Aston Villa clinched a 3-0 Europa League final win over Freiburg in Istanbul, with Youri Tielemans opening the scoring. As the team celebrated, goalkeeper Emi Martínez sprinted to the dugout to thank Austin MacPhee, the 46‑year‑old Scottish set‑piece specialist credited with the second goal. Unai Emery called him a “fantastic creator,” and captain John Mc Ginn hailed his courage, as the crowd roared.

MacPhee rose from coaching Cupar’s amateurs to scouting for Mexico at the 2014 World Cup, then spent five years at Villa Park. He joined Roberto Martínez’s Portugal staff in February 2023 after Villa recorded the most set‑piece goals in Europe’s top five leagues in 2023‑24. His routine of sending video animations to players’ phones now underpins Portugal’s World Cup game plan.

During the Istanbul celebrations, Villa’s players chanted MacPhee’s name, a rare tribute for a back‑room figure. His meticulous preparation could give Portugal the edge in tightly contested knockout ties, where a well‑rehearsed dead‑ball often decides matches. If Portugal lifts the trophy, MacPhee will have added a World Cup to an already unique résumé, and the Scottish tactician’s influence will be measured in the finals.