Football management is a high-pressure job where tenures are often notoriously short. However, some visionary managers have defied expectations and gone on to lead their clubs for decades. Their consistency, tactical acumen and long-term planning have cemented their legacies in football history.
In this expansive guide, we dive into some of the longest managerial reigns and other fascinating records held by managers and players over football‘s history.
Longest Serving Football Managers
Fred Everiss – West Bromwich Albion
The longest serving football manager ever is Englishman Fred Everiss, who remarkably spent over 45 years as secretary-manager of West Bromwich Albion from 1902 to 1948.
Everiss witnessed the club‘s transition from amateur status to Football League founder members. His astute management was instrumental in Albion‘s FA Cup final win in 1931 and their league title triumph in 1920.
Guy Roux – AJ Auxerre
French manager Guy Roux ranks second with a stint of over 44 years at Ligue 1 club AJ Auxerre from 1961 to 2005. Under Roux‘s tenure, Auxerre won the Ligue 1 title in 1996, Coupe de France in 1994, 2003, 2005 and four Coupe de France trophies.
Sir Alex Ferguson – Manchester United
Legendary Scottish manager Sir Alex Ferguson comes third with his 26 year reign at Manchester United from 1986 to 2013. He led the club to a record 13 Premier League titles, 5 FA Cups and 2 UEFA Champions League trophies among others.
Longest Single Game of Football Manager
German football fan Sepp Hedel holds the Guinness World Record for the longest single game of popular football management simulation Football Manager. In October 2019, Hedel completed his 333rd in-game season amounting to a staggering 1,940 hours or 80 days of playtime!
He started the epic save game with German club Dynamo Dresden back in 2009. Over the virtual 330 seasons, Hedel‘s Dresden won the German Bundesliga title 67 times and the Champions League on 31 occasions.
Most Wins After 250 Games as Manager
| Manager | Club | Wins |
|---|---|---|
| Pep Guardiola | Manchester City | 184 |
| Jurgen Klopp | Liverpool | 160 |
| Jose Mourinho | Tottenham Hotspur | 158 |
| Alex Ferguson | Manchester United | 152 |
| Arsene Wenger | Arsenal | 146 |
Pep Guardiola holds the record for most wins after 250 games as a Premier League manager, having won 184 of his first 250 matches in charge of Manchester City. This puts him ahead of illustrious names like Jurgen Klopp, Jose Mourinho and Sir Alex Ferguson.
Shortest Managerial Tenures
Leroy Rosenior – Torquay United
The record for shortest managerial tenure ever goes to former English player Leroy Rosenior. In 2007, Rosenior was appointed manager of Torquay United and shockingly sacked after just 10 minutes! The board‘s decision was made after the club‘s parent company changed hands on the same day.
Dave Bassett – Crystal Palace
On 10 June 1984, Dave Bassett was appointed manager of Crystal Palace FC. Unfortunately for Bassett, he lost the role after just 72 hours before even managing a game, owing to boardroom disputes at the club.
Most Trophies Won By A Manager
Ranking the managers who have won the most major domestic and continental trophies in their careers:
| Manager | Major Trophies Won | Notable Clubs Managed |
|---|---|---|
| Sir Alex Ferguson | 49 | Aberdeen, Manchester United |
| Mircea Lucescu | 33 | Shakhtar Donetsk, Besiktas |
| Valeriy Lobanovskyi | 29 | Dynamo Kyiv |
| Otto Rehhagel | 23 | Werder Bremen, Greece NT |
| Jock Stein | 22 | Celtic FC, Scotland NT |
With 49 major honors, legendary Scot Sir Alex Ferguson is the most decorated manager in football history. He won a whopping 38 trophies with Manchester United, including 13 Premier League and 2 UEFA Champions League titles.
Current Top Performing Football Managers
Some of the best performing active football managers based on recent success:
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Pep Guardiola – Manchester City manager who has won multiple league titles in Spain, Germany and England. Known for his innovative tactics and highly successful possession-based playing style.
