Greatest News Top greatest Head coach…. read more
the high-stakes world of football, where the crowd’s roar is matched by the pressure to win, a select few have risen above the rest, not just leading their teams to glory but also redefining the game.
Through tactical mastery and charismatic leadership, these managers have shaped the beautiful game in ways that will be remembered for generations.
But what truly makes a manager great? Is it the silverware in their trophy cabinets, or the lasting influence they have on tactics and team dynamics?
Read also: Meet world’s richest footballer worth 16 times more than Ronaldo and Messi combined
From pioneers who broke the mould to contemporary strategists who push boundaries, we celebrate their achievements, not just as victories, but as a testament to the vision, resilience, and brilliance that have shaped the very fabric of the game.
According to 90min, here are the 50 greatest football managers of all time, ranked.
50. Vic Buckingham
Vic Buckingham was a visionary English football manager whose innovative approach to the game laid the groundwork for some of the most influential tactical philosophies in football history.
Known for his commitment to an attractive, attacking style of play, Buckingham was a pioneer of the “Total Football” concept long before it became synonymous with Dutch football in the 1970s.
During his managerial career, which included stints with teams like Ajax and FC Barcelona, Buckingham emphasized ball control, fluid movement, and positional interchange, principles that later inspired the iconic playing styles of Johan Cruyff and Rinus Michels.
At Ajax, he introduced a young Cruyff to first-team football, helping shape the player who would become the embodiment of ‘Total Football’.
49. Claudio Ranieri
Claudio Ranieri is an Italian football manager renowned for his charismatic leadership and remarkable achievements.
Ranieri’s defining moment came when he guided Leicester City to an extraordinary Premier League title in 2015-2016, leading a team that had narrowly escaped relegation the previous season to an unlikely league triumph, defying 5,000-1 odds.
Beyond Leicester, he has managed several top clubs across Europe, including Chelsea, AS Roma, Juventus, Valencia, and Inter Milan, often steering them to improved standings and European qualifications.
48. Didier Deschamps
Didier Deschamps is a French football manager and former player who has achieved remarkable success both on and off the pitch. As a manager, Deschamps is best known for leading the French national team to victory in the 2018 FIFA World Cup and guiding them to the finals of the UEFA Euro 2016.
Deschamps began his managing career with AS Monaco, leading them to a UEFA Champions League final in 2004. After stints with Juventus and Marseille, where he won a Ligue 1 title in 2010, he took over the French national team in 2012.
With his World Cup triumph, Deschamps joined an elite group of individuals to have won the tournament both as a player and a manager, underscoring his remarkable footballing legacy as one of football’s most accomplished managers.
Read also: Meet the 10 richest footballers in the world, worth a whopping $22 billion
47. Bill Nicholson
As an English football manager and former player, Bill Nicholson was best known for his legendary tenure at Tottenham Hotspur from 1958 to 1974, where he established himself as one of the most influential figures in English football history.
In the 1960-61 season, Nicholson guided Tottenham to their first-ever league and FA Cup double, the first English club to achieve this feat in the 20th century.
Beyond the double, Nicholson led Tottenham to further glory, including their first European trophy, the 1963 UEFA Cup Winners’ Cup, making them the first British club to win a European competition.
He also secured another FA Cup in 1962, two League Cups (1971 and 1973), and the UEFA Cup in 1972, solidifying Spurs’ status as a top club domestically and in Europe.
