When we think of some of the greatest moments in soccer history, we always tend to think of the players, their skills, and the moments that catapulted into greatness. What we often don’t think of is the managers behind the players, the ones that spend their time ensuring that their players are healthy, playing well, and as well trained as possible.
In fact, many believe that it’s a manager that’s ultimately responsible for how well a team does; without good leadership and someone to rely on, many teams would simply not do that well. These are some of the best soccer managers of all time, many of which have become legendary in their own right.
Pep Guardiola
Guardiola has been overlooked by many – even UEFA – which is a strange notion when considering that he’s one of the most successful coaches of all time and has won just about every single trophy that there is to win. As a former part of the Johan Cryff Dream Team, Guardiola is responsible for helping Barcelona win three La Liga and two Champions League trophies, well also changing how the Spanish play the game by implementing the Tiki-taka way of play.
Rinus Michels
This former striker for Ajax embodies perseverance, as he had to work for years before winning his very first international trophy in 1998. And while it took him some years to really gain the attention of the global crowd, in his homeland of the Netherlands, he was something of a celebrity, especially after leading his team to the 1974 World Cup final, and remained a popular figure in the public eye for many years to come.
Bob Paisley
Paisley spent more of his life working for Liverpool, where he first won the league as part of the team before he changed over to the physio, and then the reserve team coach. But in 1974, he proved to be exactly what the team needed, won a total of 19 trophies in just nine years, which included a UEFA Cup, six league wins, and three League Cups. He is also the only coach in history that won three European Cups while working for the same club. And while he may not be as well-known as some of the other coaches here, there’s no doubting that he changed the face of English soccer forever, and making it more appealing for anyone that loves games for all to enjoy.
Sir Alex Ferguson
There are few other names in the world of soccer that are as recognisable as Sir Alex Ferguson’s. A true titan of the game, he has been at the forefront of some of the greatest achievements in the industry for the last few decades. He currently holds the record for having the most trophies for a coach in history, with two UEFA Champions League Trophies, 13 Premier League wins, five FA Cups, and many, many more. Serving for a total of 26 years, he’s considered by many to be the most accomplished coach in the history of the game, so much so that it’s pretty easy to find even a non-soccer fan that knows his name.
