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Football is an ever-changing, ever-growing phenomenon. Football is always growing, expanding, and improving as times go on. It is the most popular sport in the world, watched by an estimated 3.5 billion people. The popularity of football has caused the economics of the sport to absolutely explode.
To put the growth of football into perspective, we can take a look at the most expensive transfer of the 20th century, Zinedine Zidane's transfer from Juventus to Real Madrid in 1998 for £45.6 million. This amount seems minuscule when compared to the current most expensive transfer, with Neymar joining Paris Saint-Germain from Barcelona for a fee believed to be in the region of £200 million.
Along with the rise in the money in football, so has the quality and expectations shouldered by those involved in the sport. When a businessman or woman spends north of €1 billion to purchase a club, they expect results, trophies, and more importantly, a sizeable return on investment.
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The manager of a football team is essentially the face of the team. The manager of a football club plays the role of the father of a household. The manager, like a father, must develop and nurture his kids or players, and invest in what he deems is right for the child's future.
The owners of a football club, therefore hold the manager as accountable for the ongoings at a club. In the 20th century, when the money invested in football was much lesser than what it is now, managers were given more time to exert their influence over proceedings at clubs and their players.
A football club's board of directors, who are answerable to the owner, would give a manager a couple of seasons to exert their influence, presence and strategies at the club in the 20th century. Times have changed. Due to the enormity of investments, and the sheer amount 'money on the line' for the club and its owners, time, money, and instant success are of the essence in the 21st century.
Some of these great tacticians have spent years or decades at a single club, winning trophies year on year, whereas some have achieved success at multiple clubs in different countries, showing their adaptability and relevance in any style of the game.
On that note, here are the ten greatest managers of the 21st century ranked in the increasing order of the magnitude of their achievements.
#10 Zinedine Zidane
Many people would question Zinedine Zidane's inclusion in this list since he has only been a manager for three and a half years, but he has already won three Champions Leagues, two La Liga's and a Supercopa de Espana.
Zidane is the only coach to have ever won three consecutive Champions League title in the modern era. The Frenchman has spent his entire managerial career at Real Madrid, a club that is known to give managers very little time to prove themselves.
Real Madrid have always been one of the biggest clubs in Europe. Success is not an expectation, but a requirement at the Santiago Bernabeu, given the fan base and the financial backing given to the managers of the club.
Great managers like Carlo Ancelotti and Jose Mourinho, have not lasted as long as Zidane in the Madrid job, nor have they won as many trophies as the Frenchman.
#9 Carlo Ancelotti
Carlo Ancelotti has managed some of the biggest clubs in Europe such as Juventus, AC Milan, Chelsea, Paris Saint-Germain, Real Madrid, Bayern Munich, and Napoli, and has won domestic titles in Italy, England, France, Spain, and Germany.
The Italian is one of three managers to have won the Champions League three times, and one of only two to have managed in four finals. He has won the FIFA Club World Cup twice, whilst managing AC Milan and Real Madrid.
He is regarded as one of the best and most successful managers of all time by iconic players like Zlatan Ibrahimovic and Cristiano Ronaldo. His trophy cabinet speaks for itself, and his reputation precedes him.
Also Read: Top 10 players with most trophies in the 21st century
#8 Diego Simeone
Diego Simeone is currently the longest-serving manager on the this list. Simeone has been at the helm at Atletico Madrid for nine seasons, and he is now entering his 10th. Given the pressure and time limitations managers have in the modern game, this is no small feat.
Atletico Madrid were a club plunged in debt and mediocrity before Simeone arrived. Under the Argentine, Los Rojiblancos have won a La Liga title, the Copa Del Rey, two UEFA Europa Leagues, two UEFA Super Cups, and have also reached the UEFA Champions League final twice.
Amongst the fast-paced, possession centric modern game, Simeone has created Atletico teams over the years that have upset the biggest teams in world football.
#7 Jupp Heynckes
Jupp Heynckes has had a managerial career spanning four decades. The iconic German has managed some of the great teams of the world. As a manager Heynckes has won four Bundesliga titles with Bayern Munich, a Champions League with Real Madrid in 1997-98, and a Champions League title with Bayern Munich in 2012-13.
Heynckes has been Bayern Munich's crisis man even after the age of 70, having joined the club after they sacked Carlo Ancelotti in the 2017-18 season and leading Bayern to a league title that season.
Heynckes is included in this list for his longevity at the top of the game of football and his trophy haul.
#6 Vicente Del Bosque
Vicente Del Bosque is regarded as one of the greatest and most successful managers of all time. He is the only football manager to have won the Champions League, the Euros, the World Cup as well as the Intercontinental Cup.
Del Bosque led the Spanish national side to their first-ever FIFA World Cup triumph in 2010 and was also at the helm when La Roja retained their European Championship crown in 2012.
The Spaniard coached Real Madrid from 1999 to 2003, which was one of the most successful periods in the club's modern era. In his four seasons in charge, del Bosque managed Real Madrid during its most successful spell in modern history.
He led the club to two Champions League titles in 2000 and 2002, two domestic titles in 2001 and 2003, a Supercopa in 2001, a UEFA Super Cup in 2002, as well as finishing in the last four of the UEFA Champions League every year he was in charge.
