The ranking of the 20 most successful managers/head coaches of men’s senior European club-football in the job no earlier than 1950, based on the ARL Football Club Success Ranking System
The ranking system scores points to clubs based on what trophies and how many have been won. Different trophies score different points based on a ‘glory’ criteria and only ‘competitive football’ trophies are considered.
This time, the most prolific managers in Europe are awarded the points to work out who comes out on top.
| Competition Key | Points |
SC: Domestic Super Cup | 2 (1 point per ‘shared’ trophy, in the case of English FA Charity Shield/Community Shield) |
UEFA SC: UEFA Super Cup | 4 |
IC: Intercontinental Cup / annual FIFA Club World Cup / FIFA Intercontinental Cup | 6 |
LC: League Cup | 8 |
ECL: UEFA Conference League | 8 |
NC: National Cup | 10 |
EL: UEFA Cup / UEFA Europa League | 12 |
UEFA CWC: UEFA Cup Winners Cup | 13 |
FIFA CWC: Quadrennial FIFA Club World Cup | 15 |
CL: UEFA European Cup / UEFA Champions League | 17 |
C: Top Tier League Championship | 18 |
Tiers, leagues and domestic-competition point deductions
- Tier 1 leagues: Domestic trophies won in leagues currently ranked 1 – 5 of the UEFA coefficient are deducted 0 points; all three domestic cup competitions potentially available (super cups, national cups and league cups) are counted.
- Tier 2 leagues: Domestic trophies won in leagues currently ranked 6 – 10 of the UEFA coefficient are deducted -4 points; any domestic super cup titles are not counted.
- Tier 3 leagues: Domestic trophies won in leagues currently ranked 11 – 20 of the UEFA coefficient are deducted -8 points; any domestic super cup and league cup titles are not counted.
- Tier 4 leagues: Domestic trophies won in leagues currently ranked 21 – 55 of the UEFA coefficient are deducted -12 points; any domestic super cup, league cup and national cup titles are not counted.
20 Most Successful Football Managers, Ranked
| Position | Manager / Head Coach | Year of First Managing Role | Point Subtotals | Success Points |
1 | Alex Ferguson | 1974 (East Stirlingshire FC) | Tier 1 club (Manchester United FC) SC: 9 x 2 + 1 x 1 = 19 UEFA SC: 1 x 4 = 4 IC: 2 x 6 = 12 LC: 4 x 8 = 32 NC: 5 x 10 = 50 UEFA CWC: 1 x 13 = 13 CL: 2 x 17 = 34 C: 13 x 18 = 234 Tier 3 club (Aberdeen FC) NC: 4 x 2 = 8 UEFA SC: 1 x 4 = 4 UEFA CWC: 1 x 13 = 13 C: 3 x 10 = 30 | 453 |
2 | Pep Guardiola | 2008 (FC Barcelona) | Tier 1 clubs (FC Barcelona, FC Bayern Munich, Manchester City FC) SC: 7 x 2 = 14 UEFA SC: 4 x 4 = 16 IC: 4 x 6 = 24 LC: 4 x 8 = 32 NC: 6 x 10 = 60 CL: 3 x 17 = 51 C: 12 x 18 = 216 | 413 |
3 | Carlo Ancelloti | 1995 (AC Reggiana) | Tier 1 clubs (AC Milan, Chelsea FC, Paris Saint-Germain FC, Real Madrid CF, FC Bayern Munich) SC: 6 x 2 = 12 UEFA SC: 5 x 4 =20 IC: 4 x 6 = 24 NC: 4 x 10 = 40 CL: 5 x 17 = 85 C: 6 x 18 = 108 | 289 |
4 | Giovanni Trapattoni | 1974 (AC Milan) | Tier 1 clubs (Juventus FC, Inter Milan, FC Bayern Munich) SC: 1 x 2 = 2 UEFA SC: 1 x 4 = 4 IC: 1 x 6 = 6 LC: 1 x 8 = 8 NC: 3 x 10 = 30 EL: 3 x 12 = 36 UEFA CWC: 1 x 13 = 13 CL: 1 x 17 = 17 C: 8 x 18 = 144 Tier 2 club (SL Benfica) C: 1 x 14 = 14 Tier 3 club (FC Red Bull Salzburg) C: 1 x 10 = 10 | 284 |
