View Sudarshan Gopaladesikan’s Biography, Age and Nationality
Newcastle United have made a bold move in their technical setup with the appointment of Sudarshan Gopaladesikan as their new Technical Director. Find out more about him below.
Sudarshan has built a strong reputation in the football community, particularly for combining analytics with football strategy.
Who is Newcastle United Technical Director Sudarshan Gopaladesikan: Biography, Age, Nationality, Ethnicity and Education
We have appointed Sudarshan Gopaladesikan as our new Technical Director 🤝
Sudarshan joins the team from Atlanta, where he was Director of Football Intelligence, and will lead football data operations across our men’s, women’s and academy teams.
Welcome to Newcastle United, Suds!
— Newcastle United (@NUFC) July 21, 2025
Who is new#NUFCTechnical Director Sudarshan Gopaladesikan? ✍🏼
Age: 33
Nationality: American
Nickname – Suds
X-Handle –@suds_gPrevious roles (selected):
Benfica – Head of Sports Data Science
Atalanta – Head of Football IntelligenceStyle/Skillset:
Graduated in 2014 from…pic.twitter.com/wPYLCaIsAf
— Magpie Media (@MagpieMediaX) July 21, 2025
Gopaladesikan has gained extensive experience working with top European clubs and will now help reinvent Newcastle.
Sudarshan Gopaladesikan appointed as new Technical Director at Newcastle United
Sudarshan Gopaladesikan has taken on the role of Technical Director at Newcastle United, where he will oversee all football data operations for the club’s men’s, women’s and academy teams. He will work closely with Head Coach Eddie Howe and his coaching staff while liaising with the Performance, Medical, Recruitment and Analytics departments. He will lead all football data operations and work directly with Eddie Howe, the coaching staff and the club’s Performance, Medical, Analytics, Methodology and Recruitment departments.
On accepting his new appointment, Suds said:
I am delighted and honoured to join Newcastle United as Technical Director. Throughout my career I have had the privilege of working with clubs with extremely passionate fans and Newcastle stands out for its unique connection between the team, the city and the fans. I look forward to working with the club’s talented staff and discovering what gives us our competitive edge. Most importantly, I look forward to experiencing the incredible matchday atmosphere at St James’ Park and becoming part of this proud football family and community.
Sudarshan Gopaladesikan’s bio and age
Sudarshan Gopaladesikan is a highly respected football intelligence expert who has recently been appointed as the new Technical Director of Newcastle United. Often referred to as “Suds” by his colleagues and peers, he is 33 years old. He is known for combining deep analytical insights with football decision-making abilities. He has worked for some of Europe’s most prestigious clubs, including Atalanta and Benfica.
Sudarshan Gopaladesikan; Date of Birth/Age: June 10, 1992 (33 years old); Nationality: American
Education
Sudarshan Gopaladesikan graduated from Swarthmore College in Pennsylvania in 2014 with a degree in Engineering and Data Science, and subsequently studied Sports Analytics.
Stanford University School Graduate in Business Administration
LEAD Program, Leadership, March 2025 – March 2026
Swarthmore College: Mathematics, 2010 – 2014
Central Dauphin High School School
2006 – 2010
A graduate of Stanford University, Gopaladesikan has worked in several countries including the United States, India, Portugal and Italy and speaks four languages, including Tamil and Italian.
He moved to the United States to pursue a PhD in Biokinesiology and Physiotherapy at the University of Southern California. His elite sports career began with the Los Angeles Dodgers in Major League Baseball and subsequently worked at the English Institute of Sport, where he worked with Olympic and elite athletes from a variety of sports.
Nationality and Ethnicity
Sudarshan Gopaladesikan is of Indian descent and holds American citizenship.
Career
Prior to joining Newcastle United, Suds served as Director of Football Intelligence for Italian Serie A club Atalanta. Under his leadership, the team finished in the top five three times in a row, lifted the Europa League trophy and even reached the Coppa Italia final.
Previously, he spent five years as the Head of Sports Data Science at Portuguese giants Benfica CF, helping the men’s team win the Primeira Liga title and reach the quarter-finals of the Champions League and Europa League. Under his leadership, the Benfica women’s team also won two domestic titles, while the Women’s Academy team won the 2021/22 UEFA Youth League after reaching the final twice.
In addition to club football, Sudarshan Gopaladesikan lectures for FIFA Executive Education programmes and PFA Business School. He has also worked with global companies such as Microsoft and Infosys, as well as other leading sports organisations.
Gopaladesikan started his career at Infosys in Bengaluru in 2012 before joining Microsoft. In 2017, he switched to football and joined Portuguese club Benfica CF as the Head of Sports Data Science. In 2022, Gopaladesikan joined Atalanta BC as Director of Football Intelligence and held the position for three years before moving to the Premier League.
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