Carlos Mayor · Biography

In 1994, Carlos Alberto Mayor left South American football to join Fukuoka Blux, the Japanese club that later took the name Avispa Fukuoka. That spell in Japan, which lasted until 1996, carried on beyond his playing days, because in 2017 he went back to the country as a head coach. Born on 5 October 1965 in Buenos Aires, Mayor played as a centre-back, came through the ranks at Argentinos Juniors and was part of the Argentina squad at the 1988 Seoul Olympics. As a coach he has managed more than ten clubs, most of them in the lower divisions of Argentine football.

Early years at Argentinos Juniors

Mayor came through the youth system at Argentinos Juniors, the club from the La Paternal neighbourhood of Buenos Aires, and played for the first team until 1990. His time in the senior squad coincided with the best period in the club's history: he was part of the group that won the 1985 Copa Libertadores. A tall central defender, close to 1.80 metres, he established himself in the back line of a side that held its own against the big Buenos Aires clubs. That grounding at a club known for producing players also shaped his approach to coaching, and he later spent years working with youth teams.

The 1988 Seoul Olympics

In 1988 he was called up by Argentina for the football tournament at the Seoul Olympic Games, wearing the number 14 shirt. Argentina played the group stage in Group C, where they faced the United States, and reached the quarter-finals, where they were knocked out by Brazil. It was the most significant international experience of his playing career.

Gimnasia, Unión, Chile and Japan

In 1990 he left Argentinos Juniors for Gimnasia y Esgrima La Plata, where he played the 1990-91 season. He then moved to Unión de Santa Fe, staying from 1991 to 1992. In 1993 he had his first spell abroad with Deportes Iquique in the Chilean top flight. The following year he arrived in Japan to play for the Fukuoka club, which changed its name during his stay and became Avispa Fukuoka; he remained there until 1996. Back in Buenos Aires, he played for All Boys from 1997 to 1999, and his playing career ended in 2000.

First years as a coach

After retiring he returned to Argentinos Juniors to work with the youth teams from 2011, and in 2012 he took charge of the first team as caretaker. On 23 January 2013 he made his debut as Almagro head coach with a 1-0 defeat to Defensores Unidos de Zárate in the Copa Argentina. With that side he reached the promotion play-off final for a place in the B Nacional, which they lost to Brown de Adrogué. He left in April 2014 after a defeat to Villa Dálmine. That same year he had a spell at Atlanta, and in July 2014 he took over at Godoy Cruz in the Argentine Primera División. In 2015 he coached San Martín de San Juan, in 2016 he returned to Argentinos Juniors, and in June of that year he was unveiled as Temperley head coach.

Back in Japan with Renofa Yamaguchi

In 2017 he went back to Almagro after Felipe de la Riva resigned, but stayed only a month because an offer arrived from Japan. On 6 June 2017 Renofa Yamaguchi appointed him head coach. The team were bottom of the J2 League with just two wins from seventeen rounds. Under his leadership they played 25 matches, with 9 wins, 1 draw and 15 defeats, and the club finished the league in 20th place. It remains his only coaching job outside Argentina.

From Boca Unidos to Mitre

On his return he coached Boca Unidos of Corrientes in the Torneo Federal A between 2018 and 2019. In June 2019 he began his third spell at Almagro, where he had by then taken charge of 68 matches, with 27 wins, 23 draws and 18 defeats. He later managed Olimpo of Bahía Blanca, also in the Federal A, until 2022, and in 2023 he had a spell at Ramón Santamarina of Tandil. That same year he joined Defensores de Belgrano in the Primera Nacional, Argentina's second tier, where he stayed until 26 July 2025, when he resigned after a match against Talleres de Remedios de Escalada. In the second half of 2025 he coached Chacarita Juniors, and at the end of that year he joined Mitre of Santiago del Estero. He resigned from Mitre after the match against Ferro Carril Oeste on 19 April 2026.