Top 10 Best Football Managers in the World

While footballers take all the headlines, managers are normally the ones who take the fall when things start to go wrong. But recently managers have also started to be more appreciated, with clubs and fans even backing the manager over their star players. 

With the increased availability of stats, numbers and records, managers have been left more open to criticism. But the top managers have been praised for their game management, playing style, man management, communication, history, achievements and X factor. 

Keeping all of these points in mind, we here at SportsBoom have ranked the top 10 best managers in the world. 

10. Xabi Alonso

Current job: Bayer Leverkusen

Xabi Alonso took over at Bundesliga side Bayer Leverkusen in October 2022, when the club were second from bottom in the league table after eight Bundesliga matches. Xabi had an instant impact and by the end of the season, Leverkusen qualified for the UEFA Europa League by achieving a sixth-place finish. 

During the 2023-24 season, Xabi Alonso firmly put an end to the term “Neverkusen”. Bayer Leverkusen ended Bayern Munich’s dominance in the league and won the league title. Not only that, Alonso’s side ended the domestic season unbeaten, also winning the DFB Pokal in the process. The club narrowly lost out in the UEFA Europa League final against Serie A side Atalanta in the same season.

Xabi Alonso’s quick rise to the top has seen him being labelled as the ideal replacement for Pep Guardiola at Manchester City and Florentino Perez’s ideal candidate to replace Carlo Ancelotti at Real Madrid. 

9. Mikel Arteta 

Current job: Arsenal 

Mikel Arteta was always highly rated for his football IQ. This was evident when he joined Manchester City as Pep Guardiola’s assistant in 2016, right after retiring from playing professional football. It wasn’t long until his former club came calling and Arteta joined Arsenal in December 2019 as their new head coach. During his first season as the Gunners’ head coach, he lead the team to an FA Cup triumph. 

Since then he has completely revolutionized his side, focusing on a younger side and solid defensive setup. He has been key in the breakthrough and evolution of star players like Bukayo Saka, Martin Odegaard and William Saliba.

Although he has only won one trophy so far, but he has made Arsenal competitive again and a Champions League regular again. Arsenal fans will be hoping the Spanish manager can convert the good momentum into trophies in the upcoming seasons. 

8. Hansi Flick 

Currently job: FC Barcelona 

After his failed run as the German men’s national team head coach, many fans felt that his appointment by FC Barcelona might have been the wrong one. But the German manager has once again proved everyone wrong. With a minimum budget and youngsters, his Barcelona side is leading the LaLiga table ahead of the star-studded Real Madrid squad. He has also got Robert Lewandowski firing on all cylinders again. 

It is also easy to forget that Hansi Flick let Bayern Munich to an incredible sextuple in 2020, becoming only the second manager to achieve the feast after Pep Guardiola. 

7. Lionel Scaloni

Currently job: Argentina men’s national football team

Lionel Scaloni//Getty Images

Lionel Scaloni took over as the reigns as Argentina men’s national team head coach in 2018. At that time, Argentina were at an all-time low, with the national nowhere near any trophies or titles and the players being labelled as “The Messi Club” or “Friends Club”. But Scaloni has completely changed that. 

Although he arrived as a fairly unknown and underdog manager, but this perception has changed in recent years. Scaloni has given a chance to the new generation of players, managing the older generation without any fuss. The likes of Emi Martinez, Cristian Romero, Lisandro Martinez, Enzo Fernandez, Alexis Mac Allister, Julian Alvarez and many others breaking through and becoming key members of the international setup. 

Scaloni also helped Lionel Messi win his first-ever international trophy, winning the 2021 Copa America. Since then they have won the 2022 FIFA World Cup, 2022 Finalissima and the 2024 Copa America trophy. 

FUN FACT “Manager” and “head coach” are now separate terms in football, with both meaning different set of responsibilities and roles.

The example of new Manchester United manager Ruben Amorim has been hired under the title “head coach”. This will be the first instance in the club’s history, that a head coach will be in charge of the club, with all previous going under the title of “manager”. It has been reported that the Portuguese manager will hold no “Veto” power for transfers and will be involved with managing the team. With the new United hierarchy taking care of the transfer and future planning. 

6. Unai Emery 

Currently job: Aston Villa 

Many fans judge Unai Emery’s career based on his failed run as Arsenal manager. But Emery’s accomplishments and accolades throughout his managerial career can’t be overlooked. The Spanish manager has won four UEFA Europa League titles, one Ligue 1 title, the French Cup and the League Cup. 

His current run with Aston Villa is nothing short of a fairytale as well. Emery was appointed as the Villa manager on 24 October 2022, when the Premier League club paid his buyout fee at Villarreal. The club were struggling in the league after narrowly missing out on relegation in the prior season. Emery has made Aston Villa competitive again, with his side going toe toe-to-toe with all the Premier League giants. Emery also helped Aston Villa return to the UEFA Champions League stage after an impressive top-four finish in the league during the 2023-24 season. 

5. Diego Simeone

Currently job: Atletico Madrid 

Diego Simeone has been the Atletico Madrid manager for over a decade and has put the club on the top European pedestal. Simeone’s longevity and run with a single club is unheard of in modern football. His team’s foundations remain ever-strong, holding a sold defensive setup and looking to score on quick breaks. 

Simeone has won two LaLiga titles, one Copa del Rey title, two UEFA Europa League trophies and two UEFA Super Cups. The only major trophy excluding his impressive trophy cabinet is the UEFA Champions League title. 

4. Didier Deschamps

Currently job: France men’s national football team

Didier Deschamps is only one of three men to have won the FIFA World Cup both as a player and then as a manager. After being appointed the France manager, he has led his national team to the 2016 Euro finals, 2018 FIFA World Cup title and the UEFA Nations League title. 

Although Les Blues have not performed up to mark in the recent FIFA World Cup edition, UEFA Euros or Nations League campaigns, but the talent in the camp still remains immense and Didier Deschamps will be hoping to guide his side to more trophies in the upcoming years. 

3. Simone Inzaghi

Currently job: Inter Milan

Simone Inzaghi has managed just two clubs in his managerial career so far: Serie A sides Lazio and Inter Milan. Still fairly young in terms of his managerial career, Simone Inzaghi has impressed everyone. Inter Milan’s run to the 2022-23 UEFA Champions League final has been the defining moment of Simone Inzaghi’s career so far. 

Inzaghi is very highly rated for his side’s impressive Cup runs. He has won five Italian Super Cups, three Italian Cups, and one Serie A title. His availability to work on tight budgets and setting up an competitive side has impressed fans across the globe. He has also been linked with all top jobs across Europe, but he has remained loyal to Inter Milan. 

2. Carlo Ancelotti 

Currently job: Real Madrid

Carlo Ancelotti//Getty Images

Carlo Ancelotti is the current manager of LaLiga giants Real Madrid. Carlo Ancelotti began his coaching career in 1995–96 with Serie B side Reggiana. Since then he has been a mainstay in European football and has been on top of the game for decades. Ancelotti is the manager with the most UEFA Champions League titles in history. His fifth UCL title came during the 2023-24 season. 

He is also the only manager in history to win the league title in all of the European top five leagues. Ancelotti has managed a number of top clubs including Bayern Munich, Chelsea, AC Milan, PSG, Napoli, Juventus and others.