Younger football fans will know Diego Simeone for his managerial career rather than his playing days.The Argentine is one of the world’s most revered coaches, having transformed Atletico Madrid into a powerhouse since 2011.But Simeone hasn’t changed much since hanging up his boots. The fierce competitor you see today has always been the same throughout his time in football.Make no mistake, though: Simeone was a top player.The former central midfielder earned over 100 caps for Argentine between 1988-2002.He also plied his trade at some of Europe’s biggest clubs, including Sevilla, Inter Milan and Lazio.But he’s probably best remembered for his two spells with Atleti during the 1990s and 2000s.
And one clip from his first spell with the Rojiblancos has gone viral on Twitter this week.The video shows Simeone spinning Barcelona’s Pep Guardiola before nutmegging José Mari Bakero.Then - and this is the great part - Simeone literally applauds himself for his moment of magic.Watch the brilliant clip here…
Proof that Simeone’s s**thousery knows no bounds.
We’d love to see more players applauding themselves after sticking the ball through an opponents’ legs!
Even in management, Simeone has proven himself to be a master of the dark arts.
But did you know that the 50-year-old is currently the world’s highest-paid coach? Yep, he even earns more than Guardiola himself.
A report from L’Equipe, per The Sun, earlier this year revealed that Simeone earns an astronomical £36.2 million a year, which works out at £700,000 a week.
Guardiola is second on the list (£20m), followed by Jose Mourinho (£15m), Jurgen Klopp (also £15m) and Zinedine Zidane (£14m).
Simeone is currently tied to Atletico until 2022 and he certainly won’t be short of potential suitors if he decides to leave the Wanda Metropolitano when his contract expires.