A historic event: a woman joins Manchester United's coaching staff

Manchester United are preparing for an unprecedented move in the formation of their coaching staff, coinciding with the arrival of Argentine coach Mauricio Pochettino to take charge of the team.

According to a report by Portugal's A Bola, citing British newspaper The Guardian, Spanish specialist Silvia Tuya Viñas will follow coach Pochettino into his new role alongside four other members of the United States national team's technical staff. She becomes the first woman in Manchester United's century-plus history to work within the team's backroom staff.

Joining Tuya in the Red Devils' new technical setup are assistant coach Jesús Pérez, Miguel D'Agostino, goalkeeping coach Toni Jiménez and Sebastiano Pochettino, the coach's son and a sports science specialist. All have worked with Pochettino for years, and all are expected to continue as part of his support staff at Manchester United.

Read also: A traitor to the nation? Brazil cannot afford to doubt Raphinha

The United States Football Federation confirmed the end of the association between Pochettino and his technical staff with the national team, clearing the way for their move to the English club. The Argentine coach begins his duties at Manchester United on 18 November.

His first test comes against Liverpool. Manchester United visit Anfield on 22 November, an eagerly awaited encounter and a daunting one to open his Premier League journey.

Tuya is 46 and holds a doctorate in sports science. She has lectured at the National Institute of Physical Education of Catalonia and at the University of Barcelona, blending academic work with a specialism in physical preparation.

At club level, the Spaniard handled physical preparation for Levante's women's team in Spain's women's top flight, known as "Liga F". She knows the demands of conditioning players at the highest level of Spanish women's football.

She joined the United States national team's technical staff in October 2024, during Pochettino's tenure as national team coach, becoming the first woman officially registered within the backroom staff of the American men's national team.

Read also: "What Abu Rida did is not right": Hassan Shehata directs an accusation at Salah

Manchester United had sacked former manager Michael Carrick after a disastrous start to the season. The team managed just one win in ten rounds since the start of the Premier League, dropping the Red Devils to 18th place, the first of the relegation spots, on 8 points. In the Champions League, they sit 17th in the league phase on 6 points after two wins and two defeats.

United opened their campaign with a convincing 4-0 win over Azerbaijan's Qarabağ, then lost 0-2 to Atlético Madrid and 1-4 to Como before snatching a crucial 3-2 win over Roma in the fourth round. They sit just two points ahead of 25th, the last safe position to remain in the competition. Sporting Lisbon await on 25 November, followed by decisive encounters with Leipzig, Bayern Munich and Villarreal. Securing qualification will be a brutal task for Pochettino.

Read also: Portugal's fall the secret word: Morocco confirms its global standing

journalism and writing are a passion before they are a profession. Since taking my first steps down this path in late 2010, I have been weaving my stories across the pages of Egyptian and Arab websites. I don’t view sports in general—and soccer in particular—as merely a game, but rather as a canvas of life that reflects the pulse of societies and carries within it social and cultural stories that intertwine with the threads of politics to shape people’s consciousness.

I delve into covering and analyzing soccer from multiple angles: I cover the game from multiple angles where storytelling meets analysis, and where the pitch connects to broader social and cultural narratives.

Over time and as my experience grew, my passion expanded to draw connections between the economics of the game, modern technology, and cryptocurrencies—all of which have become part of a soccer industry that extends far beyond the boundaries of the field.

My experience has spanned several prominent Arab outlets: in Egypt, Jordan, and Saudi Arabia, such as Goal (Saudi edition) and Koora, where I have worked as a multi-tasking desk editor since 2019."I don't just cover stories, I find them where others aren't looking, then reshape them until they're worth reading.

with analytical depth and a human touch to deliver an unforgettable story to the reader.

My Story with Soccer

My passion for soccer began early, specifically at the age of six during the 1994 World Cup. The atmosphere at home was different; the whole family was awake to watch the matches even though they were broadcast at dawn, and that is where my true passion was born. I was captivated by Romário’s mesmerizing skills, amazed by Thomas Brulin, and impressed by the physical and technical prowess of the Nigerian national team led by the late Rashidi Yakini, while the image of Roberto Baggio missing his penalty kick in the final remains etched in my memory as the first dramatic moment I experienced with the game.

As the years passed and my fascination with international soccer grew, certain matches remained defining moments in my football education, such as the 2001 UEFA Cup final between Liverpool and Spain’s Alavés—that wild 5-4 clash whose intensity didn’t subside until the 117th minute, when an own goal sealed the title for the Reds, cementing it in my memory as an unforgettable match.

My Best Soccer Memories

Unforgettable moments include Real Madrid’s 2002 Champions League victory, Liverpool’s historic 2005 final, and Egypt’s 2006, 2008, and 2010 African Cup of Nations triumphs under Hassan Shehata.

My All-Time Team

Buffon

Cafu - Paolo Maldini - Ramos - Roberto Carlos

Zinedine Zidane - Iniesta

Diego Maradona

Lionel Messi - Ronaldo “The Phenomenon” - Cristiano Ronaldo

My Favorite Articles:

The Ronaldo Mystery... Death in a Foreign Land!

Third dimension.. Barefoot... Has Messi Really Settled

The Debate Over the Greatest of All Time?

(2) Messi Chases Pelé... Has the Debate Over the Greatest of All Time Really Been Settled?

Third dimension: The Terrifying Test... Salah Inherits the Crown of the Seven Years