Who is new AS Monaco manager Sébastien Pocognoli?

AS Monaco are renowned for their investment in young talent. Usually, that is within the context of players, however, the Principality club have made a youthful choice in appointing Sébastien Pocognoli as their new manager.

Over 300 professional appearances

It is just four years since Pocognoli called time on his playing career, during which he played as a left-back. Having come through KRC Genk's renowned academy, he had stints at AZ Alkmaar, Standard Liege, Hannover, West Brom, and Brighton before then joining Union Saint-Gilloise back in 2020. He spent just one year with the latter before announcing his retirement. He ended his career having played 13 times for Belgium, and having won the Eredivisie, the Belgian Cup, and the Dutch Super Cup.

Pocognoli then made an immediate switch into management, starting as manager of USG's U21s, where he had just concluded his playing career, before managing at another of his former clubs, Genk, once again within the youth set-ups.

After a one-year stint with the Belgium U18s, he got his big break with USG in July 2024. A precocious managerial talent, Pocognoli exceeded all expectations in his first season as a professional manager. With assistant manager and childhood friend Kevin Mirallas, with whom he played at international level, at his side, USG won the league for the first time since 1935 and secured their first-ever qualification for the UEFA Champions League.

It was a historic year for Union Saint-Gilloise and for Pocognoli himself, who also became the youngest manager to win the Belgian Super Cup and the third-youngest manager to win the Belgian title since the Second World War, at the age of just 37 years and 297 days.

He did so playing an aggressive style of football. With an emphasis on "grinta" and intensity, he plays an attacking form of football in his 3-4-1-2 formation. "The game that I like is a dominant game with and without the ball, with high pressing, counter-pressing, but also with control in possession," said Pocognoli.

Youth players develop under Pocognoli at USG

However, despite his preferred system, his methods, and his principles, Pocognoli is also a manager who is aware of the need to adapt, and also of the need to have a human-led approach to bring the best out of his players; it is a lesson that he learned during his own career.

"When Louis Van Gaal left Alkmaar, I became an average player, so I realised that a manager could make a player over-perform," said Pocognoli. His man-management saw young players progress at USG last season, such as Franjo Ivanovic and Noah Sadiki, both of whom earned big-money summer moves. His ability to do so at Monaco will be the key to his success, given the Principality club's youth-centric focus.

AS Monaco is pleased to announce the arrival of Sébastien Pocognoli as head coach ✍️

The 38-year-old Belgian coach has signed a contract binding him to the Red & Whites until June 2027. pic.twitter.com/0ImuqUvuJT
— AS Monaco EN 🇲🇨 (@AS_Monaco_EN) October 11, 2025

His is a profile that coalesces with the wider strategy at the Stade Louis II, and it is clear why Les Monégasques sought him as a replacement for the now-departed Adi Hutter.

With Monaco currently fifth in Ligue 1 McDonald's, Pocognoli will look to build on his early promise and drive his new club towards their lofty objectives.

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