Sebastián Méndez · Biography

In January 2002 Celta de Vigo signed Sebastián Ariel Méndez, a centre-back developed at Vélez Sarsfield, first on loan and then through a purchase option set at €1.3 million. The move to Spain ended eight years in the Vélez first team and began the European chapter of a defender born in Buenos Aires on 4 July 1977 and nicknamed “El Gallego”. After retiring in 2009 he became a coach and managed, among others, Godoy Cruz, Vélez Sarsfield and Banfield.

Youth career and debut at Vélez

Méndez came through the Vélez youth ranks and made his Argentine top-flight debut on 24 July 1994 against Deportivo Español. That same year the club won the 1994 Copa Libertadores and Intercontinental Cup, titles that appear on his honours list. In the second half of the 1990s he established himself at centre-back in a side that won the 1995 Apertura, the 1996 Clausura and the 1998 Clausura, along with the 1996 Copa Interamericana and Supercopa Sudamericana and the 1997 Recopa Sudamericana. His form earned him a call-up to the Argentina national team, for whom he played twice in 1999. He stayed at Vélez until his transfer to Spanish football.

Four seasons in Vigo

He arrived at Celta midway through the 2001-02 season. In 2002-03 the Galician club finished fourth in La Liga. Celta were relegated to the Spanish second division in 2004 and won promotion back a year later, with Méndez remaining in the squad throughout. He ended his spell in Vigo in 2006, with 57 league appearances according to the records of those years.

San Lorenzo, Banfield and retirement

In 2006 he returned to Argentina to join San Lorenzo, with whom he won the 2007 Clausura. In 2009 he moved to Banfield, where he played 19 matches in his final half-season as a professional. The club from the southern Greater Buenos Aires area were crowned 2009 Apertura champions, the first league title in their history, and Méndez announced his retirement that December.

First steps as a coach

His coaching career began on 4 April 2010, as caretaker manager of San Lorenzo after Diego Simeone’s departure, a role he held until May. In 2011 he took charge of Banfield. Spells followed at Atlanta in the second half of 2013, Platense in 2014 and Gimnasia y Esgrima de Jujuy in the first half of 2015.

Godoy Cruz and spells abroad

In late 2015 Godoy Cruz appointed him to replace Gabriel Heinze. In the 2016 Transition Tournament the Mendoza side finished second in Zone 1 and, despite losing 1-0 to Estudiantes de La Plata in the third-place match, secured a place in the 2017 Copa Libertadores. In 34 matches he recorded 17 wins, 5 draws and 12 defeats before leaving the club at the end of 2016. He then coached Belgrano in 2017, Chilean side Palestino in 2018 and Colombia’s Cúcuta Deportivo in the first half of 2019.

Alongside Maradona at Gimnasia

In late 2019 he joined Diego Maradona’s coaching staff at Gimnasia y Esgrima La Plata as an assistant. After Maradona’s death on 25 November 2020 he took temporary charge of the team and resigned the following day.

Vélez and later spells

In January 2021 he returned to Godoy Cruz, staying until August, and in October that year he took over Club Tijuana in Liga MX, whom he coached until May 2022. In April 2023 he was appointed at Unión de Santa Fe, but in June he left to return to Vélez Sarsfield, this time as head coach, with the team close to the relegation zone. He secured survival in the Argentine top flight and resigned in December 2023. Between June and September 2024 he managed Newell's Old Boys. In October 2025 he signed with Juventud de Las Piedras of the Uruguayan first division, and he was dismissed in April 2026 after a 2-1 defeat to Racing in the tenth round of the Torneo Apertura.