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Carlo Ancelotti – Veteran Italian manager who holds the distinction of winning domestic titles in top 5 European leagues. Has won 4 Champions League crowns with AC Milan and Real Madrid.
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Jurgen Klopp – Charismatic German coach behind Liverpool‘s recent Premier League and Champions League winning run. Expert in high-intensity counter-pressing tactics.
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Jose Mourinho – One of the most decorated managers in football with over 25 trophies. Known for his pragmatic approach and ability to organize stellar defenses.
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Thomas Tuchel – Bright German tactician who won the Champions League with Chelsea in 2021 using his modern high-pressing approach.
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Julian Nagelsmann – Prodigious young German coach lauded for his attacking football and tactical innovations. Youngest manager to win the Champions League.
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Diego Simeone – Argentinian manager who has led Atlético Madrid to multiple league titles and 2 Champions League finals. Known for highly defensive, counter-attacking football.
First Manager to Win Titles in Top 5 Leagues
In 2022, veteran Italian manager Carlo Ancelotti became the first ever coach to win domestic league titles in all five of Europe‘s major leagues – England, Spain, Germany, Italy and France.
He capped off this historic achievement by winning his first LaLiga title with Real Madrid in 2022. Prior to this, he had won Premier League (Chelsea), Ligue 1 (PSG), Serie A (AC Milan), and Bundesliga (Bayern Munich) giving him a sweep of all five prestigious European league championships.
Smartest Managers Based on Tactical Ability and Achievements
Based on tactical innovation, adaptable strategies and overall achievement, here is a ranking of the smartest modern football managers:
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Pep Guardiola – His positional play, false nine and inverted fullback tactics have influenced managers worldwide. Holds numerous league and Champions League titles.
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Jose Mourinho – A master of reactive tactics like parking the bus. Has won league titles in 4 major European leagues demonstrating his adaptability.
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Jurgen Klopp – His high-intensity gegenpressing tactics have made his teams extremely dangerous. Led Liverpool‘s success in recent years.
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Carlo Ancelotti – Veteran Italian who has won domestic titles across Europe‘s top 5 leagues showcasing his tactical intelligence.
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Thomas Tuchel – Bright German tactician acclaimed for his modern high-pressing philosophy. Won Champions League with Chelsea in 2021.
Most Decorated Football Players
Some of the most trophy laden players in football history:
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Dani Alves – With 44 major career titles, the most decorated player ever. Won trophies with Sevilla, Barcelona, Juventus and PSG.
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Lionel Messi – Argentinian legend has won 40+ trophies with Barcelona including 10 La Liga and 4 Champions Leagues.
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Ryan Giggs – Man Utd veteran won 34 trophies over his career including 13 Premier Leagues and 2 Champions League titles.
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Gerard Pique – Spanish defender with over 30 trophies won with Manchester United and Barcelona, including treble in 2008-09.
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Andres Iniesta – Key player in Barcelona‘s trophy-laden era under Guardiola. Won 35 titles with the Catalan club.
Manager With Most Trophies Won In a Season
In an astounding 2009 season, manager Pep Guardiola led Barcelona to victory in a record six competitions:
- La Liga
- Copa del Ray
- Supercopa de Espana
- UEFA Champions League
- UEFA Super Cup
- FIFA Club World Cup
This sextuple winning run is unmatched in football history, cementing Guardiola‘s Barcelona side as one of the greatest ever club teams.
Fastest Hat Tricks in Football
Some of the fastest hat tricks ever scored:
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Tommy Ross – Record holder with a hat trick in 90 seconds in 1964 for Ross County.
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Alex Torr – Scored a treble in 175 seconds for Grasshoppers in 2018.
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James Hayter – Hat trick in 2 minutes 20 seconds for Bournemouth against Wrexham in 2004.
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Sadio Mane – Completed a treble in 2 minutes 56 seconds for Southampton in 2015.
