Sebastián Andrés Beccacece, born 17 December 1980, is an Argentine professional football manager. He is the current head coach of the Ecuador national team.
⚽ Early Life and Playing Career
Born in Rosario, Beccacece lived with his parents Julio and Mónica, and his two brothers. His twin brother Aníbal played football for Central Córdoba.
Beccacece played for Argentine amateur clubs Lavalle and Juan XXIII as a right back when he was a teenager. After realizing he would not become a top-tier footballer, he stopped playing.
🤝 Assistant to Jorge Sampaoli
After meeting Jorge Sampaoli in 2002, Beccacece was named his assistant coach at Sport Boys in 2003. He remained his assistant at Coronel Bolognesi, Sporting Cristal, O’Higgins, and Emelec.
In 2010, Beccacece reportedly rejected an invitation from Marcelo Bielsa to work in the Chile national team. He and Sampaoli joined Universidad de Chile, winning the 2011 Apertura, 2011 Clausura, 2012 Apertura, and 2011 Copa Sudamericana.
🇨🇱 Chile National Team and First Head Coach Role
In 2013, Beccacece and Sampaoli were signed to lead the Chile national team. They achieved qualification to the 2014 FIFA World Cup and lifted the first Copa América title in Chile’s history.
On 11 January 2016, Beccacece ended his spell as Sampaoli’s assistant to take over Universidad de Chile. He left la U on 17 September 2016 after agreeing to cut short his contract.
🇦🇷 Defensa y Justicia and Argentina Assistant
On 15 November 2016, Beccacece replaced Ariel Holan at Defensa y Justicia. He left the club to join Sampaoli’s staff again with the Argentina national team in May 2017.
After Argentina’s elimination from the 2018 World Cup, Beccacece rescinded his contract on 6 July 2018. He returned to Defensa y Justicia on 7 July 2018, finishing second and qualifying the team to the Copa Libertadores for the first time.
🏟️ Later Club Management and Ecuador
Beccacece managed Independiente, Racing Club, and returned to Defensa for a third spell. On 21 March 2023, he was named in charge of Spanish La Liga side Elche.
On 1 August 2024, he was announced as head coach of the Ecuador national team. At the 2026 FIFA World Cup, Ecuador had a record of 1-1-1 in the group stage, with the win coming over Germany.
| Year | Team | Role | Key Achievement |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2003 | Sport Boys | Assistant | First role with Sampaoli |
| 2011-2012 | Universidad de Chile | Assistant | Won 3 titles and Copa Sudamericana |
| 2013-2015 | Chile National Team | Assistant | Won 2015 Copa América |
| 2016 | Universidad de Chile | Head Coach | First head coach role |
| 2016-2017 | Defensa y Justicia | Head Coach | First continental competition |
| 2017-2018 | Argentina National Team | Assistant | Qualified for 2018 World Cup |
| 2018-2019 | Defensa y Justicia | Head Coach | Finished second in league |
| 2019 | Independiente | Head Coach | Left by mutual agreement |
| 2019-2021 | Racing Club | Head Coach | Reached Libertadores quarterfinals |
| 2021-2022 | Defensa y Justicia | Head Coach | Third spell at club |
| 2023-2024 | Elche | Head Coach | Suffered relegation |
| 2024-Present | Ecuador National Team | Head Coach | Advanced from 2026 World Cup group |