Manuel Lapuente Díaz

Manuel Lapuente Díaz (15 May 1944 – 25 October 2025) was a Mexican professional footballer and manager.

Over the course of more than three decades, Lapuente established himself as one of the most successful managers in Mexican football. He took charge of seven different clubs in Mexico and secured five Primera División championships with three of them. He is also remembered as the strategist who guided the Mexico national team to its greatest international triumph: the 1999 FIFA Confederations Cup. He later played for Necaxa, Puebla, and Atlas, before retiring in 1975. Although he never won a league title as a player, he did achieve international success with the Mexico national team, earning 13 caps and winning the gold medal at the 1967 Pan American Games in Winnipeg, Canada.

Lapuente also coached Mexico at the 1998 FIFA World Cup in France. The team advanced from the group stage and was knocked out by Germany in the Round of 16.

Death Lapuente died on the afternoon of 25 October 2025, due to serious complications arising from severe pneumonia, which had been ongoing for several months. He was 81.

Managerial statistics

Honours Manager Puebla Mexican Primera División: 1982–83, 1989–90 Copa México: 1989–90 Campeón de Campeones: 1990 CONCACAF Champions' Cup: 1991

Necaxa Mexican Primera División: 1994–95, 1995–96 Copa México: 1994–95 Campeón de Campeones: 1995

América Mexican Primera División: Verano 2002 CONCACAF Champions' Cup: 2006

Mexico CONCACAF Gold Cup: 1998 FIFA Confederations Cup: 1999