Top 10 managers to have won the most trophies

Football, also known as soccer in some parts of the world, is a sport that has gained immense popularity globally. In addition to the players, the coaches are among the sport’s most prominent personalities. Managers serve as guides, motivators, tacticians, and iron generals, almost like psychologists. Each manager has a specific characteristic that players may or may not like. What matters, however, is how many trophies he can bring to his club. Here is the list of the most successful managers in the history of football, ranked according to the number of trophies they won during their careers.

1. Sir Alex Ferguson (49 Trophies)

Sir Alex Ferguson tops the list of the most successful managers in history with 49 trophies. In 1999, Queen Elizabeth gave the Scottish manager the honorific title of “Sir.” He remained at the helm of Manchester United for 27 years (1987–2013), winning 13 editions of the Premier League and 2 Champions Leagues. The last Champions League was lifted in 2008, and the final against Chelsea was decided after a crazy penalty shootout lottery. All these successes helped build the legendary image of what, even today, is the most successful manager ever.

2. Mircea Lucescu (34 Trophies)

After playing as a striker (with eight trophies won, by the way), Mircea Lucescu decided to become a manager. During his long career, which began at Corvinul Hunedoara (the last club he played for), the Romanian coach won 34 titles. The most glorious years were undoubtedly those on the Shakhtar Donetsk bench, with which he achieved eight successes in the Ukrainian championship.

3. Pep Guardiola (31 Trophies)

Pep Guardiola closes the podium as the most titled manager, who, first as a player and then as a coach, made the Barcelona fans cheer. As manager of the Blaugrana first team, he won La Liga three times and two editions of the Champions League, among other things, in just three years. He also had success in Germany and England, at the helm of Bayern Munich and Manchester City. Guardiola is highly appreciated all over the world and is still managing today. And he will continue to do it for a long time to come.

4. Valery Lobanovsky (27 Trophies)

Valery Lobanovsky, who in 2002, the year of his death, was awarded the title of “Hero of Ukraine” (the highest honor). The Soviet coach (Ukrainian, since 1991) won many titles with Dinamo Kiev, who named their stadium after him: eight successes in the Soviet championship and five in the Ukrainian one. The showcase also includes 2-Cup Winners’ Cups, a UEFA Super Cup, and three CIS Cups. Lobanovsky was also the coach who launched Shevchenko during his last experience at Dynamo Kiev.

5. José Mourinho: (27 Trophies)

José Mourinho is undoubtedly one of the most successful football coaches in history, with 27 trophies won. He has won the Champions League with two different teams, FC Porto and Inter Milan, and has won numerous domestic league titles with Porto, Chelsea, Real Madrid, and Manchester United. In addition, he has won the Europa League twice, with FC Porto and Manchester United. In 2022, he won the Conference League with AS Roma, making him the first manager to win all existing European cups. Mourinho is known for his tactical prowess, his ability to motivate his players, and his strong personality.

6. Ottmar Hitzfeld: (25 Trophies)

Ottmar Hitzfeld is the most successful German coach in football history, having won 25 trophies. He won two Champions League titles with Borussia Dortmund and Bayern Munich and won seven domestic league titles with these teams. Hitzfeld is known for his tactical flexibility and his ability to bring out the best in his players.

7. Jock Stein: (25 Trophies)

Jock Stein was the first coach in history to win a treble, which he achieved with Celtic in the 1966–1967 season. He won 10 Scottish league titles and 9 Scottish Cups during his two spells in charge of Celtic and led the Scotland national team to the 1982 World Cup. Stein was known for his man-management skills and his ability to build strong teams.

8. Carlo Ancelotti: (23 Trophies)

Carlo Ancelotti is one of the most successful football coaches of all time, with 23 trophies won. He has won the Champions League three times, twice with AC Milan and once with Real Madrid, and has won domestic league titles with Milan, Chelsea, Paris Saint-Germain, Real Madrid, and Bayern Munich. Ancelotti is known for his calm demeanor, his tactical intelligence, and his ability to build strong relationships with his players.

9. Giovanni Trapattoni: (22 Trophies)

Giovanni Trapattoni is the second-most successful Italian coach in football history, with 22 trophies won. He won the European Cup with Juventus and three UEFA Cup titles with Juventus and Inter Milan. Trapattoni also won domestic league titles with Juventus, Inter Milan, Bayern Munich, and Benfica. He is known for his tactical intelligence and his ability to build strong teams.

10. Walter Smith: (22 Trophies)

Walter Smith is the third-most successful Scottish manager, having won 22 trophies during his career. He spent many years coaching Rangers and won 10 Scottish championships, 4 Scottish Cups, and 6 League Cups. Towards the end of his career, he also coached Scotland before returning to Rangers. He retired after winning his tenth title with the Rangers in 2011.