Juan Pablo Vojvoda
Argentine footballer and manager
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
Juan Pablo Vojvoda Rizzo (born 13 January 1975) is an Argentine football manager and former player who played as a central defender. He is the manager of Racing Club.
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Vojvoda in 2023 | |||
| Personal information | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Full name | Juan Pablo Vojvoda Rizzo | ||
| Date of birth | 13 January 1975 | ||
| Place of birth | General Baldissera, Argentina | ||
| Height | 1.85 m (6 ft 1 in) | ||
| Position | Centre back | ||
| Team information | |||
Current team | Racing Club (head coach) | ||
| Youth career | |||
| Cruz Alta | |||
| 1989–1995 | Newell's Old Boys | ||
| Senior career* | |||
| Years | Team | Apps | (Gls) |
| 1995–2003 | Newell's Old Boys | 126 | (4) |
| 2002–2003 | → Compostela (loan) | 28 | (0) |
| 2003–2005 | Algeciras | 55 | (0) |
| 2005–2006 | Cultural Leonesa | 32 | (0) |
| 2006–2009 | Baza | 106 | (11) |
| 2009–2010 | Tiro Federal | 34 | (0) |
| 2010–2012 | Sportivo Belgrano | 80 | (1) |
| 2012–2013 | Sarmiento de Leones | 24 | (1) |
| Total | 485 | (17) | |
| Managerial career | |||
| 2013–2017 | Newell's Old Boys (youth) | ||
| 2016 | Newell's Old Boys (caretaker) | ||
| 2017 | Newell's Old Boys (caretaker) | ||
| 2017–2018 | Defensa y Justicia | ||
| 2018–2019 | Talleres | ||
| 2019 | Huracán | ||
| 2020–2021 | Unión La Calera | ||
| 2021–2025 | Fortaleza | ||
| 2025–2026 | Santos | ||
| 2026– | Racing Club | ||
| * Club domestic league appearances and goals | |||
Playing career
Born in General Baldissera but raised in Cruz Alta, Vojvoda joined Newell's Old Boys' youth setup at the age of 14.[1] He made his senior debut with the main squad in 1995, and went on to feature regularly in the following seven seasons, never establishing himself as a regular starter.
In 2002 Vojvoda moved abroad, after signing for Segunda División side SD Compostela on loan for one year.[2] He stayed in the country for the following six seasons, representing Algeciras CF,[3] Cultural y Deportiva Leonesa[4] and CD Baza.[5]
Vojvoda returned to his home country on 15 July 2009, joining Tiro Federal of the Primera B Nacional.[6] He subsequently played for Sportivo Belgrano[7] and Sarmiento de Leones,[8] retiring with the latter in 2013 at the age of 38.
Managerial career
Newell's Old Boys
Shortly after retiring Vojvoda took up coaching, being in charge of the youth categories of his first club Newell's. On 10 July 2015, he was named manager of the club's reserve side.[9] He was also an interim manager of the first team for two occasions: in 2016[10] and in 2017.[11]
Defensa y Justicia
On 7 October 2017, Vojvoda was named manager of Defensa y Justicia.[12] He left the club on 28 May 2018, after receiving an offer from fellow league team Talleres de Córdoba.[13]
Talleres de Córdoba
Vojvoda was announced as manager of Talleres on 28 May 2018, just hours after leaving Defensa.[14] On 23 May 2019, he agreed to leave the club on a mutual agreement.[15]
Huracán
In May 2019, Vojvoda was appointed manager of Club Atlético Huracán for the 2019–20 season.[16] He was sacked on 15 September, after a 4–0 loss to River Plate and only one win in seven matches.[17]
Unión La Calera
Vojvoda took over Chilean Primera División side Unión La Calera on 30 December 2019.[18] He led the club to the second position of the 2020 Chilean Primera División, qualifying the club to the Copa Libertadores for the first time in their history.
