Angel Di Maria reveals his worst manager: Louis van Gaal
Argentine footballer Angel Di Maria, who recently retired from international duty after winning another Copa America with Argentina, has made a bold revelation about his football career. Despite working with many top managers, Di Maria did not hesitate to label Louis van Gaal as the worst manager he has ever worked with.
Di Maria, now playing for Benfica, made this revelation during an interview with ESPN Argentina, where he was asked to name the best managers he had worked under. Without being prompted, Di Maria took the opportunity to express his dissatisfaction with Van Gaal, who managed him during his brief and challenging stint at Manchester United.
“The worst is Van Gaal, of that I can assure you without a doubt,” Di Maria said. “Just to let you know before you ask. In case you had any doubt, I’ll clear that up for you right now.”
In 2014, Van Gaal brought Di Maria to Manchester United from Real Madrid for a then-British transfer record of £59.7 million. However, Di Maria struggled to find his form under Van Gaal’s management and was eventually sold to Paris Saint-Germain for £44 million the following year. His time at Manchester United remains one of the few low points in an otherwise stellar career.
While Di Maria was quick to criticize Van Gaal, he found it much more difficult to choose the best managers he has worked with. When asked to pick his top three, Di Maria struggled to decide, particularly between Jose Mourinho and Carlo Ancelotti.
“And after, it’s hard. I had a lot of coaches. Mourinho, Ancelotti. I played for so many good managers that it’s hard to pick,” Angel Di Maria admitted.
Under Ancelotti, Di Maria enjoyed some of the best moments of his career, including winning the 2011 Copa del Rey, the 2012 La Liga title, and his first and only UEFA Champions League title with Real Madrid in 2014.
