Profile Text
Emery in 2015, photo by efecreata photography /Bigstock.com
Birth Name: Unai Emery Etxegoien
Place of Birth: Hondarribia, Basque Country, Spain
Date of Birth: 3 November, 1971
Ethnicity: Basque
Unai Emery is a Basque professional footballer, and manager. A midfielder, he played for Real Sociedad B, Real Sociedad, Toledo, Racing Ferrol, Leganés, and Lorca Deportiva. He manages Aston Villa. He previously managed Lorca Deportiva, Almería, Valencia, Spartak Moscow, Sevilla, Paris Saint-Germain, Arsenal, and Villarreal. He led Sevilla FC to three consecutive Europa League victories.
Unai is the son of Amelia Echegoyen and Juan Emery (Juan María Emery Alza), a professional footballer. Unai’s uncle, Román Emery (Román Emery Alza), and paternal grandfather, Antonio Emery (Antonio Emery Arocena), was also a footballer. His father and grandfather played as goalkeepers, and his uncle as a midfielder.
Unai has been described as being of entirely Basque descent, having the family surnames Aizpitarte, Alza, Arocena, Emery, Etxeberria, Etxegoien, Exposito, and Virto in his genealogy. He has said that his ancestors traveled through France and England before arriving in Basque Country.
Unai’s paternal grandfather was born in Hondarribia, Spain.