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#4 Helenio Herrera
Italian football has a wonderfully rich heritage and 'Catenaccio' became famous in the 1960s and 1970s for baffling the most potent attacking forces in Europe with stunning defensive solidity. Italy may have produced the defenders that enabled its no-nonsense style but managers like Helenio Herrera and Nereo Rocco rebranded the Serie A as a fortress of beautifully defensive football.
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While the traditional Catenaccio style may not be as popular now, legendary Inter Milan manager Helenio Herrera is remembered as the probable inventor of one of the most effective styles of football in history. The Argentine tactician famously despised possession-based football and achieved extraordinary success in the Serie A with his defensive tactics.
Inter Milan's exploits under Helenio Herrera earned the side the nickname 'Grande Inter'. While successors of Herrera in Italy adopted the Catenaccio as a purely defensive strategy, the Argentine manager's sides also possessed impressive attacking qualities. Herrera was one of the first to adopt a 5-3-2 system and used full-backs Giacinto Facchetti and Tarcisio Burgnich to lethal effect in the final third.
Under the eccentric Argentine manager, Inter Milan challenged AC Milan's domination in Italy and won three Serie A titles and two European Cups in four years. Herrera's tactics continue to dominate the Serie A to this day.
#3 Rinus Michels
While the two managers above Rinus Michels in this list may have had more illustrious careers, the revolutionary Dutchman is primarily responsible for the intricacies of modern football. Rinus Michels was the ideal precursor to Johan Cruyff and is widely credited with the invention of 'Total Football.'
Rinus Michels spent his entire playing career at Ajax and took up the role of head coach of the club in 1965. The Dutch tactician had the likes of Johan Cruyff and Johan Neeskens in his young Ajax side and won the league in his first season at the club.
The Dutch manager spent the next few years perfecting the art of 'Total Football' and drilled his team into a fascinating juggernaut that was the first to attack and defend as a cohesive unit of eleven players in complete synergy. Rinus Michels' brand of football was the antithesis to the defensive mindset that had taken over teams across Europe.
Rinus Michels built one of the greatest Ajax teams in history and teamed up with Johan Cruyff to win three consecutive European Cups in the 1970s. Michels also coached the Dutch national team to European glory in 1988.
#2 Arrigo Sacchi
At its peak, Arrigo Sacchi's AC Milan team was a sight to behold. The Italian giants dominated European football in the late 1980s and early 1990s and Arrigo Sacchi's tactical genius was the primary driving force behind their incredible success.
Arrigo Sacchi successfully built a team that was primarily based on Italian football's defensive principles but could play dazzling football in the final third. With the likes of Ruud Gullit and Marco Van Basten in his side, Sacchi obliterated teams across Italy and Europe with a brand of football that may never be seen again.
While Sacchi did benefit from the intelligence of midfielder Carlo Ancelotti and the tenacity of Frank Rijkaard, the hallmark of his team was a defensive unit that is arguably the best in football history. With a back-line of Paolo Maldini, Franco Baresi, Alessandro Costacurta, and Mauro Tassotti, Arrigo Sacchi perfected the off-side trap and created a defensive behemoth that could not seem to put a foot wrong during his tenure.
With Arrigo Sacchi at the helm, AC Milan won two consecutive European Cups in the late 1980s and also won the European Cup. The Italian manager's stamp of perfection on the AC Milan side did wonders for the club over the next decade and produced a generation of legendary players.
#1 Sir Alex Ferguson
Sir Alex Ferguson is the unanimous choice when it comes to legendary managers and for good reason. The Scottish manager took over a Manchester United side that was firmly in the shadow of arch-rivals Liverpool and promised to change the landscape of English football.
Over a legendary career that spanned nearly three decades, Sir Alex Ferguson made Manchester United the most successful club in England. The Scottish manager built several legendary Manchester United sides and unearthed gems like Paul Scholes, Ryan Giggs, Rio Ferdinand, and Cristiano Ronaldo over the course of his storied career.
In a span of 20 years, Sir Alex Ferguson won an astonishing 13 Premier League titles and singlehandedly dominated one of the most competitive eras of English football. Manchester United owes most of its success and brand value to arguably the best manager the game has ever seen.
Honourable Mentions: Nereo Rocco, Marcello Lippi, Jose Mourinho, Jock Stein, Ernst Happel, Miguel Munoz, Fabio Capello, Arsene Wenger, Carlo Ancelotti
Also Read: The 20 best defenders of all time
