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The year of 2022 was one of the most eventful ones in football for a number of different reasons.
Several clubs enjoyed success while others missed out on the same by narrow margins. We also had a wildly entertaining 2022 FIFA World Cup in the latter months of the year, with those margins coming into play again at various stages.
It is these thin margins that separate a good team from a great side and this difference, more often than not, lies in the quality of the individual at the helm. The coach or manager is the most quintessential individual at any club as their tactics and style of play influence the club's success on the pitch.
Last year saw many top-class managers do the same and win multiple trophies for their clubs as their teams produced innate levels of consistency.
On that note, let's take a look at the five coaches with the most wins in 2022.
#5 Xavi Hernandez (Barcelona) - 31
It might take at least a couple more seasons before Barcelona become one of the best teama in the world again but they seem to be moving in the right direction.
Xavi Hernandez, since his appointment in November 2021, has turned around the club's fortunes on some levels. The past year has clearly indicated the same as the youthful energy, thirst for success and an identity have been established in the Barcelona squad once again.
All of this has come in the absence of club legend Lionel Messi, who the club could depend on at all times over the last 15 years.
To put things into context, the Blaugrana won 31 games out of the 50 they played across all competitions in 2022. This saw them finish second in La Liga last season and have been flying this season, as indicated by their position at the top of the league table right now.
They have suffered group-stage exits in the UEFA Champions League in back-to-back seasons, which will certainly be worrisome for the club and the fans. Xavi deserves a lot of credit for Barcelona's turnaround, but the Spaniard will be aware that his job is far from done.
#4 Christophe Galtier (PSG) - 32
Managing Paris Saint-Germain (PSG) has proven to be a herculean task, ever since the Qatari owners took over more than a decade ago.
Although domestic success is almost guaranteed season after season, barring an upset, continental triumph has always gone missing at the club. Despite the club pumping in huge amounts of cash every year, UEFA Champions League success is yet to come by.
However, there is belief amid the fanbase that Christophe Galtier might be the chosen one. His shrewd tactics and excellent man-management skills have shone in the ongoing season, his first with the Ligue 1 giants.
It comes as no surprise because the Frenchman portrayed similar attributes while managing OGC Nice last season. Nice finished fifth last season, missing out on Champions League football only on goal difference. They also played some aesthetically pleasing football, which Galtier has since brought to PSG as well.
It helps that he has some of the best players in the world at his beckoning. However, guiding them has been a problem for other managers in the past. So far, Galtier's usage of his players has been solid.
The Parisians are currently top of the Ligue 1 table and leading by four points. They also went unbeaten in the group stages of the Champions League, but could only finish second behind SL Benfica.
2022 was a successful year overall for Galtier, who picked up 32 victories out of the 46 matches he managed last year for Nice and PSG.
#3 Pep Guardiola (Manchester City) - 37
Manchester City have started 2023 on a fantastic note, as evidenced by their back-to-back victories against Chelsea in the Premier League and the FA Cup.
2022 was decent as well as they lifted their second consecutive league title and fourth in five years after trailing by several points at the start of the year. Pep Guardiola's need for perfection in every area of the pitch helped Man City garner a near-perfect record in the second half of the season.
The Citizens, however, suffered premature exits in last season's FA Cup and UEFA Champions League. They were also not as prolific in the first half of the current season as they ended the year four points behind leaders Arsenal.
Regardless, Guardiola has managed to churn out 37 victories in 54 games across all competitions in 2022 and will be aiming to do better in 2023.
#2 Carlo Ancelotti (Real Madrid) - 37
Carlo Ancelotti, despite being one of the oldest managers in the game at the moment, remains one of the best in the business.
The four-time Champions League winner coached a victorious Real Madrid side that produced all kinds of theatrics in the UCL last season. From last-minute come-backs to utilizing every player to their fullest potential, Ancelotti ensured that Los Blancos were crowned the kings of Europe once again.
The Italian also won the La Liga title with the Spanish side before guiding them to the UEFA Super Cup at the start of the 2022-23 season.
Ancelotti's man-management skills have been phenomenal so far, while his eye for detail and in-game changes proved to be just as influential in 2022. He picked up 37 victories out of the 53 games he managed last year.
#1 Jurgen Klopp (Liverpool) - 43
Jurgen Klopp's Liverpool have been misfiring this season and things have been quite topsy-turvy for them so far. This is quite a change from last season, when they got to the final of every knock-out competition. The Reds also lost out on the Premier League title by only a point on the last day of the season.
Liverpool beat nearly everybody in front of them last season as Klopp's heavy metal football was too much for most teams across Europe. Luis Diaz's introduction in January, coupled with Sadio Mane & Mohamed Salah's brilliance, ensured that they were always outscoring their opponents.
Their midfield also put in quite a shift, while the defense remained solid for large stretches of the second half of last season. A lot of those elements have fallen apart this season, partly because they have suffered a littany of injuries.
Regardless, Klopp managed to win 43 games out of a possible 60 in 2022, which is quite a feat for a man whose team is currently running on fumes. The German tactician will now look to get Liverpool back on track in the ongoing season as we enter 2023.
