Esteban Vigo Benítez (born 17 January 1955) is a Spanish former professional football midfielder and manager.
He spent the vast majority of his professional career with Málaga and Barcelona, amassing La Liga totals of 240 games and 24 goals over 13 seasons.
Vigo became a manager in 1995, going on to coach several clubs.
Playing career Known as Esteban during his playing days, he was born in Vélez-Málaga, and had his first professional spell with local Málaga, achieving promotion to La Liga in 1976. He subsequently attracted attention from giants Barcelona, who signed him in December 1976 for 25 million pesetas;Esteban, al Barcelona (Esteban, to Barcelona); Mundo Deportivo, 15 December 1976 (in Spanish)Pellegrini vs. Drenthe; Diario AS, 11 November 2010 (in Spanish) he proceeded to be regularly used over the next decade, although he was never an undisputed starter (a maximum of 23 matches in 1980–81). He also scored the winner in a 3–1 Copa del Rey win against Sporting de Gijón in that same season.El Barcelona ganó una bonita final de Copa (Barcelona won beautiful Cup final); El País, 19 June 1981 (in Spanish)
Esteban returned to his first club in 1987,El Malága ficha a Esteban y negocia la contratación de Kubala (Malága sign Esteban and negotiate hiring Kubala); El País, 12 June 1987 (in Spanish) retiring four years later at the age of 36. He earned three caps for Spain over a two-month span in 1981 as the nation prepared for the FIFA World Cup to be held on home soil,0–0: Austria-España, tal para cual (0–0: Austria-Spain, to each his own); Mundo Deportivo, 24 September 1981 (in Spanish) but did not make the final cut. He also represented the country at the 1976 Summer Olympics.Esteban y Juanito, los espejos de Isco (Esteban and Juanito, Isco's mirrors); Málaga Hoy, 14 July 2012 (in Spanish)
Coaching career Taking up coaching afterwards, Vigo began in his native Andalusia with Almería,Esteban debutó en un banquillo profesional en Almería (Esteban made professional bench debut in Almería) ; Xerezmania, 24 August 2012 (in Spanish) and continued to work mainly in the region,Esteban será presentado hoy como nuevo técnico (Esteban will be presented as new manager today); Mundo Deportivo, 12 November 2003 (in Spanish)El Córdoba destituye a Esteban Vigo (Córdoba dismiss Esteban Vigo); Cadena SER, 11 October 2004 (in Spanish) also having an abroad spell in Romania.Esteban, al Dinamo Bucarest (Esteban, to Dinamo Bucharest); Mundo Deportivo, 24 December 2005 (in Spanish)Esteban deja Rumanía (Esteban leaves Romania); Mundo Deportivo, 28 February 2006 (in Spanish) In 2009 he led Xerez to their first top-tier promotionEsteban obra el milagro de Primera (Esteban works Primera miracle); Diario AS, 14 June 2009 (in Spanish) but, in July, switched to another side in the Segunda División, moving to Hércules"Me van los retos" ("I like challenges"); Diario Información, 30 June 2009 (in Spanish) and achieving the same as runner-up, with the Alicante club returning to the top flight after 13 years.Esteban Vigo logra su segundo ascenso consecutivo (Esteban Vigo gets his second consecutive promotion); Marca, 19 June 2010 (in Spanish)
Vigo was sacked by Hércules on 21 March 2011, following a 0–4 home loss against Osasuna; it was the team's fourth consecutive defeat of the season, winning just one point out of 15 possible.Vigo dismissed after thrashing ; ESPN Soccernet, 21 March 2011 He was named new manager of Almería on 4 April of the following year, replacing Lucas Alcaraz.Esteban Vigo, nuevo entrenador del Almería (Esteban Vigo, new Almería coach) ; UD Almería, 4 April 2012 (in Spanish)
In July 2012, Vigo returned to Xerez on a two-year deal with the option of two more. He and his three assistants were dismissed the following February, with the team last-placed and seven points from safety (and eventually relegated in that position).
On 17 February 2021, Vigo returned for a fourth spell as manager of Xerez. He led the club to the promotion play-offs from Tercera División but lost to Ceuta, leaving in the aftermath.
Outside football Vigo released his autobiography, titled Ganador (winner), on 13 September 2010.Esteban presentó ayer su autobiografía en Jerez (Esteban presented his autobiography yesterday in Jerez); Diario AS, 14 September 2010 (in Spanish)
Honours Player Barcelona La Liga: 1984–85 Copa del Rey: 1977–78, 1980–81, 1982–83 Supercopa de España: 1983 Copa de la Liga: 1983, 1986 UEFA Cup Winners' Cup: 1978–79, 1981–82
Málaga Segunda División: 1987–88
Manager Xerez Segunda División: 2008–09
References
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