Vanessa Arauz


Vanessa Arauz León is an Ecuadorian football manager who is currently the head coach of the Chilean club Colo-Colo women's team. She was the head coach of Ecuador at the 2015 FIFA Women's World Cup at 26 years old, hired at age 24, setting a world record for youngest coach at a Men's or Women's FIFA World Cup.
In the 2015 FIFA World Cup, Ecuador finished last, only scoring one goal. Although most federations might have fired the couch after a score that low, especially a female coach. Surprisingly the federation retained Arauz for the women's national program at all levels. By 2017, she was coaching all women's teams for the federation and was named an official instructor by CONMEBOL. In that position, Arauz travelled to provide assistance and training to women's programs throughout South America. Through the efforts of the federation, Arauz proved to be the face of change within Latin America and women's rights, specifically within football.