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Managers are often the face of a club and drive its ideology or sometimes even build their teams based on their own ideologies. Since 2000, multiple managers have found success in Europe thanks to their tactical intelligence and astute man-management skills.
While getting sacked is a part & parcel of the game, winning trophies is the main agenda for the top coaches. Their methods, motivational speeches and desire to win are the driving reasons behind their trophy-laden cabinets. Some managers have found more success than others in the 21st century.
So let's take a look at five of the most successful managers in world football since 2000.
#5 Sir Alex Ferguson- 20 titles
Sir Alex Ferguson is often regarded as the best manager of the 21st century, if not the history of the game. The Scottish boss' time at Manchester United was one of the most successful reigns of any manager in the sport.
His start at Old Trafford was rocky and quite challenging. However, he turned it around in the early 90s, through the help of senior players and the Class of '92.
However, much of his success came in 2000s, as he lifted eight Premier League titles between 2000 and 2013, when he officially retired. In the 13-year period, he also won three League Cups and five English Community Shields. The legendary manager even led the club to winning one Champions League, one Club World Cup, one Intercontinental Cup and one FA Cup in that period.
To put his importance into perspective, the Red Devils have not tasted Champions League or Premier League success since he left the club.
#4 Carlo Ancelotti- 23 titles
Carlo Ancelotti recently became the most successful Champions League manager after he lifted the trophy for a record fourth time on May 28. Real Madrid defeated Liverpool in a stingy match in Paris, with the Italian manager's tactical brilliance coming to the fore on several occasions.
After a glorious playing career, the 62-year-old boss came into management in the late 90s with Parma before he was recruited by Juventus. Although he did not win anything with the Old Lady, Ancelotti got his hands on a trophy with his next club, AC Milan. The experienced manager won two Champions League trophies and two UEFA Super Cups with the Rossoneri. He also won one Club World Cup, Serie A, the Italian Super Cup and the Italian Cup.
He then left for Chelsea in 2009, where he won one Premier League trophy, the FA Cup title and the Community Shield. Ancelotti later had a short stint at Paris Saint-Germain, where he lifted the Ligue 1 title. He then moved to Real Madrid in 2013 and won a Champions League trophy and a Spanish Cup during his two-year stint.
The journeyman then left for Bayern Munich as he tasted Bundesliga success once while also winning the German Super Cup twice. Don Carlo returned to Real Madrid last summer and has since helped them win La Liga and the UCL again. One of the best managers the game shall ever see, Ancelotti is certainly one for the history books.
#3 Jose Mourinho- 25 titles
Like Ancelotti, Jose Mourinho came to the fore in the late 90s before tasting success in the early 2000s. Also a journeyman in his own right, the Portuguese first gained a reputation after he managed to help FC Porto lift six trophies, including the UCL in 2004.
Roman Abramovich saw this and brought him to Chelsea, where the 59-year-old manager won back-to-back Premier League titles with the English club. During his first reign at Stamford Bridge, he also lifted the League Cup, the FA Cup and the Community Shield.
Mourinho then left for Inter Milan and won five trophies with the Italian club, including the treble in 2010. Post that, he led Real Madrid to a La Liga title and the Spanish Cup. The Portuguese boss later returned to Chelsea and won another League Cup and Premier League trophy.
He then joined rivals Manchester United and managed to win the Europa League trophy and the League Cup before getting sacked in 2018.
Mourinho joined AS Roma last summer and recently helped them lift the inaugural Europa Conference League trophy. He has proved that he is certainly still one of the best coaches around.
#2 Mircea Lucescu- 29 titles
Mircea Luscescu has been around for the better part of three decades and has made a name for himself in Romanian and Ukrainian football. He found success in the former in the early 90s before he took Shakhtar Dontesk to their glory years in the 2000s.
However, before joining Shakhtar in 2004, Luscescu won two Turkish league titles with with Galatasaray and Besiktas. Later, during his 12 years at Shakhtar, the Romanian manager won eight league titles, seven Ukrainian Super Cups and six Ukranian Cups. Although his move to Zenit St. Petersburg after that was not largely successful, he still managed to win the Russian Super Cup.
Luscescu's latest exploits have been at Dynanmo Kyiv, where he has won the league title, a Ukrainian Cup and Ukrainian Super Cup since joining in 2020. One of the best managers outside Europe's top five leagues, Luscescu will certainly go down as a legend when he retires from management.
#1 Pep Guardiola- 32 titles
Pep Guardiola has been one of the main reasons behind clubs starting to play with the ball on the ground over the last decade or so. The former Barcelona player has used the teachings of Johan Cruyff to win several titles across Spain, Germany and England over the last 15 years.
Guardiola first came into management at his boyhood club, Barcelona. The Spaniard led the club to 14 titles in a span of four years, including winning the sextuple in the 2009-10 season.
He then joined Bayern Munich in 2013 and did wonders on the domestic stage as he lifted seven trophies with the Bundesliga club. However, he never managed to excel on the European front with the German club.
Regardless, Manchester City brought him to the Etihad in 2016 as the club wished to dominate world football. While European success has evaded Guardiola so far, he has won four league titles in six years. In the process, he has also won two Community Shields, four Carabao Cups and one FA Cup.
Guardiola's style of playing the game has been pleasing to the eyes and it is no surprise that he is the most successful coach of the 21st century.
