Angel Di Maria, who recently concluded his international career with another Copa America victory, has openly identified Louis Van Gaal as the worst manager he has ever worked with.
In an interview with ESPN Argentina, Di Maria was asked to name his top three managers of all time. Despite finding it difficult to choose only a few, he immediately named Van Gaal as the worst, stating, “The worst is Van Gaal, of that I can assure you without a doubt. Just to let you know before you ask. In case you had any doubt, I’ll clear that up for you right now.”
Van Gaal, who managed Manchester United, made headlines in 2014 when the club broke the British transfer record to acquire Di Maria from Real Madrid for £59.7 million. However, Di Maria’s time at Old Trafford was disappointing, leading to his transfer to Paris Saint-Germain for £44 million the following year.
While Di Maria had a successful career, thriving at nearly every club he played for, his stint at United under Van Gaal was notably underwhelming. The Argentine winger struggled to find his best form and seems to hold Van Gaal responsible for the lackluster performance during his tenure.
When asked to name his best managers, Di Maria had difficulty choosing between José Mourinho and Carlo Ancelotti. He reflected, “I had a lot of coaches. Mourinho, Ancelotti. I played for so many good managers that it’s hard to pick.”
Di Maria enjoyed significant success under Ancelotti at Real Madrid, winning the Copa del Rey, La Liga, and the Champions League in 2014.