Chus Mateo will embark on a new chapter in his career as the head coach of the Spanish basketball team, following three seasons at the helm of Real Madrid. The Madrid-born coach has been appointed as the new national team coach by the Spanish Basketball Federation, with a contract announced until 2029.
The official presentation will take place tomorrow at the FEB Museum in Alcobendas, in the presence of President Elisa Aguilar. This decision comes just weeks after the national team was eliminated from Eurobasket in the group stages, marking the end of Sergio Scariolo’s cycle.
The former Madrid coach faces the challenge of guiding a team undergoing a generational transition
The new coach, aged 56, steps into this role with a significant track record. In his first season as head coach of Real Madrid, he secured the 2023 Euroleague, along with several national and international titles in subsequent years. His departure from the club occurred at the beginning of summer after winning the Endesa League in Valencia.
He now takes on the challenge of leading the team during a generational renewal, aimed at maintaining the squad’s competitiveness in upcoming tournaments.
The official debut is set for November, facing significant absences
Coach Mateo will debut on 27 November during the classification windows for the 2027 World Cup, with the first match in Denmark. Two days later, Spain will host Georgia in Tenerife.
For this initial call-up, the coach will face significant limitations, as he will not be able to include players from Euroleague teams, nor those playing in the NBA or NCAA.
From the 12 players who participated in the recent Eurobasket, he would only be able to call up Santi Yusta from Casademont Zaragoza, necessitating the creation of a squad list with less familiar names.
A career that began in youth categories and solidified with titles at Real Madrid
Mateo’s journey began at the Agustino College in Madrid, where he started coaching youth teams. At just 20 years old, he joined the youth sections of Real Madrid and stayed there for nine seasons before moving up to the first team as an assistant.
Subsequently, he gained experience as a head coach in China, Zaragoza, and Fuenlabrada, which allowed him to broaden his knowledge before returning to the Madrid club.
In 2014, he received a call from Juan Carlos Sánchez to join Pablo Laso’s coaching staff. After several seasons as an assistant, he took over as head coach three seasons ago, during a challenging time for the club.
Under his leadership, the team achieved competitive stability, resulting in titles and a phase that, despite its recent conclusion, is marked by the acquisition of the Euroleague and numerous successes on the national scene.
The federation bets on a future project aiming to restore international prominence
In an interview published in EL MUNDO, Mateo expressed his desire to work with the national team once again and reminisced about their time together. In this context, he explained that “there is no doubt and I do not deny it: I am very excited.”
In 2009, they shared victory at Eurobasket, along with their joint experience at the 2010 World Cup. They also crossed paths at Real Madrid during Scariolo’s initial spell and later at Unicaja. The current transition places Mateo in the position previously held by the Italian, while Scariolo embarks on a new journey, precisely at Real Madrid.
The challenge ahead for Mateo will be to consolidate a squad that combines youth and experience, in preparation for international competitions. Scariolo’s departure marks the start of a completely new cycle, and Mateo takes on the task of guiding it with his own style and the experience he has accumulated throughout his career.
In this way, his appointment marks the beginning of a phase aimed at restoring Spain’s status as one of the most prominent teams in European and world basketball.