5 | José Mourinho | 2000 (SL Benfica) | Tier 1 clubs (Chelsea FC, FC Inter Milan, Real Madrid CF, Manchester United FC, AS Roma) SC: 4 x 2 = 8 LC: 4 x 8 = 32 ECL: 1 x 8 = 8 NC: 3 x 10 = 30 EL: 1 x 12 = 12 CL: 1 x 17 = 17 C: 6 x 18 = 108 Tier 2 club (FC Porto) NC: 1 x 6 = 6 EL: 1 x 12 = 12 C: 2 x 14 = 28 CL: 1 x 17 = 17 | 278 |
| 6 | Ottmar Hitzfeld | 1983 (Zug 94) | Tier 1 clubs (Borussia Dortmund, FC Bayern Munich) SC: 2 x 2 = 4 IC: 1 x 6 = 6 LC: 4 x 8 = 32 NC: 3 x 10 = 30 CL: 2 x 17 = 34 C: 7 x 18 = 126 Tier 3 clubs (FC Aarau, Grasshopper Club Zurich) NC: 3 x 2 = 6 C: 2 x 10 = 20 | 258 |
| 7 | Miguel Muñoz | 1959 (Real Madrid CF) | Tier 1 club (Real Madrid CF) IC: 1 x 6 = 6 NC: 2 x 10 = 20 CL: 2 x 17 = 34 C: 9 x 18 = 162 | 222 |
| 8 | Bob Paisley | 1974 (Liverpool FC) | Tier 1 club (Liverpool FC) SC: 5 x 2 + 1 x 1 = 11 UEFA SC: 1 x 4 = 4 LC: 3 x 8 = 24 EL: 1 x 12 = 12 CL: 3 x 17 = 51 C: 6 x 18 = 108 | 210 |
| 9 | Louis van Gaal | 1991 (AFC Ajax) | Tier 1 clubs (FC Barcelona, FC Bayern Munich, Manchester United FC) SC: 1 x 2 = 2 UEFA SC: 1 x 4 = 4 NC: 3 x 10 = 30 C: 3 x 18 = 54 Tier 2 club (AFC Ajax, AZ Alkmaar) UEFA SC: 1 x 4 = 4 IC: 1 x 6 = 6 NC: 1 x 6 = 6 EL: 1 x 12 = 12 CL: 1 x 17 = 17 C: 4 x 14 = 56 | 191 |
| 10 | Ernst Happel | 1962 (ADO Den Haag) | Tier 1 club (Hamburger SV) NC: 1 x 10 = 10 CL: 1 x 17 = 17 C: 2 x 18 = 36 Tier 2 clubs (ADO Den Haag, Feyenoord, Club Brugge KV, Standard de Liège) IC: 1 x 6 = 6 NC: 3 x 6 = 18 CL: 1 x 17 = 17 C: 4 x 14 = 56 Tier 3 club (FC Swarovski Tirol) NC: 1 x 2 = 2 C: 2 x 10 = 20 | 182 |
| 11 | Luis Enrique | 2011 (AS Roma) | Tier 1 clubs (FC Barcelona, Paris Saint Germain FC) SC: 3 x 2 = 6 UEFA SC: 2 x 4 = 8 IC: 1 x 6 = 6 NC: 5 x 10 = 50 CL: 2 x 17 = 34 C: 4 x 18 = 72 | 176 |
| 12 | Albert Batteux | 1950 (Stade de Reims) | Tier 1 clubs (Stade de Reims, Olympique de Marseille) NC: 3 x 10 = 30 C: 8 x 18 = 144 | 174 |
| 13 | Arsene Wenger | 1984 (AS Nancy Lorraine) | Tier 1 clubs (AS Monaco FC, Arsenal FC) SC: 7 x 2 = 14 NC: 8 x 10 = 80 C: 4 x 18 = 72 | 166 |
| 14 | Massimiliano Allegri | 2003 (Aglianese Calcio 1923) | Tier 1 clubs (AC Milan, Juventus FC) SC: 3 x 2 = 6 NC: 5 x 10 = 50 C: 6 x 18 = 108 | 164 |
| 15 | Fabio Capello | 1987 (AC Milan) | Tier 1 clubs (AC Milan, CF Real Madrid, AS Roma) SC: 4 x 2 = 8 UEFA SC: 1 x 4 = 4 CL: 1 x 17 = 17 C: 7 x 18 = 126 | 155 |
| 16 | Johan Cruyff | 1985 (AFC Ajax) | Tier 1 club (FC Barcelona) SC: 3 x 2 = 6 UEFA SC: 1 x 4 = 4 NC: 1 x 10 = 10 UEFA CWC: 1 x 13 = 13 CL: 1 x 17 = 17 C: 4 x 18 = 72 Tier 2 club (AFC Ajax) NC: 2 x 6 = 12 UEFA CWC: 1 x 13 = 13 | 147 |
| 17 | Guus Hiddink | 1987 (PSV Eindhoven) | Tier 1 clubs (CF Real Madrid, Chelsea FC) IC: 1 x 6 = 6 NC: 1 x 10 = 10 Tier 2 club (PSV Eindhoven) NC: 4 x 6 = 24 CL: 1 x 17 = 17 C: 6 x 14 = 84 | 141 |
| =18 | Jock Stein | 1960 (Dunfirmline Athletic FC) | Tier 3 clubs (Dunfirmline Athletic FC, Celtic FC) NC: 9 x 2 = 18 CL: 1 x 17 = 17 C: 10 x 10 = 100 | 135 |
| =18 | Marcello Lippi | 1985 (US Città di Pontedera) | Tier 1 club (Juventus FC) SC: 4 x 2 = 8 UEFA SC: 1 x 4 = 4 IC: 1 x 6 = 6 NC: 1 x 10 = 10 CL: 1 x 17 = 17 C: 5 x 18 = 90 | 135 |
| 20 | Rinus Michels | 1953 (Asser Boys) | Tier 1 clubs (FC Barcelona, FC Köln) NC: 2 x 10 = 20 C: 1 x 18 = 18 Tier 2 club (AFC Ajax) NC: 3 x 6 = 18 CL: 1 x 17 = 17 C: 4 x 14 = 56 | 129 |
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