Aston Villa’s set-piece coach Austin MacPhee is receiving significant praise inside Portugal’s World Cup camp after a season in which his work delivered 18 goals.
- A Bola report MacPhee has been “heavily involved” in dead-ball sessions during Portugal’s opening training week
- Villa scored 18 set-piece goals across all competitions in 2025-26: 32% of their total excluding penalties
- Portugal are using mechanical rising walls in free-kick practice, with MacPhee’s routines a daily training feature
- The Scot previously established his set-piece reputation with Northern Ireland before joining Villa under Emery
The Istanbul moment and what came before it
Austin MacPhee had his most famous moment on 20 May in Istanbul. The corner routine he designed, practised once on Monday morning, delivered by Morgan Rogers, finished by Youri Tielemans, opened the scoring in the Europa League final. Watkins described it as a moment of genuine courage. Tielemans described it as perfectly rehearsed. The goal was the most public possible demonstration of MacPhee’s work.
However, it was not a one-off. It was the culmination of a full season of set-piece excellence that has now caught the attention of one of international football’s most demanding coaching setups.
According to Portuguese newspaper A Bola, MacPhee has been one of the most active coaches in Portugal’s opening week of World Cup preparations. Dead-ball situations have been incorporated into every single training session, with multiple variations tested daily. Roberto Martínez has built his preparation around attacking set-pieces from the very first day. MacPhee is central to that specific focus.
The Numbers: 18 goals, 32% of Villa’s total
The statistics that have drawn Portugal’s attention are specific and compelling. Villa scored 18 goals from set-piece situations across all competitions in 2025-26, excluding penalties. That figure represents 32% of the club’s entire goal output for the season. Nearly one in three Villa goals this season originated from a dead-ball situation designed and coached by MacPhee.
That is an extraordinary return and it reflects a systematic and methodical approach to set-piece preparation that very few clubs can match. The Tielemans final goal was the moment that captured global attention. But Konsa’s goals in both legs against Bologna, McGinn’s contributions throughout the campaign, and numerous other set-piece strikes across the season tell the same story repeatedly.
Portugal’s preparation. Mechanical walls and daily variations
A Bola’s specific details about Portugal’s training methods reveal the sophistication of MacPhee’s approach. The Portuguese squad are using mechanical walls that rise to simulate defensive jumps during free-kick practice, replicating the specific defensive movements that elite goalkeepers and defensive walls deploy in real match situations. That specific training tool reflects a level of preparation detail that goes well beyond standard set-piece work.
The routine incorporation of multiple variations in every session reflects MacPhee’s core philosophy. Set-pieces are not a supplementary element of preparation. They are a primary attacking weapon, deserving the same daily attention and systematic development as any other phase of play.
Portugal’s specific quality in dead-ball situations makes MacPhee’s involvement particularly potent. Bruno Fernandes. Cristiano Ronaldo. Raphael Guerreiro. As goalkeeper José Sá noted of the World Cup ball: “it’s good for Bruno Fernandes.” The combination of MacPhee’s routines and Portugal’s delivery quality could prove devastating in North America.
A career built on specialist excellence
MacPhee’s journey to this level of influence reflects a career built on specialist expertise rather than conventional coaching pathways. He first established his set-piece reputation with Northern Ireland, developing the specific methodology and tactical database that has since been refined at Midtjylland and then Villa under Emery.
His dual role of Villa set-piece coach and Portugal specialist, reflects a level of professional recognition that extends well beyond the Premier League. The World Cup represents the ultimate validation of that expertise.
ReadAstonVilla Verdict
When Portugal score a set-piece goal at the World Cup this summer, and they will, Villa supporters will recognise the fingerprints immediately. MacPhee designed the routine that opened the Europa League final. He is now applying the same meticulous preparation to one of the world’s most talented international squads. The Tielemans goal launched the celebration in Istanbul. The next one could come anywhere in North America.
