Who is Fernando Ferrara, the coach who led Las Leonas to become world champions

His playing philosophy became clear when he took over Las Leonas. “I like to develop offensive and aggressive teams that dominate the opponent,” he explained in 2021, describing a dynamic system with possession and fast attacks. He also left a phrase that summarizes his leadership: “First the people, then the players”.

The Return to Argentina and the Triumph with Las Leonas

Before taking charge of the senior national team, Ferrara coached Las Leoncitas and worked as an assistant for Las Leonas. In October 2021, the Argentine Hockey Confederation chose him to replace Carlos Retegui after the silver medal won in Tokyo. The challenge was to maintain a team used to fighting for titles while also promoting a generational change.

The results came quickly. In 2022, he won the Pan American Cup and the FIH Pro League, and that same year reached the final of the World Cup in Spain and the Netherlands, where Argentina won silver. Two years later, he led the team to bronze at the Paris 2024 Olympic Games and in 2025 reclaimed the Pan American Cup.

The 2026 World Cup completed the circle. Las Leonas reached the final undefeated and, against the Netherlands, came back from a deficit with a goal from María José Granatto before winning in the penalty shootout, with Cristina Cosentino as the standout player. At 58 years old, that boy who started coaching while still playing in the youth teams of Ciudad led Argentina to its third world star and achieved the greatest title of his career as a coach.

The Years in Italy and Training Development

The European experience fully transformed Ferrara into a coach. In 2001, he completed the course from the Argentine Hockey Confederation, and between 2007 and 2015, he led the Italian women's national team for eight seasons. Working with a team that had to compete against the top powers deepened his tactical training and attention to detail.