Losses | Win % | |||
| PAOK U19 | September 10, 2016 | October 29, 2020 | 85 | 71 | 11 | 3 | 83.53 |
| PAOK | October 30, 2020 | May 26, 2021 | 42 | 23 | 9 | 10 | 54.76 |
| PAOK B | July 15, 2021 | June 19, 2023 | 58 | 24 | 18 | 16 | 41.38 |
| Panserraikos | July 4, 2023 | May 11, 2024 | 38 | 11 | 12 | 15 | 28.95 |
| Atromitos | May 31, 2024 | Present | 28 | 10 | 5 | 13 | 35.71 |
| Career total | 251 | 139 | 55 | 57 | 55.38 | ||
6. Honours
Pablo García achieved several honours throughout his career as both a player and a manager, including domestic cup victories and runner-up finishes in international tournaments.
6.1. Player Honours
Osasuna
- Copa del Rey runner-up: 2004-05
International
- FIFA U-20 World Cup runner-up: 1997
- Copa América runner-up: 1999
Individual
- PAOK MVP of the Season: 2011-12
6.2. Manager Honours
PAOK
- Greek Football Cup: 2020-21