Unai Emery is a Spanish football coach and former midfielder. He is best known for his managerial success in Spain and Europe, especially his record in the UEFA Europa League, a competition he has won four times.
Emery has been manager of Aston Villa since November 2022. Before that he coached Lorca Deportiva, Almería, Valencia, Spartak Moscow, Sevilla, Paris Saint-Germain, Arsenal, and Villarreal.
Across those jobs he has built a reputation for organization, adaptability, and strong results in knockout competitions. Some parts of his biography, including details about his family and his pay, remain only partially documented.
What teams has Unai Emery coached?
Full Name: Unai Emery Etxegoien
Age: 54 (born 3 November 1971)
Nationality: Spanish
Current Role: Manager of Aston Villa (since November 2022)
- Europa League specialist. Emery has won the UEFA Europa League four times, a record in the competition.
- Resilient career arc. After a difficult spell at Arsenal, he rebuilt his reputation at Villarreal and Aston Villa.
- Tactical pragmatist. He is known for adaptable formations, organized pressing, and set-piece organization.
- Overachievement with mid-tier clubs. Sevilla, Villarreal, and Aston Villa all improved under his management.
- High-pressure struggles. His stints at Paris Saint-Germain and Arsenal highlighted the difficulty of sustained success at the very top.
- Longevity. His senior coaching career spans Spain, Russia, France, and England.
| Category | Detail |
|---|---|
| Date of Birth | 3 November 1971 |
| Birthplace | Hondarribia, Spain |
| Playing Career | Real Sociedad, Toledo, Racing Ferrol, Leganés, Lorca Deportiva; retired in 2004 |
| Coaching Start | Lorca Deportiva (2004–2006) |
| Major Clubs Managed | Valencia, Spartak Moscow, Sevilla, Paris Saint-Germain, Arsenal, Villarreal, Aston Villa |
| Notable Trophies | 4x UEFA Europa League; Ligue 1 and domestic cups with Paris Saint-Germain |
| Current Club | Aston Villa (since November 2022) |
| Record (approx.) | Around 800 matches, roughly 450 wins, win rate around 56% |
Emery’s first managerial job came in 2004 at Lorca Deportiva, where he earned promotion to the Segunda División in his first season. Two years later he moved to Almería and helped the club reach La Liga for the first time in its history.
From 2008 to 2012, he managed Valencia, guiding the club into the Champions League three seasons in a row. A brief spell at Spartak Moscow followed in 2012 before he took over at Sevilla, where he won three consecutive Europa League titles.
Between 2016 and 2018, Emery managed Paris Saint-Germain, where he won domestic cup and league trophies. Arsenal followed from 2018 to 2019; he reached the Europa League final in his first season but was dismissed in 2019.
Emery returned to Spain with Villarreal in 2020 and won the Europa League again in 2021, beating Manchester United in the final. Since November 2022 he has managed Aston Villa. The Premier League profile of his career lists senior jobs at Lorca Deportiva, Almería, Valencia, Spartak Moscow, Sevilla, Paris Saint-Germain, Arsenal, Villarreal, and Aston Villa.
Media reports linked Emery with Real Madrid during the 2023–24 season, but neither the club nor the coach confirmed any connection.
How old is Unai Emery and where is he from?
Emery was born in Hondarribia, Spain, on 3 November 1971. He is Spanish and is 54 years old.
Where is Unai Emery from?
Emery is from Hondarribia, Spain. UEFA notes that he is the son and grandson of goalkeepers.
UEFA describes Emery as the son and grandson of goalkeepers, while Emery himself played as a left-sided midfielder.
What was Unai Emery like as a young player?
As a player, Emery was a left-sided midfielder. He came through the Real Sociedad system and later played for Toledo, Racing Ferrol, Leganés, and Lorca Deportiva. His top-flight experience consisted of five first-division appearances for Real Sociedad.
A serious knee injury forced him to retire in 2004, the same year he began coaching.
Who is Unai Emery’s wife and family?
Publicly available sources do not provide reliable, confirmed details about Emery’s wife or son. This part of his life has remained largely private.
What is known about Unai Emery’s wife?
Some references name Lucrecia Villarreal as Emery’s wife, but no reliable public confirmation is available.
Does Unai Emery have a son?
Reports about a son have not been officially confirmed. Public sources do not provide reliable details about this aspect of his private life.
Claims about Emery’s wife and son circulate online, but the public record does not confirm them. Those details should be treated as unverified.
What is Unai Emery’s salary and current role?
Emery is the manager of Aston Villa, a position he has held since November 2022. The club paid a reported €6 million buyout fee to Villarreal to appoint him.
His salary has not been publicly disclosed. Published estimates vary, and no reliable current figure is available.