#5 Jurgen Klopp
Some may wonder whether the current Liverpool manager, Jurgen Klopp, is great yet. Klopp, however, became manager of Borussia Dortmund, guiding them to the Bundesliga title in 2010–11, before winning Dortmund's first-ever domestic double in a record-breaking season. The German also guided Dortmund to a runner-up finish in the 2012–13 UEFA Champions League, before leaving in 2015 as their longest-serving manager.
Klopp was appointed manager of Liverpool in 2015. He guided the club to successive UEFA Champions League finals in 2018 and 2019, winning the latter to secure his first and Liverpool's sixth title in the competition.
The following season, Klopp won the UEFA Super Cup and Liverpool's first FIFA Club World Cup, before delivering Liverpool's first Premier League title en route to which his side tallied 99 points.
More than his impact on teams like Liverpool and Dortmund, who were once great, but were suffering before his arrival, it's Klopp's tactics that have gained him so much fame. His heavy-metal, high pressing attacking style of football has turned heads across the globe, as he continues to elevate Liverpool to new heights.
Also Read: How Barcelona could lineup in the 2020-21 season
#4 Jose Mourinho
Jose Mourinho has had a tough time of late as a manager. After being sacked by Manchester United halfway through the 2018-19 season with the club languishing in eighth place, he was appointed by Tottenham Hotspur midway through the 2019-20 campaign. He has thus far failed to make a positive impact on Tottenham's fortunes and his future could be on the line.
Mourinho has, however, proved himself to be a serial winner. He was appointed as manager of FC Porto in 2002, where he won the Primeira Liga twice, a Taça de Portugal, the UEFA Cup, and the UEFA Champions League. That success earned him a move to England with Chelsea in 2004, where he won two Premier League titles, a FA Cup, and two League Cups in his three seasons at the club.
Mourinho has also managed Italian club Inter Milan, where he won the Serie A title in his first season. In 2010, he led Inter Milan to a European treble of Serie A, Coppa Italia, and the UEFA Champions League. This made him one of five coaches to have won the European Cup with two clubs. Mourinho then signed with Real Madrid, where he won La Liga with a record points tally. The Portuguese tactician also won a Copa del Rey and a Supercopa de Espana.
The Special One then left Real Madrid in 2013 to rejoin Chelsea, where he won another league title and League Cup, but was sacked after a run of poor results. Approximately a year later, Mourinho was appointed at rival club Manchester United, where he won the UEFA Europa League, League Cup and FA Community Shield in his first season at the club.
#3 Arsene Wenger
The only reason why Arsene Wenger is not higher on this list is because of his lack of trophies. Wenger was the manager of Arsenal from 1996 to 2018 and left as the longest-serving in the club's history.
He single-handedly revolutionized the English game, as he made changes to scouting, training, players nutrition, and had a hand in the construction of the Emirates Stadium, one of the best stadiums in the world.
Wenger led the club to a Premier League and FA Cup double at the start of the decade. The club won another league and cup double in 2002 and retained the FA Cup a year later. In 2004, Wenger managed Arsenal to an undefeated domestic league season and Arsenal later eclipsed Nottingham Forest's record of 42 league matches unbeaten with seven more unbeaten games.
Under Wenger, Arsenal made their first appearance in a Champions League final in 2006, though they lost to Barcelona. Wenger guided Arsenal to further FA Cup success in 2014, 2015 and 2017, before stepping down as manager a year later.
#2 Pep Guardiola
In his first season as the first team manager, Pep Guardiola guided Barcelona to the treble of La Liga, Copa del Rey, and UEFA Champions League. In doing so, Guardiola became the youngest manager to win the aforementioned European competition.
In 2011, after leading the club to another La Liga and Champions League double, he ended his four-year Barcelona stint in 2012 with 14 honours, a club record tally. Guardiola joined Bayern Munich in 2013, where won the Bundesliga every season he was there as well as two domestic doubles. He left Bayern for Manchester City in 2016, where he guided the Citizens to a Premier League title in his second campaign in charge, breaking numerous domestic.
Under Guardiola, Manchester City became the first side in Premier League history to register 100 league points. He won a second consecutive Premier League title and EFL Cup in the following season, as well as the FA Cup, becoming the first manager to win the domestic treble in English men's football.
Guardiola is considered to be one of the greatest managers of all time. His 'tiki-taka' style of possession-based football, formations, and ability to bring out the best qualities in players has made him one of the greatest managers ever at the tender age of 49.
#1 Sir Alex Ferguson
Sir Alex Ferguson is, without a doubt, the greatest manager of all time. The Scottish manager spent 27 years as manager of Manchester United, one of the biggest clubs in the world.
Under Sir Alex, United won 13 Premier League titles, five FA Cups, and two UEFA Champions League titles, as the Red Devils recorded a total of 38 trophies in his time at the club. He changed the fortunes of the club with his attacking style of play, eye for young talent, focus on the youth development and man-management skills.
During Sir Alex's tenure, Manchester United produced and developed some of the best talents the world of football has ever seen, such as Ryan Giggs, Cristiano Ronaldo, Wayne Rooney, Ruud Van Nistelrooy, and Peter Schmeichel.
The list can go on and on, but the most glaring fact is that United have not won a Premier League title since Sir Alex retired in 2013. His impact on Manchester United can never be understated, as the Red Devils honoured him with a statue outside Old Trafford.
Also Read: Cristiano Ronaldo: 12 incredible records and stats from the 2019-20 season
