Ranked! The 50 best managers in the world
The best managers in the world, from club to country, big clubs to small, and everyone in between
40. Tite
What Tite hasn't seen in football is not worth seeing. The Flamengo manager turns 63 this month, back in club football after ushering in a generation of Selecao stars and reaching a Copa America final with the national side. He's still a shrewd man manager capable of finding harmony with samba stars and his stint as Brazil boss shows that.
60 wins, six losses; 174 scored, 30 conceded in 81 games, with a win-rate of almost three in four. They choked when it mattered but Tite can hold his head high.
39. Ernesto Valverde
Unlike some of the bigger personalities on this list, Ernesto Valverde is not the type to put himself front and centre of the media spotliight.
Best known for his two-and-a-half-year spell at Barcelona that brought about two La Liga titles, the 60-year-old is currently in his third spell as Athletic Club boss, with the Basque side set for a top-five finish under the pragmatic and organised manager.
38. David Moyes
With well over 1,000 games as a manager across five clubs over the past 26 years, David Moyes is a piece of the furniture when it comes to English football.
While his stint as Fergie's chosen successor Manchester United in 2013 did not go to plan, he has consistently shown resilience, longevity and a knack of maximising resources wherever he has been.
A long-overdue first major came last year when he led West Ham to the Europa Conference League, but his time in east London looks to be coming to an end as his contract ticks down with the Hammers fan base demanding a more positive style of play.
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37. Marco Silva
The Portuguese has quietly done a very effective job at Fulham since he joined them following their 2021 relegation from the Premier League, as the Cottagers eased to the Championship title before racking up a top-ten finish back in the big time.
Tactically smart and well-organised, Silva’s attacking style of football has seen his reputation recover from a bruising 18-month spell at Everton that saw him depart with the Toffees in the relegation zone in December 2019. This consistency and clear identity has seen the 46-year-old go from a young manager with flashes of potential during his spells at Hull City and Watford into one of the Premier League’s most underrated bosses.
36. Erik ten Hag
A tricky second season has since developed but the Dutchman’s forward-thinking expansive style saw Manchester United turned into one of the most exciting counter-attacking sides in Europe.
Ten Hag will rise again, though – despite a sacking looking likely thsi summer. Having idolised the great Netherlands boss Kees Rijvers, his managerial journey began in 2012 with Go Ahead Eagles, stock continuing to rise in the Netherlands, with a wonderful spell at Ajax seeing him claim three top-flight titles. Three cup finals in two years isn't to be sniffed at, either: plenty of Sir Alex's successors would've liked such.
35. Massimiliano Allegri
A three-at-the-back master and serial winner in Italy, Massimiliano Allegri is a name that will long be remembered for his influence on the modern game. Starting his journey with Aglianese in the fourth tier of Italian football back in 2003, with spells at SPAL and Sassuolo then followed before Allegri received his big break with AC Milan some seven years later.
Five Serie A crowns and two Champions League finals have since followed in two spells at Juventus. It's been tough of late but Allegri still deserves respect for what he's achieved – especially with the off-field backdrop.
34. Thomas Frank
Thomas Frank is the third-longest-serving Premier League manager behind Jurgen Klopp and Pep Guardiola – and in many ways, he's proven himself as more versatile than either.
Adapting his side to become more physical in the Premier League, he has oscillated between his favoured 4-3-3 and 3-5-2 to batter teams at either end of the table. Brentford have become an established name in the top flight who don't even feel in danger of the drop – and they owe so much of that to the Dane.
33. Roger Schmidt
Roger Schmidt was the second German to manage Benfica after the legendary Jupp Heynckes. He became the first to win the title, however – doing so in some style.
The Lisbon outfit won their first 13 matches across the Primeira Liga and Champions League in their best start to a season in almost 40 years; they ended a nine-match hoodoo against Porto and they topped a Champions League group with PSG and Juventus before getting to the quarter-finals.
All while having lost Darwin Nunez over the summer and Enzo Fernandez midseason: this season hasn't been as rosy but Schmidt is still highly-rated for his work in Portugal.
32. Adi Hutter
Adi Hutter first came to attention for some in a way that will adhere them to many German hearts: battering Bayern Munich in their biggest defeat since 1978 with Borussia Monchengladbach.
The Gladbach gig, while steady, was temporary – and now, he’s proving himself a capable pair of hands at Monaco, overseeing Paul Mitchell’s crop of scintillating signings in the principality. It’s high time someone took them back to the top.
31. Eric Roy
Taking his name from two United legends of the 90s (no, not really), Eric Roy has led one of Europe's lesser-talked about stories this season.
Stade Brestois are set to qualify for the Champions League above so many of France's aristocracy – and like Lens last season, the former Marseille star has commanded a well-organised group who most European football fans could walk past in the street without recognising. He deserves his place on this list this year.
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Current page: The 50 best managers in the world: 40-31
Prev Page The 50 best managers in the world: 50-41 Next Page The 50 best managers in the world: 30-21Mark White has been at on FourFourTwo since joining in January 2020, first as a staff writer before becoming content editor in 2023. An encyclopedia of football shirts and boots knowledge – both past and present – Mark has also represented FFT at both FA Cup and League Cup finals (though didn't receive a winners' medal on either occasion) and has written pieces for the mag ranging on subjects from Bobby Robson's season at Barcelona to Robinho's career. He has written cover features for the mag on Mikel Arteta and Martin Odegaard, and is assisted by his cat, Rosie, who has interned for the brand since lockdown.
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