Top 9 Best Soccer Coaches Still Coaching Today
Who are the best soccer coaches and most successful managers in the world today? In the world of the beautiful game, most people pay attention to the goal scorers, or most skillful players on the team, but hardly ever do people give the coach the recognition they deserve.
Soccer coaching is a craft that requires a deep tactical understanding of the game, player management skills, and the ability to remain calm under pressure. A coach’s influence goes far beyond the field as they are crucial in shaping their team’s culture and identity.
The coach, often referred to as “the gaffer” or “the boss” is the one that stands in the background motivates the players and pulls the strings behind the scenes. This blog will explore the best soccer coaches of all time.
Top 9 Best Soccer Coaches
In no particular order I will now list the best 9 soccer coaches of all time.
Pep Guardiola
Guardiola is widely regarded as the greatest coach in soccer history and is still coaching to this day. He has an elite winning mentality and has won numerous titles at FC Barcelona, Bayern Munich, and Manchester City, three of the biggest clubs in the world and in their respective league.
Guardiola is known for his innovative tactics, his ability to motivate his players, and his impressive win-loss ratio. He has coached some of the best teams in the world and has won multiple trophies in various leagues including league titles, domestic cups, and Champions League titles.
He also had two treble winning seasons with FC Barcelona (2008/9) and Manchester City (2022/3). Pep is also known for his ability to develop young players, give them opportunities to shine on the big stage, and he is responsible for creating some of the biggest talent the world has ever seen like Lionel Messi.
Jose Mourinho
Mourinho is one of the most successful coaches in soccer history. He is often referred to as “the special won” and has managed to win a trophy with every single club he has coached, with the exception of Tottenham Hotspurs.
Mourinho is known for his tactical intelligence and his ability to motivate his players. He is a master of mind games and is known for his ability to get under the skin of his opponents.
Mourinho is also known for his defensive style of play, which emphasizes organization and discipline. Mourinho has coached all over the world and some of the teams that Mourinho has managed and has been able to win a trophy with include:
- FC Porto – Portugal
- Chelsea- England
- Inter Milan – Italy
- Real Madrid- Spain
- Manchester United – England
- AS Roma – Italy
Carlo Ancelotti
Ancelotti is one of the most respected and successful coaches in soccer history. He has won league titles in Spain, Italy, England, France, and Germany, the top 5 biggest leagues in the world, as well as three Champions League titles.
Ancelotti is known for his calm demeanor, his ability to manage big egos, and he is a master of man-management, which helps him get the best out of his players.
Jurgen Klopp
Klopp is one of the most charismatic coaches in soccer today. He has won league titles in Germany, with Borussia Dortmund, and England, with Liverpool FC, as well as the Champions League.
Klopp is known for his high-energy style of play, which emphasizes pressing and counter-attacking. He revolutionized a Liverpool side that had been struggling before his signing and has become a club legend.
Lionel Scaloni
Scaloni is the current head coach of the Argentina national team and has had a successful career as manager of his home country. In 2018 Scaloni helped Argentina win the copy America, their first trophy in 28 years, and also the 2022 World Cup.
With the amount of talent his team has on top, Scaloni plays an offensive style of football that is centered around Messi’s brilliance.
Diego Simeone
Simeone is the current coach of Atletico Madrid and has been for the past 11 years. He has won league titles in Spain and Argentina, as well as the Europa League and the Super Cup. Simeone is known for his defensive style of play, which emphasizes organization and discipline.
Being in a league with Spanish giants Real Madrid and Barcelona, Simeone has done an excellent job with his Atletico Madrid side having won the league title twice in the last decade as well as reaching two Champions League Finals and always making it to a far round of the competition.
Mikel Arteta
Mikel Arteta is the current coach of Arsenal and he took over in 2019. Since his return to his former club, but this time as a manager, Arteta has helped Arsenal win the FA Cup and the Community Shield.
Similar to how Klopp revitalized a Liverpool FC team, Arteta is doing that with Arsenal and has helped them quality for the Champions league as well as become one of the top 4 teams in England again.
Xabi Alonso
Xabi Alonso is the current head coach of Bayer Leverkusen and he has been with the club since October 2022. This previous season, Alonso has done the unthinkable and won the Bundesliga without losing a single game.
He also won the UEFA Europa league and has the potential to win the domestic cup in Germany, which would make this a historic treble. With his rise to the dop it is hard to say how long Leverkusen will be able to keep Xabi Alonso for.
Simone Inzaghi
Simone Inzaghi is the current head coach of Inter Milan and in the previous seasons he has been able to make Inter one of the best teams in Italy again. Inter had a rough couple of years during the early 2010s, but Inzaghi has revived this Inter Milan team and has various trophies to his name, as well as world class players on his team.
Last year they made the Champions league final only to lose to treble winners, Manchester City, and this year they have already won the Italian league title.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the difference between a head coach and a manager?
The main difference between a manager and a head coach is that the manager has real input about player purchases and sales, while the head coach does not. The head coach and manager could be the same person.
What is higher, a head coach or a manager?
A manager is higher than a head coach because they have more responsibilities such as having a say in player purchases and sales. A head coach is mainly responsible for getting the best out of the team, but the head coach can get promoted to manager and have a bigger say in player transfers.
Who are the greatest managers of all time?
Although there are many world class head coaches and managers, Pep Guardiola is widely regarded as one of the greatest modern soccer coaches, not just in recent times, but in the history of the beautiful game.
What are some good gift ideas for a soccer coach?
If you have a coach and the season is coming to an end it may be a smart idea to invest in a gift for your soccer coach, such as a soccer book about coaching or their favorite player, to show your gratitude and appreciation to your coach.
Conclusion
In the fast-paced world of soccer, the spotlight often shines on the players, but behind every successful team stands a brilliant coach. These top 9 coaches are the best in the word today and their influence extends far beyond the pitch, shaping not just teams, but the very fabric of the beautiful game.