FIFA Men‘s World Rankings
According to the latest FIFA world rankings for men‘s national teams, the top 10 countries are:
- Brazil
- Belgium
- Argentina
- France
- England
- Italy
- Spain
- Netherlands
- Portugal
- Denmark
Brazil tops the rankings as the best men‘s national team, closely followed by Belgium in second place.
Major Trophies Missing From Lionel Messi‘s Cabinet
Despite his glittering trophy cabinet, some major trophies that have eluded Lionel Messi in his career:
- World Cup – Lost 2014 final with Argentina
- Europa League
- UEFA Nations League – Runners up in 2021
- Coupe de France – Only major domestic trophy not won in France with PSG
Winning the FIFA World Cup with Argentina remains Messi‘s biggest international focus and the one major trophy missing from his illustrious collection.
Real Madrid‘s Most Decorated Player
After winning his 24th trophy with Real Madrid‘s La Liga triumph in 2022, veteran left-back Marcelo became the most decorated player in the club‘s 120+ year history.
The Brazilian surpassed legendary Real Madrid striker Raul who won 23 titles over his career with the Spanish giants.
Wealthiest Football Managers
According to reported net worth, below are the top 5 richest football managers in the world:
- Diego Simeone – Atletico Madrid manager worth $130 million
- Nick Saban – University of Alabama head coach worth $70 million
- Bill Belichick – New England Patriots head coach worth $60 million
- Joe Gibbs – Former Washington Redskins coach worth $60 million
- Jurgen Klopp – Liverpool manager worth $50 million
Diego Simeone‘s decade long reign at Atletico Madrid has made him the highest paid football manager with massive reported personal wealth.
Valuation of Football Clubs
The top 10 most valuable football clubs according to Forbes‘ latest rankings:
| Club | Value | League |
|---|---|---|
| Manchester City | $4.6 billion | Premier League |
| Real Madrid | $4.1 billion | La Liga |
| Barcelona | $4 billion | La Liga |
| Bayern Munich | $3.9 billion | Bundesliga |
| Liverpool | $3.7 billion | Premier League |
| Manchester United | $3.6 billion | Premier League |
| Chelsea | $3.1 billion | Premier League |
| Arsenal | $2.9 billion | Premier League |
| PSG | $2.3 billion | Ligue 1 |
| Tottenham | $1.7 billion | Premier League |
The world‘s most valuable club is Manchester City, followed closely by the Spanish giants Real Madrid and Barcelona.
Spain – Top Producer of Successful Football Managers
An interesting study revealed that Spain produces the most successful football managers over the past decade based on trophies won in top European leagues and continental competitions:
- 27 major trophies won by Spanish managers since 2010
- 15 major trophies won by German managers
- 13 major trophies won by Argentine managers
- 12 major trophies won by Portuguese managers
- 10 major trophies won by Italian managers
Successful Spanish managers include Pep Guardiola, Rafael Benitez, Luis Enrique and many others. Spain‘s prominence in managerial success can be attributed to the country‘s strong tactical understanding of the game.
Most Successful Manager in Premier League History
The Premier League manager with the most number of titles is legendary Scottish boss Sir Alex Ferguson.
During his remarkable 27 year tenure as Manchester United manager, Ferguson won a record 13 Premier League titles, almost treble the next most successful EPL managers. His longevity, consistency and vision makes him the most decorated manager in Premier League history.
Conclusion – Key Traits of Great Managers
This in-depth look at remarkable managerial records and stats reveals some common traits:
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Longevity and consistency – Managing a club for decades helps create stability and a lasting legacy.
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Tactical intelligence – Analysing the game, innovation and adapting strategies are marks of great managers like Guardiola.
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Vision – Planning for the long-term future with infrastructure, talent development etc.
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Man-management – Understanding the human elements like psychology, motivation and team chemistry.
Only time will tell if any modern managers can break the many long-standing records held by historic figures like Sir Alex Ferguson and Fred Everiss. Football fans will hope some of the current bright managerial minds can carve their names in the history books going forward.
