Juan Esnáider

Born in Mar del Plata, Buenos Aires Province, Esnáider began his footballing career with Ferro Carril Oeste, and made his professional debut against Vélez Sarsfield on 2 September 1990. After only six games, he was bought by Real Madrid, and still managed two first-team appearances during the 1990–91 season, also going on to score nearly 20 goals for the reserves in the Segunda División. However, Esnáider never really settled in the main squad, and moved on loan to Real Zaragoza for 1993–94 (with the latter having the option to buy at the end of the campaign). He quickly developed into one of European football's most in-form strikers and, already property of the Aragonese side, helped them to the 1994–95 UEFA Cup Winners' Cup, scoring in the final against Arsenal and being the tournament's second-best scorer behind Ian Wright (he also added 16 in La Liga). Real Madrid paid Zaragoza more than double they had received in July 1995, but Esnáider only netted once during another disappointing season. Signed by Atlético Madrid for 1996–97 – immediately after an historic double – he again displayed his best football, with 21 goals in all competitions. Esnáider joined Barcelona-based Espanyol after being released by Atlético, and produced another good individual season with 13 goals in the league. In January 1999, he was signed by Juventus for an estimated fee of £4,5 million, as an intended replacement for Alessandro Del Piero who had just been sidelined with a serious knee injury,…

Esnáider represented Argentina on three occasions, his debut coming in 1995. Previously, he appeared with the under-20s at the 1991 FIFA World Youth Championship held in Portugal.

Esnáider obtained his coaching degree in 2008 and, in April of the following year, became Getafe's assistant to former Real Madrid teammate Míchel, who was replacing Víctor Muñoz due to poor results. He occupied the position until December 2010. On 8 April 2013, having spent one full season in the Segunda División B with Zaragoza's reserves, Esnáider was appointed at Córdoba until June after the sacking of Rafael Berges. He won only two of nine games during his spell, as the team ranked 14th in the second tier. Esnáider returned to Getafe on 12 April 2016 but now as head coach, taking over from the dismissed Fran Escribá. His first match in the Spanish top flight – as a manager – took place four days later, in a 5–1 home loss to his former club Real Madrid. On 26 November 2016, Esnáider became head coach of JEF United Chiba in the J2 League. In his first year, the side reached the playoffs but was eliminated by Nagoya Grampus in the semi-finals. In March 2019, he was sacked following poor results accumulated in the 2018 campaign and the first four games of the following one. Esnáider remained in the Japanese second tier on 29 May 2023, on a deal at Renofa Yamaguchi. He stepped down on 13 November. On 13 May 2024, Esnáider was appointed manager of PSBS Biak, recently promoted to the Super League (Indonesia). He was relieved of his duties on 10 September, after losing the first three fixtures.

Esnáider was of Volga German and Spanish descent. His surname was a Spanish spelling of the German Schneider, meaning "tailor". On Christmas Day 2012, Esnáider lost a 17-year-old son to illness. A son also named Juan, was also a footballer and a forward, and he too represented Zaragoza; another son, Facundo was born during his spell in Porto, and also played the sport.