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#8 Jorge Mendes | Sports agent
While his football career started in the hopes of becoming a professional player, things took an interesting turn after Jorge Mendes got rejected by clubs in Portugal. Rather than remain on the sidelines, Mendes pivoted into the world of negotiations, brokering, and deal-making, and by the early 2000s, he was on the payroll of the best Portuguese players in the world.
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Aside from brokering Cristiano Ronaldo's transfer to Real Madrid, what catapulted Mendes into super-agent status was the 2014 summer transfer window. During that transfer window, Jorge Mendes was responsible for four of the seven biggest transfers worldwide, including Diego Costa to Atletico Madrid, Angel Di Maria to Manchester United, James Rodriguez to Real Madrid, and Eliaquim Mangala to Manchester City.
Mendes is also an agent for managers as well, having brokered deals to move Jose Mourinho to Chelsea, Inter Milan and Real Madrid respectively. The super-agent is still working behind the scenes, having negotiated the deal that took superstar Cristiano Ronaldo back to Manchester United.
#7 Jurgen Klopp | Football manager, Liverpool
Known for his man-management, long-term stay at clubs, and ability to rebuild squads into cup-winning teams, Jurgen Klopp is arguably one of the best managers in football today. His famous use of gegenpressing tactics has won the hearts of Liverpool fans and has been a thorn in the hearts of his opponents.
Klopp has been credited with revolutionizing gegenpressing tactics for modern football, as well as redefining the concept of man-management to suit his team's needs. Former Manchester United marksman Wayne Rooney openly praised Klopp last year, stating:
"I think if Klopp, who is only 53, stayed at Anfield for the next ten years, Liverpool would win at least five Premier League titles. He could keep building great sides because, as I mentioned, players join clubs to work with managers as good as him."
Liverpool's star manager notably inspires his players with his determination and personality, and this has built Liverpool into one of the most cohesive teams in world football.
#6 Mino Raiola | Sports agent
Another super-agent like Jorge Mendes, Mino Raiola, is very popular for his controversies. He's been known to make it very difficult for clubs, but the players under his care seem to have no issues with his eccentricities. Currently, the star agent represents Zlatan Ibrahimovic, Paul Pogba, Marco Veratti, Gianluigi Donnarumma, Matthjis de Ligt, and Erling Haaland, among many others.
Raiola, who speaks seven languages, has consistently been embroiled in disciplinary issues and controversies. Although he fought the case in court and won, Raiola was originally banned from acting as an agent for three months by the Italian Football Federation and FIFA Disciplinary Committee.
Raiola's major influence seems to come from his ability to convince the players under his representation that he has their best interests at heart. Paul Pogba, for example, might never have left Manchester United as a youngster if Raiola hadn't made Juventus an option for the young star.
#5 Florentino Perez | President, Real Madrid
Real Madrid's president, a former politician and a businessman is certainly one of the most influential figures in world football. Florentino Perez is also notably the only chairman of the proposed breakaway football league that would have formed the European Super League.
According to the Times, Perez was the force behind the Super League, and the entire idea was his brainchild. However, the reception from players and fans was overwhelmingly negative, so negative that many of the clubs reconsidered and withdrew from the ESL only three days later.
Perez remains intent on getting ESL, irrespective of any sanctions from UEFA or FIFA. In fact, he has explained that the project is merely on standby and not over. While this is just one of his many scandals, it shows just how influential Perez is in football. Starting a new continental league, after all, is not easy in any way.
