Carlos Cuesta: Mikel Arteta’s apprentice on leaving Arsenal and becoming Europe’s youngest Manager

After spending five years as Mikel Arteta’s assistant at Arsenal, Carlos Cuesta is now in his first managerial role at Parma and is the youngest head coach in Europe’s top five leagues.

At 30, he has already coached youth sides at Atletico Madrid and Juventus and this season steered Parma to a 13th-placed finish in Serie A after taking the reins last summer.

After retiring from a playing career at 18, Cuesta began a sports science degree but always knew he wanted to coach.

“You need to increase the probabilities and that comes from doing the things that you think will help you,” he said on his pathway into coaching.

One way the Spaniard did this early in his career was by messaging members of staff at Real Madrid and Atletico on social media. It was through this that Cuesta eventually found himself volunteering with the youth sides at Atletico.

“I was very lucky,” Cuesta said. “During the journey I found incredible people that were super willing to help me to grow, that were super available, opening the doors of their knowledge. I learnt a lot. I had great inspirations.”

One of those people was Arteta, his friend and mentor, with whom Cuesta shared the touchline at Arsenal for half a decade.

When he left the club last June, he said “I’m convinced that the best moments for this football club are still yet to come”.

After Arsenal’s recent success, Cuesta was glowing about both his former club and their manager, but careful to draw a line between their achievements and his own involvement.

“I’m extremely happy for them,” he said. “They deserve everything. Every person from this organisation, and especially Mikel.

“A lot of people can see how incredible he is, and the only thing I can say is that he’s even better than what people see.

“When you know him day to day, only then can you understand that he’s even better. He’s an incredible human being, leader and coach.”