Felipe Contepomi
The brilliant, fly-half surgeon who became the heart and brain of Argentine rugby, later tasked with steering the Pumas as head coach.
Born 1977 (age 49)·Argentina international rugby union player & coach·Birthday: August 20·Generation X
Biography
Felipe Contepomi embodied a rare duality: the precision of a medical doctor and the fierce passion of a Test-match warrior. Born in Buenos Aires, he balanced studying medicine with a burgeoning rugby career, a testament to his formidable intellect and discipline. On the field, he was Argentina's strategic linchpin throughout the 2000s, a playmaker with a sharp boot and a surgeon's eye for a gap. His club career flourished in Europe with storied teams like Leinster and Toulon, where he was revered for his game management and clutch performances. After retiring, he seamlessly moved into coaching, applying his analytical mind to the game. In 2023, he was appointed head coach of the Argentine national team, the Los Pumas, charged with building on their recent successes and instilling the same tactical savvy and grit that defined his own 87-cap playing career.
Generation X
1965–1980
The latchkey kids. Raised during divorce, recession, and the end of the Cold War. Skeptical, self-reliant, media-literate. They invented indie culture, grunge, and the early internet — then watched the Boomers take credit.
Felipe was born in 1977, placing them squarely in the Generation X. The events that shaped this generation — economic uncertainty, the end of the Cold War, and the rise of personal computing — shaped the world they entered and the choices available to them.
#1 When Felipe Was Born
The biggest hits of 1977
#1 Movie
Star Wars
Best Picture
Annie Hall
#1 TV Show
Happy Days
Felipe's Life & Times
The world at every milestone
1977Born
Star Wars premieres; Elvis dies
Gas: $0.62/galHome: $31,800Min wage: $2.30/hrPresident: Jimmy Carter"Tonight's the Night" — Rod StewartBest Picture: Annie Hall
1982Started school
Michael Jackson releases Thriller
Gas: $1.22/galHome: $55,200Min wage: $3.35/hrPresident: Ronald Reagan"Physical" — Olivia Newton-JohnBest Picture: Gandhi
1990Became a teenager
Hubble Space Telescope launched; Germany reunifies
Gas: $1.15/galHome: $79,100Min wage: $3.80/hrPresident: George H.W. Bush"Hold On" — Wilson PhillipsBest Picture: Dances with Wolves
1993Could drive
European Union officially established
Gas: $1.11/galHome: $86,600Min wage: $4.25/hrPresident: Bill Clinton"I Will Always Love You" — Whitney HoustonBest Picture: Schindler's List
1995Could vote
Oklahoma City bombing; Windows 95 released
Gas: $1.15/galHome: $96,500Min wage: $4.25/hrPresident: Bill Clinton"Gangsta's Paradise" — CoolioBest Picture: Braveheart
1998Turned 21
Google founded; Clinton impeachment
Gas: $1.06/galHome: $107,300Min wage: $5.15/hrPresident: Bill Clinton"Too Close" — NextBest Picture: Shakespeare in Love
2007Turned 30
iPhone released; Great Recession begins
Gas: $2.80/galHome: $172,600Min wage: $5.85/hrPresident: George W. Bush"Irreplaceable" — BeyonceBest Picture: No Country for Old Men
2017Turned 40
#MeToo movement; solar eclipse crosses the US
Gas: $2.42/galHome: $195,000Min wage: $7.25/hrPresident: Donald Trump"Shape of You" — Ed SheeranBest Picture: The Shape of Water
2026Age 49 today
Gas: $3.91/galPresident: Donald Trump
Key Achievements
- Earned 87 caps for Argentina, scoring 651 points for the national team.
- Won the European Heineken Cup with Leinster in 2009 and 2011.
- Played in four Rugby World Cup tournaments for Argentina (1999, 2003, 2007, 2011).
Did You Know?
He is a qualified medical doctor, having completed his studies while playing professional rugby.
His twin brother, Manuel, was also a professional rugby player and Argentine international.
Contepomi scored a try and 23 points in Argentina's famous victory over Ireland in the 1999 Rugby World Cup quarter-final.
“You have to be ready for the moment. In medicine and in rugby, when the moment comes, you cannot hesitate.”
