Juan Pedro Benali facts for kids
| Personal information | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Full name | Juan Pedro Benali Hammou | ||
| Date of birth | 25 March 1969 | ||
| Place of birth | Madrid, Spain | ||
| Team information | |||
|
Current team
|
NorthEast United (head coach) | ||
| Managerial career | |||
| Years | Team | ||
| 1997–1999 | Las Rozas | ||
| 2000 | Ittihad Khemisset | ||
| 2000–2001 | SCC Mohammédia | ||
| 2001 | Al-Gharafa | ||
| 2001–2002 | CO Transports | ||
| 2002–2003 | Sharjah | ||
| 2003–2005 | Al-Khaleej | ||
| 2006 | Vissel Kobe (assistant) | ||
| 2017–2018 | Chabab Rif Al Hoceima | ||
| 2018–2019 | Chabab Rif Al Hoceima | ||
| 2020 | Ittihad Tanger | ||
| 2021 | RS Berkane | ||
| 2022 | Ittihad Tanger | ||
| 2023– | NorthEast United | ||
Juan Pedro Benali Hammou (born March 25, 1969) is a Spanish professional football manager. He is currently the head coach of Indian Super League club NorthEast United.
He has worked as a manager and football executive in many different countries. These include Spain, Morocco, Qatar, Tunisia, the UAE, Japan, Finland, and India.
Contents
Juan Pedro Benali's Football Journey
Early Coaching Steps
Benali started his coaching career in 1997. His first club was Las Rozas in Madrid, Spain. In 1999, he joined Atlético Madrid. He worked there as a technical assistant.
From 2000 to 2001, he managed two clubs in Morocco. These clubs were Ittihad Khemisset and SCC Mohammédia.
Coaching in the Middle East and Africa
In 2001, Benali moved to Qatar. He joined Al-Gharafa as a coach. After a short time with CO Transports in Tunisia, he joined Sharjah FC in the UAE in 2001. With Sharjah FC, he won the UAE President's Cup in the 2002–2003 season.
In 2003, Benali joined Al-Khaleej Sports & Cultural Club. He stayed with this club until 2005.
International Experience and Leadership Roles
In 2006, Benali went to Japan. He joined Vissel Kobe as an assistant coach. He worked alongside Stuart Baxter there. From 2007 to 2008, he was a technical assistant at Racing de Santander in Spain.
Later, he joined Baxter's coaching team again. This time, it was for the Finland national team until 2009. From 2009 to 2011, Benali took on leadership roles. He served as the CEO of Maghreb de Fès in Morocco. He was also the director of football at Al Dhafra in the UAE.
From 2010 to 2014, he oversaw the Spanish Sports Academy in the UAE. After that, he led the La Manga Club high-performance soccer center for two years.
Return to Morocco
In 2016, Benali returned to Morocco. He became the sporting director of Botola club Moghreb Tétouan. Between 2017 and 2019, he managed Chabab Rif Al Hoceima in two separate periods.
Later, until 2020, he had another short time as sporting director for Moghreb Tétouan. In January 2020, Benali was appointed manager of Ittihad Tanger. He stayed in charge until the end of the 2019–20 season.
On March 18, 2021, Benali became the manager of RS Berkane. He was released from his role on June 23, 2021, after a loss against Wydad AC. On April 18, 2022, Benali was briefly re-appointed as the manager of Ittihad Tanger.
Coaching NorthEast United
On May 22, 2023, Benali was appointed as the head coach of Indian Super League club NorthEast United. He signed a one-year deal with an option to extend it.
He led NorthEast United to the semifinals of the 2023 Durand Cup. However, they lost to East Bengal in a penalty shootout. On January 3, 2024, NorthEast United extended his contract. It now runs until the end of the 2024–25 season. There is also an option to extend it for another season.
Winning the 2024 Durand Cup
On August 31, 2024, NorthEast United won the 2024 Durand Cup final. They defeated Mohun Bagan SG 4–3 in a penalty shootout. Benali became the first head coach to win a major trophy for the club. This was a historic moment for NorthEast United.
Personal life
Benali was born in Spain. He has both Spanish and Moroccan family roots.
Honours
NorthEast United
- Durand Cup: 2024
See also
In Spanish: Juan Pedro Benali para niños
