⚽Best Soccer Managers of All Time
Ranking soccer managers pits trophy hauls against tactical revolutions and long-term dominance, shaping how clubs and nations play the game. The debate weighs sustained success across eras against signature triumphs that redefined the sport. Vote to rank them.
What counts: Best means most major trophies plus lasting tactical influence; all figures are approximate career totals.
Jurgen Klopp▲ Rising
Klopp ended Liverpool's 30-year title drought and delivered the 2019 Champions League with intense, high-pressing football. His 2020 Premier League win completed a remarkable rebuild. The 2019 final comeback against Tottenham defined his era.
Trophies: 14 trophiesCL Titles: 1League Titles: 2Win %: 60 %Years Active: 19 years
added by IJR
20Diego Simeone▲ Rising
Simeone turned Atletico Madrid into perennial title challengers with a fierce, compact defensive system, winning two La Liga titles. The 2014 and 2016 Champions League finals showed how far his tactics could stretch. He remains the benchmark for underdog success.
Trophies: 8 trophiesCL Titles: 0League Titles: 2Win %: 55 %Years Active: 13 years
added by IJRDiego Simeone
17Bob Paisley▲ Rising
Paisley succeeded Shankly at Liverpool and won three European Cups in five years, the most successful spell in the club's history. His 1977-1981 run produced six league titles. The 1977 final against Borussia Mönchengladbach sealed his legend.
Trophies: 13 trophiesCL Titles: 3League Titles: 6Win %: 57 %Years Active: 9 years
added by IJRBob Paisley
17Sir Alex Ferguson▲ Rising
Ferguson turned Manchester United into a global powerhouse over 27 years, winning 13 Premier League titles and two Champions Leagues. His 1999 treble remains the defining moment of English club football. No other manager matched his longevity at the very top.
Trophies: 38 trophiesCL Titles: 2League Titles: 16Win %: 58 %Years Active: 39 years
added by IJR
16Zinedine Zidane▲ Rising
Zidane won three straight Champions Leagues with Real Madrid between 2016 and 2018, a feat no manager has repeated. His quiet authority turned a star-studded squad into serial winners. The 2018 final against Liverpool showcased his peak.
Trophies: 11 trophiesCL Titles: 3League Titles: 2Win %: 68 %Years Active: 6 years
added by IJRin 5 rankingsZinedine Zidane
16Ancelotti delivered Champions League glory with Milan and Real Madrid, becoming the only manager to win the competition four times. His calm leadership produced league titles across five countries. The 2022 Madrid comeback run highlighted his big-match mastery.
Trophies: 23 trophiesCL Titles: 4League Titles: 9Win %: 59 %Years Active: 25 years
added by IJRCarlo Ancelotti
15Pep Guardiola▲ Rising
Guardiola transformed Barcelona with tiki-taka, then repeated dominance at Bayern and Manchester City, amassing over 30 major trophies. His 2010-11 treble and City's 2023 treble cemented his status. Few managers have imposed such a clear style across three countries.
Trophies: 35 trophiesCL Titles: 3League Titles: 12Win %: 72 %Years Active: 15 years
added by IJRin 2 rankingsPep Guardiola
8Arsene Wenger
Wenger modernized Arsenal with the Invincibles season and brought French and African talent to the Premier League. His 2004 unbeaten campaign is still unmatched in England. He laid the blueprint for stylish, attacking English football.
Trophies: 17 trophiesCL Titles: 0League Titles: 3Win %: 57 %Years Active: 22 years
added by IJR
4Del Bosque won two Champions Leagues with Real Madrid and led Spain to the 2010 World Cup and Euro 2012. His calm stewardship produced the greatest international run in Spanish history. The 2010 final win capped his peak.
Trophies: 11 trophiesCL Titles: 2League Titles: 2Win %: 60 %Years Active: 14 years
added by IJRVicente del Bosque
4Sacchi's Milan dominated Europe with a high defensive line and pressing, winning back-to-back European Cups in 1989 and 1990. His methods shifted Italian football from catenaccio to proactive play. The 1989 final rout of Steaua is iconic.
Trophies: 6 trophiesCL Titles: 2League Titles: 1Win %: 55 %Years Active: 14 years
added by IJRArrigo Sacchi
3Rocco pioneered catenaccio at Milan, winning two European Cups in the 1960s. His defensive system dominated Italy and Europe. The 1963 final win over Benfica launched his legacy.
Trophies: 10 trophiesCL Titles: 2League Titles: 3Win %: 49 %Years Active: 22 years
added by IJRNereo Rocco
3Capello won four Serie A titles with Milan and added La Liga and Premier League titles later. His 1994 European Cup win completed Milan's dominance. The 1994 final against Barcelona showcased his defensive mastery.
Trophies: 15 trophiesCL Titles: 1League Titles: 7Win %: 55 %Years Active: 23 years
added by IJRFabio Capello
3Cruyff implemented total football at Ajax and Barcelona, winning four straight European Cups with Ajax and launching La Masia. His 1970s innovations still underpin modern possession play. The 1992 European Cup with Barcelona sealed his legacy.
