Spain Copa del Rey Soccer

Real Sociedad's head coach Pellegrino Matarazzo celebrates after winning the Copa del Rey final soccer match between Atletico Madrid and Real Sociedad in Seville, Spain, Saturday, April. 18, 2026.

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Sociedad's Matarazzo: The American coach who studied math at Columbia and grew up watching Maradona

Sociedad's Matarazzo: The American coach who studied math at Columbia and grew up watching Maradona

A 48-year-old American coach who studied mathematics at Columbia and grew up watching Diego Maradona play for Napoli is now part of the history of Spanish club Real Sociedad in the Basque Country. Pellegrino “Rino” Matarazzo led Sociedad to its fourth Copa del Rey title on Saturday with a penalty-shootout win over Atletico Madrid. It was the first career title for the coach who left the United States to try to play soccer professionally and ended up becoming a manager in Germany.