The night in Seville reinforced Pellegrino Matarazzo's status as a figure of two worlds. The coach guided Real Sociedad to victory in the 2026 Copa del Rey, defeating Diego Simeone's Atlético Madrid on penalties following a 2-2 draw in normal and extra time. A historic achievement: he is the first American-born coach to win a trophy in one of Europe's top five leagues. Behind this accomplishment lies a story with strong roots in Italy. Matarazzo was born in New Jersey to a Campanian family and grew up between two cultures, with Italian soccer at his heart, from Diego Armando Maradona's Napoli to the Azzurri, whom he followed at the 1994 World Cup. After a playing career without major breakthroughs, he built his path in Germany, moving from Nürnberg to Hoffenheim and Stuttgart, which he brought back to the Bundesliga. The turning point, however, came when Real Sociedad signed him in December 2025: in just a few months, he revitalized the team and won the Cup. In the United States, his triumph was hailed as a watershed event for soccer, indicating that an American coach can compete at the highest levels of European soccer. However, his attachment to Italy remains strong, and Matarazzo considers it an integral part of his identity, despite the fact that Italy has never provided him with a legitimate career chance.