AS Monaco have turned to one of Belgium’s brightest young coaches, appointing Sébastien Pocognoli as their new head coach on a contract running until June 2027. The 38-year-old arrives in the Principality fresh from a sensational spell in charge of Royale Union Saint-Gilloise, where he transformed the Brussels club into a domestic powerhouse and one of Europe’s most watchable sides.
Pocognoli’s rise has been nothing short of meteoric. In his very first season at Union, the former Belgium international led the club to its first league title in 90 years — an astonishing achievement capped off by a dominant Champions’ Play-off run that saw his side take 28 points from a possible 30. Union also lifted the Belgian Super Cup, completing a fairytale campaign that earned Pocognoli the 2025 Pro League Coach of the Year award.
His team didn’t just win — they played with flair. Built on quick transitions, intelligent pressing and bold attacking football, Union’s style under Pocognoli won admirers far beyond Belgium. That reputation only grew this autumn, when his side claimed a statement 3–1 Champions League victory away to PSV Eindhoven — proof that his methods work on Europe’s biggest stage.
Before stepping into senior management, Pocognoli spent several years honing his craft in youth coaching. After retiring in 2021 following a playing career that spanned more than 360 professional matches across Belgium, England, the Netherlands and Germany, the ex-left-back cut his teeth with Union’s U21s, Genk’s U18s, and the Belgian national U18 team.
Now, Pocognoli begins a new chapter on the AS Monaco bench, bringing his modern, attacking philosophy to a club that prides itself on developing talent and competing with flair. He is expected to take charge of his first session at the Performance Centre on Tuesday — and in typical Monaco fashion, the ambition is clear: blend youth, intensity and European ambition under a coach who has already proven he can turn potential into silverware.
