Don't miss the Copa Sudamericana final on beIN SPORTS this Saturday at 3:00 PM ET.

Gustavo Costas has been dreaming for 36 years of lifting a continental trophy with Racing Club, the team he supports, where he spent most of his career as a player, and with which he won the club’s last international title in 1988. This Saturday, he will aim to replicate that success, but from the dugout. 

With 337 matches played in Racing’s blue-and-white jersey, Costas is the player with the most appearances in the club’s history. Among those games are the two legs of the 1988 Supercopa Sudamericana final, where Racing defeated Cruzeiro of Brazil—the same rival they’ll face this Saturday in Asunción for the 2024 Copa Sudamericana final.

After retiring as a player, Costas began his coaching career in 1999, naturally starting with Racing.

His first stint as manager marked the beginning of a long journey that includes 11 clubs across seven countries and a national team.

He won titles with Alianza Lima (Peru), Cerro Porteño (Paraguay), Barcelona SC (Ecuador), and Independiente Santa Fe (Colombia), where he amassed five championships. Costas also managed teams in Saudi Arabia, Mexico, Chile, and Paraguay before taking charge of the Bolivian national team in August 2022.

In October 2023, Costas was dismissed by Bolivia following a poor start to the South American qualifiers for the 2026 World Cup. Two months later, he began his third stint at Racing Club.

In this new chapter, Costas has delivered Racing’s best performances in years. Not only were they the top team in the Sudamericana group stage and reached the final by eliminating tough opponents like Athletico Paranaense and Corinthians, but they also played dynamic and attacking football. The team is currently third in the Argentine league, just three points off the leader, and second in the annual standings, securing a spot in the 2025 Copa Libertadores.

Costas’s Racing stands out for its dynamism, offensive power, and a squad filled with skilled players, such as Colombian playmaker Juan Fernando Quintero, the team’s star and creative force.

Costas has also managed to revive players who struggled at their previous clubs, like midfielder Agustín Almendra, and has elevated others, such as Adrián "Maravilla" Martínez, the team’s leading scorer. 

For Costas, this Saturday’s final is not just a professional challenge but also an opportunity to win his first title as a manager of the club he loves and to once again bring international glory to Racing.

Don't miss the Copa Sudamericana final on beIN SPORTS this Saturday at 3:00 PM ET.