Pellegrino Matarazzo, a Fair Lawn native from New Jersey, became the first American manager to win a trophy in one of Europe's top five leagues, leading Real Sociedad to the Copa del Rey title over Atletico Madrid. This victory marked a significant milestone in his remarkable rise from a modest soccer player in Bergen County to a standout manager in Europe’s top five league. His success came after a penalty shootout victory over Atlet Madrid. Matarazo, who was born in Wayne and raised in Patterson and Fair Lawn, had a successful career in lower leagues before moving on to Stuttgart, leading the club to promotion to the Bundesliga and coaching for 18 months before being sacked again. He has since been named the manager of Hoffenheim and has been hailed as the savior of the team.