Unai Emery won the 2025-2026 Europa League Cup title with Aston Villa, after beating Freiburg three goals to nil on Wednesday night. But who is this man who has made history at Villa Park after more than four decades without a piece of silverware? Born on November 3, 1971, in Hondarribia, Spain, the football tactician comes from a family known for its passion for soccer. His father and grandfather were professional goalkeepers in Spain.

While Emery inherited his passion for football from his family, he was an active midfielder throughout his career.

He had quite a successful career in Spanish football despite being plagued by injuries. After sustaining a knee injury that forced him to retire from football, Emery embarked on his coaching career at the age of 32.

Little-Known Family Legacy

Both his father, Juan Emery, and grandfather, Antonio Emery, were professional goalkeepers in Spain. Unai grew up in an environment where football was an important aspect of life.

It is worth noting that Antonio Emery, who was referred to by the nickname “Pajarito,” was one of the most prominent goalkeepers of his time. However, instead of following the goalkeeping path set by his father and grandfather, Unai chose to become a midfielder and eventually became a coach.

Fast Rise into Coaching

Upon retiring from football in 2004, Unai Emery became a coach at Lorca Deportiva at the age of 32. Emery took very little time to carve out a name for himself among Spanish coaches through his tactical prowess.

He first came to prominence for leading Almería to promotion to La Liga in 2007. It marked a significant milestone in his managerial career, making Emery one of Spain’s rising coaches.

It provided him with opportunities to work with some of Europe’s top clubs later in life.

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Becoming the “King of the Europa League”

Emery’s most outstanding accomplishment has been in the UEFA Europa League tournament, where he has established himself as the most successful manager.

Emery led the Sevilla FC to three successive Europa League victories in 2014, 2015, and 2016, transforming the team into one of the most successful teams in European competitions. Some years later, he delivered Villarreal CF’s maiden European success, following their victory in the 2021 Europa League.

In 2026, Emery added yet another title to his collection as the manager who successfully led Aston Villa to the Europa League win, marking his fifth Europa League victory, more than any other manager in history.

Notably, the victory made him the first coach to win the UEFA Cup/Europa League with three different clubs.

Aston Villa Transformation

Upon joining Aston Villa in 2022, Emery turned the club into an organized unit capable of competing favorably with Europe’s best teams.

He was successful in bringing back faith among the fans and, once again, making the team a formidable force in English and European football.

In addition, he has played an important role in helping players improve, managing pressure in key situations, and adapting tactically in crucial games.

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Little-Known Facts and Personality

Outside of football, Emery prefers a reserved, private life. He does not get involved in public controversies like other prominent football managers, and he has no significant presence on social media.

When playing football in England, there was once a popular meme about Emery saying, “Good evening,” incorrectly, saying “Good evening.” This was attributed to his struggle to speak English at the time, but he eventually made fun of it as his language skills improved.

Emery is also famous for being a very detailed analyzer of football.

In his spare time, he studies his opponents extensively through video analysis and tactical reports. His teams are very dangerous when competing against rivals in cup matches or two-game competitions, making him one of the most renowned “cup managers” in football.