Manager contracts at clubs such as Aston Villa are private. Figures that circulate online are estimates, and no single number has been publicly confirmed.
Transfermarkt lists his Aston Villa spell as beginning on 1 November 2022, with more than 200 matches in charge and a points-per-match rate above 1.8. Under Emery, Aston Villa returned to European competition and then qualified for the Champions League.
How did Unai Emery’s managerial career unfold?
- 1971: Born in Hondarribia, Spain.
- 2004–2006: Manager of Lorca Deportiva; led the club to promotion in his first season.
- 2006–2008: Manager of Almería; helped the club reach La Liga for the first time.
- 2008–2012: Manager of Valencia; three consecutive Champions League finishes.
- 2012: Brief spell as manager of Spartak Moscow.
- 2013–2016: Manager of Sevilla; won three consecutive Europa League titles.
- 2016–2018: Manager of Paris Saint-Germain; won domestic cups and a Ligue 1 title.
- 2018–2019: Manager of Arsenal; Europa League final defeat followed by dismissal.
- 2020–2022: Manager of Villarreal; won the 2021 Europa League against Manchester United.
- 2022–present: Manager of Aston Villa.
What is firmly established about Unai Emery and what is not?
Some parts of Emery’s biography are well documented. Others rest on media reports or remain private.
| Established information | Information that remains unclear |
|---|---|
| Emery is Spanish and was born in 1971. | The reported link to Real Madrid in 2023–24 was never confirmed by either party. |
| He has coached Valencia, Sevilla, Paris Saint-Germain, Arsenal, Villarreal, and Aston Villa. | His exact salary at Aston Villa is not publicly disclosed. |
| He has won four UEFA Europa League titles. | Details about his son are private and have not been officially confirmed. |
| UEFA describes him as the son and grandson of goalkeepers. | References to his wife cannot be reliably confirmed from public sources. |
Why is Unai Emery considered an elite manager?
Emery’s reputation rests on his ability to rebuild teams and overachieve with clubs that do not have the budgets of the European elite. Sevilla, Villarreal, and Aston Villa all improved under him, and all reached European competition.
He is also tactically flexible. Depending on the squad available, he can shift between possession-based play and counter-attacking setups, with organization in pressing and set pieces. His record in knockout tournaments, especially the Europa League, remains the strongest part of his CV.
The same sources describe him as a coach whose approach has limits. At Paris Saint-Germain and Arsenal, high expectations created a more difficult environment, and at Arsenal his communication in English was scrutinized during a challenging period.
For another example of how managerial fortunes can shift quickly, read Eddie Howe – Why He Left Newcastle and What Comes Next.
Which sources document Unai Emery’s career?
Information about Emery comes from official competition bodies, league websites, data platforms, and established news organizations.
UEFA describes him as the son and grandson of goalkeepers.
UEFA.com
Emery is best known for his managerial success in Spain and Europe, especially his record in the UEFA Europa League.
Premier League
Unai Emery is a highly experienced coach known for organization, adaptability, and outstanding knockout competition results.
BBC Sport, Sporting News
Wikipedia maintains a detailed biographical page on Emery, while data platforms such as FotMob track his playing and coaching history. The official Aston Villa website covers his current role and club news.
What is the overall takeaway on Unai Emery?
Unai Emery has built one of the most durable managerial careers in European football. His four Europa League titles, his work at Sevilla, Villarreal, and Aston Villa, and his reputation for organization and adaptability define a coach who has repeatedly improved the clubs he has joined. His family life and his exact salary, by contrast, are not part of the public record.
For another deep dive into a major footballing career, see Thierry Henry – Career Stats, Net Worth, and Personal Life.
Frequently asked questions about Unai Emery
How many European trophies has Unai Emery won?
He has won four UEFA Europa League titles: three with Sevilla and one with Villarreal.
Did Unai Emery ever play for the Spanish national team?
No, he never earned a senior cap for Spain.
What is Unai Emery’s net worth?
Online estimates suggest a figure in the region of £10–20 million, but no official or verified figure has been published.
Did Unai Emery manage Arsenal?
Yes. He was Arsenal’s manager from 2018 to 2019, reached the Europa League final in his first season, and was dismissed in 2019.
Did Unai Emery manage PSG?
Yes. He managed Paris Saint-Germain from 2016 to 2018, winning domestic cup honours and a Ligue 1 title.
Was Unai Emery linked with Real Madrid?
Media reports linked him with Real Madrid in 2023–24, but neither the club nor the coach ever confirmed the connection.
Vanessa Shaw is Editor-in-Chief at CultureObserver.uk, overseeing editorial policy, corrections, standards, celebrity and privacy standards and publication decisions.