On 18 February 2021, Vojvoda left La Calera on a mutual agreement.[19]
Fortaleza
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On 4 May 2021, Vojvoda was appointed head coach of Campeonato Brasileiro Série A club Fortaleza.[20] He won the first title of his career late in the month, as the club defeated rivals Ceará to lift the 2021 Campeonato Cearense.[21]
Vojvoda led Fortaleza to their first ever qualification to the Copa Libertadores, after finishing in an impressive fourth position in the 2021 Série A.[22] He lifted a second consecutive title of the Cearense in 2022, and also won the year's Copa do Nordeste.[23][24]
Vojvoda led Fortaleza to a second consecutive Libertadores qualification after finishing eighth in the 2022 Série A, despite ending the first round of the tournament in the last position.[25] He renewed his contract with the club until 2024 on 18 November 2022,[26] and won the 2023 Campeonato Cearense, his fourth accolade while in charge of Leão.[27]
On 14 July 2025, Vojvoda was sacked from Fortaleza after a nine-winless match run.[28]
Santos
On 22 August 2025, Vojvoda was announced as head coach of fellow Brazilian top tier side Santos on a contract until December 2026.[29] He avoided relegation with the club, but was sacked on 19 March 2026, hours after a 2–1 home loss to Internacional which led him to a run of seven winless matches.[30]
Personal life
Career statistics
| Club | Season | League | Cup | Continental | Other | Total | ||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Division | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | ||
| Newell's Old Boys | 1995–96 | Primera División | 8 | 0 | — | — | — | 8 | 0 | |||
| 1996–97 | 8 | 0 | — | — | — | 8 | 0 | |||||
| 1997–98 | 20 | 0 | — | — | — | 20 | 0 | |||||
| 1998–99 | 24 | 1 | — | — | — | 24 | 1 | |||||
| 1999–2000 | 19 | 2 | — | — | — | 19 | 2 | |||||
| 2000–01 | 25 | 1 | — | — | — | 25 | 1 | |||||
| 2001–02 | 22 | 0 | — | — | — | 22 | 0 | |||||
| Subtotal | 126 | 4 | — | — | — | 126 | 4 | |||||
| Compostela (loan) | 2002–03[33] | Segunda División | 28 | 0 | 1 | 0 | — | — | 29 | 0 | ||
| Algeciras | 2003–04[33] | Segunda División | 21 | 0 | 1 | 0 | — | — | 22 | 0 | ||
| 2004–05[33] | Segunda División B | 34 | 0 | 1 | 0 | — | — | 35 | 0 | |||
| Subtotal | 55 | 0 | 2 | 0 | — | — | 57 | 0 | ||||
| Cultural Leonesa | 2005–06[33] | Segunda División B | 32 | 0 | — | — | — | 32 | 0 | |||
| Baza | 2006–07[33] | Segunda División B | 34 | 2 | — | — | — | 34 | 2 | |||
| 2007–08[33] | 35 | 0 | — | — | 2[a] | 0 | 37 | 0 | ||||
| 2008–09[34] | Tercera División | 37 | 9 | — | — | — | 37 | 9 | ||||
| Subtotal | 106 | 11 | — | — | 2 | 0 | 108 | 11 | ||||
| Tiro Federal | 2009–10 | Primera B Nacional | 34 | 0 | — | — | — | 34 | 0 | |||
| Sportivo Belgrano | 2010–11 | Torneo Argentino A | 44 | 0 | — | — | — | 44 | 0 | |||
| 2011–12 | 36 | 1 | 2 | 0 | — | — | 38 | 1 | ||||
| Subtotal | 80 | 1 | 2 | 0 | — | — | 82 | 1 | ||||
| Sarmiento de Leones | 2012–13 | Torneo Argentino B | 24 | 1 | — | — | — | 24 | 1 | |||
| Career total | 485 | 17 | 5 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 492 | 17 | ||
- Appearance(s) in relegation play-offs
Managerial statistics
- As of 6 September 2026
| Team | Nat | From | To | Record | Ref. | |||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| G | W | D | L | GF | GA | GD | Win % | |||||
| Newell's Old Boys (caretaker) |  |
16 February 2016 | 22 February 2016 | 2 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 6 | 4 | +2 | 50.00 | [35] |
| Newell's Old Boys (caretaker) | 4 June 2017 | 27 June 2017 | 7 | 0 | 4 | 3 | 2 | 6 | −4 | 0.00 | ||
| Defensa y Justicia | 12 October 2017 | 30 June 2018 | 25 | 14 | 3 | 8 | 38 | 25 | +13 | 56.00 | [36] | |
| Talleres | 1 July 2018 | 23 May 2019 | 36 | 14 | 8 | 14 | 45 | 36 | +9 | 38.89 | [37] | |
| Huracán | 1 June 2019 | 15 September 2019 | 7 | 1 | 3 | 3 | 5 | 10 | −5 | 14.29 | [38] | |
| Unión La Calera |  |
1 January 2020 | 18 February 2021 | 41 | 18 | 10 | 13 | 69 | 50 | +19 | 43.90 | [19] |
| Fortaleza |  |
5 May 2021 | 14 July 2025 | 310 | 145 | 77 | 88 | 476 | 316 | +160 | 46.77 | [39] |
| Santos | 22 August 2025 | 19 March 2026 | 34 | 10 | 14 | 10 | 48 | 41 | +7 | 29.41 | [40] | |
| Racing Club | |
22 June 2026 | present | 10 | 3 | 2 | 5 | 12 | 14 | −2 | 30.00 | |
| Total | 472 | 206 | 121 | 145 | 701 | 502 | +199 | 43.64 | — | |||
Honours
Manager
Fortaleza