Guastatoya officially confirmed the arrival of Uruguayan coach Martín García as his new coach for the 2026 Apertura Tournament. The South American strategist will take on the challenge of rebuilding the yellow chest team after a season marked by uncertainty and unexpected changes on the bench.
García arrives from Cobán Imperial, a club he coached during the Clausura 2026 23 games and with which they managed to remain one of the competitive teams in the national championship. His experience in Guatemalan soccer was key for the Guastatoya leadership to opt for his incorporation for the new campaign.
The need to find a new coach arose after the surprise resignation of Pablo Centrone, who left the position just hours before the second leg of the quarterfinals against Municipal. The decision took the club’s surroundings by surprise in one of the most important moments of the season.
After the departure of Centrone, Luis Pedro Molina assumed interim technical direction to face Municipal. However, Guastatoya fell 2-0 in that match and ended up eliminated with an aggregate score of 3-0, thus closing a complicated tournament full of instability for the El Progreso institution.
For its part, Cobán Imperial was eliminated in the quarterfinals of Clausura 2026 after losing the series against Mixco in one of the most dramatic qualifiers of the tournament. The fall of the Príncipes del Norte left Martín García free, who will now take on the challenge of directing Guastatoya for the Apertura 2026.
A new project for Guastatoya
The arrival of Martín García represents a commitment by Guastatoya to regain stability and prominence in the National League. The Uruguayan coach arrives alongside Pablo Rodriguez as technical assistant and Ricardo Bracamonte as physical trainer, and will have the responsibility of reorganizing the team after a close to the season marked by uncertainty and changes on the bench.
The yellow chest team will seek to leave behind the sporting problems experienced in Clausura 2026 and compete again for important positions in the next championship. García arrives with experience in Guatemalan soccer and with the aim of returning identity to the El Progreso club.