Trophies: 14 trophiesCL Titles: 1League Titles: 4Win %: 62 %Years Active: 12 years
added by IJRin 4 rankingsJohan Cruyff
2Jose Mourinho
Mourinho won the Champions League with Porto in 2004 then delivered titles at Chelsea, Inter, and Real Madrid with pragmatic brilliance. His 2010 treble with Inter stands as one of the great underdog runs. He remains the master of big-game knockout results.
Trophies: 25 trophiesCL Titles: 2League Titles: 8Win %: 61 %Years Active: 24 years
added by IJR
1Heynckes won the treble with Bayern Munich in 2013, capping a career that included earlier Bundesliga titles. His 2013 final against Dortmund is a Bundesliga classic. He remains one of Germany's most successful modern coaches.
Trophies: 9 trophiesCL Titles: 1League Titles: 4Win %: 58 %Years Active: 18 years
added by IJRJupp Heynckes
1Herrera perfected catenaccio at Inter, winning two European Cups and three Serie A titles in the 1960s. His defensive system dominated Europe before total football emerged. The 1965 final victory over Benfica defined his era.
Trophies: 10 trophiesCL Titles: 2League Titles: 5Win %: 52 %Years Active: 25 years
added by IJRHelenio Herrera
0Busby rebuilt Manchester United after the Munich air disaster and delivered the 1968 European Cup with the Busby Babes. His post-war dominance established United as a major force. The 1968 final win against Benfica capped his story.
Trophies: 13 trophiesCL Titles: 1League Titles: 5Win %: 48 %Years Active: 25 years
added by IJRMatt Busby
0Lippi guided Italy to the 2006 World Cup and won the Champions League with Juventus in 1996. His 2006 triumph overcame the Calciopoli scandal. The final penalty shootout against France remains his signature moment.
Trophies: 15 trophiesCL Titles: 1League Titles: 5Win %: 54 %Years Active: 23 years
added by IJRMarcello Lippi
-2Happel won the European Cup with Feyenoord and Hamburg, becoming the first coach to win it with two different clubs. His 1970 and 1983 triumphs bridged eras. He also led the Netherlands to the 1978 World Cup final.
Trophies: 8 trophiesCL Titles: 2League Titles: 5Win %: 53 %Years Active: 30 years
added by IJRErnst Happel
-3Rafael Benitez
Benitez delivered the 2005 Champions League with Liverpool in one of the greatest comebacks ever against Milan. His 2005 final in Istanbul is legendary. He also won La Liga with Valencia and multiple trophies in Italy.
Trophies: 10 trophiesCL Titles: 1League Titles: 3Win %: 52 %Years Active: 22 years
added by IJR
-5Michels created total football with Ajax and the Dutch national team, winning the 1971 European Cup and reaching the 1974 World Cup final. His philosophy influenced generations of coaches. The 1972 treble remains a benchmark.
Trophies: 7 trophiesCL Titles: 1League Titles: 4Win %: 58 %Years Active: 30 years
added by IJRRinus Michels
-6Van Gaal won the Champions League with Ajax in 1995 and delivered league titles in three countries. His 1995 final demolition of Milan showcased total football's next generation. The 2014 World Cup third-place finish with the Netherlands added international acclaim.
Trophies: 16 trophiesCL Titles: 1League Titles: 7Win %: 55 %Years Active: 26 years
added by IJRLouis van Gaal
-8Giovanni Trapattoni▼ Falling
Trapattoni won six Serie A titles and the 1985 European Cup with Juventus, the most successful Italian manager of his generation. His 1985 final win over Liverpool completed a dominant decade. He later succeeded across Europe.
Trophies: 17 trophiesCL Titles: 1League Titles: 7Win %: 51 %Years Active: 30 years
added by IJRGiovanni Trapattoni
-9Lattek won the European Cup with Bayern Munich in 1974 and multiple Bundesliga titles with Bayern and Borussia Mönchengladbach. His 1974 final win helped establish Bayern's European era. He remains one of Germany's most decorated coaches.
Trophies: 14 trophiesCL Titles: 1League Titles: 8Win %: 54 %Years Active: 20 years
added by IJRUdo Lattek
-11Ottmar Hitzfeld▼ Falling
Hitzfeld won the Champions League with Borussia Dortmund in 1997 and Bayern Munich in 2001, one of few to win it with two clubs. His 1997 final victory over Juventus is a Bundesliga highlight. He delivered consistent domestic success in Germany.
Trophies: 12 trophiesCL Titles: 2League Titles: 5Win %: 56 %Years Active: 20 years
added by IJROttmar Hitzfeld
-12Bill Shankly▼ Falling
Shankly built the Liverpool dynasty from the second division, winning three league titles and the 1965 European Cup Winners' Cup. His famous boot-room culture laid the foundation for decades of success. The 1965 win marked Liverpool's European arrival.
Trophies: 9 trophiesCL Titles: 0League Titles: 3Win %: 49 %Years Active: 18 years
added by IJRBill Shankly
-14
