Top 10 Managers With Most Trophies in Football History
Trophies are the greatest treasures in managers’ careers and football has been blessed with some of the greatest coaches, who not only have taken their teams to new heights but also created legacies in the golden book of the sport. Throughout their careers, these managers have won every possible trophy out there under the sun.
For instance, Sir Alex Ferguson spent almost his whole coaching career as the Manchester United manager and won all major titles with the English club. Pep Guardiola, Jose Mourinho, and a few other great managers have already accumulated tons of trophies, with their cabinets overflowing with this silverware. In this article, we have ranked the managers with most trophies won in football history.
10. Giovanni Trapattoni (23 trophies)
The former successful AC Milan star, who won two European titles as a player, became one of the greatest managers in the history of football. Giovanni Trapattoni is one of the few individuals who won the prestigious Champions League as a manager and a player. His most exciting time on the side of the white line came during his managerial stint at Juventus where he led the Old Lady to the 1985 European Cup and six Serie A trophies.
The Italian also turned out to be successful at Bayern Munich as he made them Bundesliga champions once. Trapattoni managed the great foes in Italy in the forms of AC Milan and Inter Milan.
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9. Jose Mourinho (26 trophies)
“Park the bus!” This was the most used phrase to describe Jose Mourinho’s stint at Manchester United. He is most probably the most loved and hated character in the world of football managers. The “Special one” of the game has 26 trophies in his silverware collection, with the last one coming in 2022 in the form of Roma’s UEFA Conference League glory. From fighting with other coaches to giving fiery speeches, the Portuguese coach has delivered plenty of eye-catching moments. He has won three Champions League trophies so far. Especially his tenures as the Chelsea and Real Madrid gaffer showed his greatness.
8. Luiz Felipe Scolari (26 trophies)
The Big Phil of Brazil. Luiz Felipe Scolari is one of the greatest coaches who still remains underrated. He guided the legendary Brazil team to the 2002 FIFA World Cup title before leading the nation to the 2013 Confederation Cup victory. However, his great mind was not limited to the backyard of international football only. Scolari also tasted great success at club football.
He has managed clubs like Bunyokdor, Gremio and Guangzhou Evergrande in his decorated coaching career. But, Selecao’s World Cup glory is his best achievement as a coach.
7. Jock Stein (26 trophies)
Celtic were once voted the greatest club in the 20th century, and the main man behind that achievement was Jock Stein, the ultimate legend of the club. The legendary manager won seven consecutive domestic titles with the Scottish heavyweights and ten overall.
Celtic lifted eight Scottish Cups and six Scottish League Cups with Stein at the helm of the club. He had an aura that created a sense of friendship amongst the top players who worked like a force to lead the Scottish giants to every major domestic trophy.
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6. Ottmar Hitzfeld (28 trophies)
When club football was being modernized in the fastest way possible, Ottmar Hitzfeld climbed up the leagues of the legendary coaches with his brilliant tactical ideas on the sidelines in Germany. The great coach first won the Champions League with Borussia Dortmund in 1997, and then with Bayern Munich four years later.
He made a habit of winning major trophies at Borussia Dortmund, despite being a crucial part of the powerful Bavarians later on. Last time, he was seen on the other side of the white line when he was managing the Swiss national team.
5. Carlo Ancelotti (30 trophies)
If a calm and composed character had a face, then it was definitely the Italian great Carlo Ancelotti. In his dazzling managerial career, he has coached some of the biggest European clubs like Bayern Munich, PSG and AC Milan. Now, he is managing Real Madrid and has already won three Champions League trophies with the Spanish giants. However, his career peaked when he won two European titles and two UEFA Super Cups with AC Milan at the early stage of his career.
The way he is managing a star-studded Madrid side, it is fair to say that he will add a few more silverware to his trophy cabinet which is already laced head to toe in every major title. He has won five UCL titles, most won by a manager.
4. Valeriy Lobanovskyi (32 trophies)
Valeriy Lobanovskyi has won 32 major trophies in his dazzling managerial career. Surprisingly, 30 of these titles came during his three stints at Dynamo Kyiv. All major trophies such as Ukrainian top flight and Soviet Championship including UEFA Super Cup were acquired by him as the Ukrainian club’s manager. One of the best coaches in the world, Lobanovskyi enjoyed a 32-year career on the sidelines.
3. Mircea Lucescu (35 trophies)
Mircea Lucescu is third on the list of the best managers with most trophies. The legendary coach enjoyed success at almost every corner of the European continent with the likes of Inter Milan, Dynamo Kyiv, Galatasaray, and Shakhtar Donetsk. In just 12 years, the great Romanian went through 573 matches as a manager.
He is a bonafide figure in the history of Ukrainian football. Lucescu retired from the world of management after serving at the hot seat at the age of 78.
2. Pep Guardiola (39 trophies)
The only manager who has a great chance to go past the number of trophies won by Sir Alex Ferguson, is Pep Guardiola. He is considered the greatest think tank in modern football. The 51-year-old manager has coached two elite European clubs – Barcelona and Bayern Munich before coming to Manchester City. A sextuple with Barcelona and a lot of domestic honors with the Bavarians set the tone of his glorious journey to the Etihad. Here at Manchester, he has already led the Cityzens to their first-ever Champions League title once. Now, he will definitely look to break Ferguson’s trophy-winning record.
1. Sir Alex Ferguson (49 trophies)
If you ask who is the greatest manager with the most trophies in football history, then you don’t need to go anywhere else except the hall of fame at Manchester United where you can see the name of the great Sir Alex Ferguson. He is the god of trophies and the ultimate example of how a manager should be. His achievements at Old Trafford are out of this mundane world. 27 years, 38 trophies, and plenty of unforgettable moments. This is the legacy Alex Ferguson has left behind at Manchester United.
FAQs
Q1: Which manager has won the most trophies?
Sir Alex Ferguson has won 49 trophies in his career.
Q2: Which manager has won the most UCL?
Carlo Ancelotti has won five UCL.
Q3: How many trophies has Pep Guardiola won as a manager?
Pep Guardiola has won 39 trophies as a manager.