Arruabarrena Returns as Boca Juniors Coach on 18-Month Deal

Rodolfo Arruabarrena is the new coach of Boca Juniors, having accepted an offer from club president Juan Román Riquelme. Arruabarrena has signed an 18-month contract, running until December 2027. The club president moved swiftly to secure the former left-back, aiming to prepare the team for a busy second half of 2026.

Arruabarrena arrived in Argentina from Spain and expressed his conviction in the team's potential. "I have accepted because I am convinced that there is a good squad, there will be some departures, some arrivals, but I trust the players who are here, otherwise I would have stayed home with my family," he told reporters at Ezeiza airport. He emphasized the need for players with personality, stating, "A #Boca player must have personality. They can't be too old or too young, nor a coach or not a coach. I believe there are players with personality; some have not had a good semester, we hope to be able to enhance them and with the arrival of players who will give us a leap in quality."

“

I have accepted because I am convinced that there is a good squad, there will be some departures, some arrivals, but I trust the players who are here, otherwise I would have stayed home with my family.

The 50-year-old coach returns to Argentina after a decade abroad. A product of Boca's youth system, Arruabarrena played 178 games for the club, scoring 17 goals and winning three titles, including the 2000 Copa Libertadores. As a coach, he led Boca in 75 matches between 2014 and 2016, achieving 47 wins, 13 draws, and 15 losses. He secured two titles during this period: the 2015 league championship and the 2015 Copa Argentina. However, his tenure also included significant defeats, such as eliminations by River Plate in the Copa Sudamericana and Copa Libertadores. His most recent coaching roles were with Al-Wasl, Al-Rayyan, Shabab Al-Ahli, Pyramids, and Al-Taawoun, as well as the national team.

“

A #Boca player must have personality. They can't be too old or too young, nor a coach or not a coach. I believe there are players with personality; some have not had a good semester, we hope to be able to enhance them and with the arrival of players who will give us a leap in quality.