Carlos Vicens
Spanish footballer and manager
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
Juan Carlos Vicens Gómez (born 12 February 1983) is a Spanish football manager and former player who played as a midfielder. He is the current manager of Portuguese club Braga.
|
Vicens in 2023 | |||
| Personal information | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Full name | Juan Carlos Vicens Gómez[1] | ||
| Date of birth | 12 February 1983[2] | ||
| Place of birth | Ses Salines, Spain[3] | ||
| Height | 5 ft 7 in (1.70 m) | ||
| Position | Midfielder | ||
| Team information | |||
Current team | Braga (manager) | ||
| Youth career | |||
| Colonia | |||
| Ses Salines | |||
| La Salle | |||
| 1997–2003 | Mallorca | ||
| College career | |||
| Years | Team | Apps | (Gls) |
| 2007–2008 | Texas Longhorns | ||
| Senior career* | |||
| Years | Team | Apps | (Gls) |
| 2002–2003 | Ferriolense | ||
| 2003–2005 | Santanyí | ||
| 2005–2006 | Atlético Baleares | ||
| 2006–2007 | Cala d'Or | ||
| 2008 | Austin Aztex U23 | ||
| 2008–2010 | Campos | ||
| Managerial career | |||
| 2010–2013 | Ses Salines | ||
| 2013–2016 | Santanyí | ||
| 2025– | Braga | ||
| * Club domestic league appearances and goals | |||
Playing career
Born in Colònia de Sant Jordi, Ses Salines, Mallorca, Balearic Islands,[4] Vicens played for the youth sides of Colonia, Ses Salines and La Salle, before joining Mallorca at the age of 14.[5] After finishing his formation in 2002, he was promoted to farm team Ferriolense in Tercera División.
Vicens continued to play mainly in the lower leagues in the following years, representing Santanyí in the fourth tier, and Atlético Baleares and Cala d'Or[6] in the Regional Preferente de Mallorca. In 2007, he moved abroad to study economics at the University of Texas at Austin, and played for the Texas Longhorns.[7]
In April 2008, Vicens was announced as one of the 21 players of the newly-created Austin Aztex U23.[8] After the season ended in July, he was offered a one-year deal to play for the first team, Austin Aztex, but rejected after the financial offer was not "life-changing",[7] and returned to his home country to play for Campos in the fourth division.
Vicens retired in 2010, aged 27, due to an injury.
Managerial career
Early career
Immediately after retiring, Vicens returned to Ses Salines after being named manager of the club in the Tercera Regional.[9] He led the club to two consecutive promotions before returning to Santanyí on 2 July 2013, now as manager.[10]
Despite suffering relegation in his first season, Vicens remained in charge of Santanyí in the following two seasons, missing out promotion in the play-offs. During the 2015–16 campaign, he also worked as an assistant to Nico López at Llosetense.[11]
Vicens departed Santanyí on 18 June 2016,[12] but continued to work with López at Llosetense.
Manchester City
In July 2017, Vicens moved to England to join Manchester City as a youth coach, having sent his CV to the club the previous year. He worked as an assistant to the Under-12 and Under-13 teams in his first season, and was promoted as an assistant to the Under-18 team the following year.[13]
In August 2020, Vicens was promoted to Under-18 main coach, replacing his previous boss Gareth Taylor.[14] On his first season in charge, he guided Manchester City Under-18s to win the FA Youth Cup.[15]
In July 2021, Vicens was again promoted, becoming Pep Guardiola's assistant in charge of the first team at Manchester City.[11] On 6 May of the following year, Eredivisie team Heracles Almelo announced that Vicens would take charge of its first team from 1 July 2022, after having signed a two-year contract.[16] However, in June, a few days after Heracles were relegated for the first time in 17 years, the deal collapsed and Vicens chose to stay on at Manchester City instead.[17]
Braga
On 28 May 2025, Vicens was appointed manager of Portuguese Primeira Liga side Braga, signing a three-year contract.[18][19]
Managerial statistics
- As of 7 May 2026
| Team | Nat | From | To | Record | |||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| P | W | D | L | GF | GA | GD | Win % | ||||
| Braga |  |
28 May 2025 | present | 59 | 34 | 13 | 12 | 115 | 55 | +60 | 57.63 |