Austin FC name Nico Estevez as head coach

Nico Estevez is returning to the MLS coaching ranks in Texas after being named the head coach of Austin FC on Friday.

The 44-year-old Spaniard coached FC Dallas from December 2021 until he was dismissed on June 11.

Estevez will join Austin FC when he completes his duties as a U.S. men's national team assistant next month.

"We are delighted to have Nico join Austin FC as our second-ever head coach," said Rodolfo Borrell, Austin FC's sporting director. "Our search process was extremely detailed and we feel he is someone that ticks all the boxes -- he is highly ambitious, has experience in MLS, and he is familiar with the culture in Texas. We believe he will be an excellent fit for this Club and community both on and off the field, and we'd like to wish him and his family a warm welcome to Austin."

Estevez succeeds Josh Wolff, who was fired on Oct. 6 after compiling a record of 45-60-30 and missing the playoffs in three of four seasons in Austin.

Estevez guided FC Dallas to the MLS Cup Playoffs in 2022 and 2023 and departed with a regular-season record of 28-27-29.

"Austin is a vibrant city with fantastic music, food, culture, and most importantly, a fanbase that is incredibly passionate about soccer and Austin FC," Estevez said. "That passion was one of the main reasons why coming to Austin was so exciting to me, and I'm looking forward to growing the team on the field while getting to know our supporters on a personal level. I want to thank Rodolfo and the entire Club for this opportunity."

Estevez will be introduced at a news conference on Tuesday. The preseason gets underway for the team on Jan. 11.

Austin FC (11-14-9, 42 points) finished 10th in the Western Conference this season, five points out of a playoff spot. Under interim coach Peter Luccin, FC Dallas (11-15-8, 41 points) wound up just behind Austin.

--Field Level Media