Martín Demichelis
A rugged Argentine defender who won major trophies across Europe before transitioning to a successful coaching career in Spain.
Born 1980 (age 46)·Argentine footballer and manager·Birthday: December 20·Generation X
Biography
Martín Demichelis carved out a formidable career as a no-nonsense central defender, defined by his physicality, aerial prowess, and a surprising technical grace for a man of his stature. His European journey began in Germany with Bayern Munich, where he became a mainstay, winning multiple Bundesliga titles and a UEFA Champions League crown. After a successful spell at Málaga in Spain, he was reunited with his former Bayern manager, Manuel Pellegrini, at Manchester City, adding a Premier League title to his collection. Demichelis was a defender who embraced the dark arts of the position, often walking a fine line with referees, but his commitment was never in question. Following his playing days, he moved swiftly into coaching, learning under Pep Guardiola at Bayern Munich before taking the helm at clubs in Argentina and, most recently, in Spain's La Liga with Mallorca.
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.
Martín was born in 1980, 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 Martín Was Born
The biggest hits of 1980
#1 Movie
The Empire Strikes Back
Best Picture
Ordinary People
#1 TV Show
Dallas
Martín's Life & Times
The world at every milestone
1980Born
John Lennon shot and killed in New York
Gas: $1.19/galHome: $47,200Min wage: $3.10/hrPresident: Jimmy Carter"Call Me" — BlondieBest Picture: Ordinary People
1985Started school
Live Aid concerts raise money for Ethiopian famine
Gas: $1.12/galHome: $62,900Min wage: $3.35/hrPresident: Ronald Reagan"Careless Whisper" — Wham!Best Picture: Out of Africa
1993Became a teenager
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
1996Could drive
Dolly the sheep cloned
Gas: $1.23/galHome: $99,700Min wage: $4.75/hrPresident: Bill Clinton"Macarena" — Los del RioBest Picture: The English Patient
1998Could vote
Google founded; Clinton impeachment
Gas: $1.06/galHome: $107,300Min wage: $5.15/hrPresident: Bill Clinton"Too Close" — NextBest Picture: Shakespeare in Love
2001Turned 21
September 11 attacks transform the world
Gas: $1.46/galHome: $126,400Min wage: $5.15/hrPresident: George W. Bush"Hanging by a Moment" — LifehouseBest Picture: A Beautiful Mind
2010Turned 30
Deepwater Horizon oil spill; iPad launched
Gas: $2.79/galHome: $147,800Min wage: $7.25/hrPresident: Barack Obama"Tik Tok" — KeshaBest Picture: The King's Speech
2020Turned 40
COVID-19 pandemic shuts down the world
Gas: $2.17/galHome: $248,800Min wage: $7.25/hrPresident: Donald Trump"Blinding Lights" — The WeekndBest Picture: Nomadland
2026Age 46 today
Gas: $3.91/galPresident: Donald Trump
Key Achievements
- Won four Bundesliga titles and the 2010 UEFA Champions League with Bayern Munich.
- Lifted the Premier League trophy with Manchester City in the 2013-14 season.
- Earned 51 caps for the Argentine national team, participating in two World Cups (2010, 2014).
- Appointed head coach of La Liga club RCD Mallorca in 2023.
- Won the Argentine Primera División as manager of River Plate in 2023.
Did You Know?
He began his professional career as a defensive midfielder before converting to center-back at Bayern Munich.
Demichelis scored a memorable long-range goal for Bayern Munich against Juventus in the 2009 Champions League.
He was sent off in his debut for the Argentine national team in 2005.
After retiring, he worked as an assistant coach for the Bayern Munich youth teams under Pep Guardiola's supervision.
“A defender's first duty is to be a wall, then to build.”
