hero-image

10 Famous players who became managers of their clubs 

Zidane on round two of managing Real Madrid
Zidane on round two of managing Real Madrid

It's very common to see footballers turning into managers after hanging up their boots. They may manage a club that they played for or an entirely new team altogether. But these player-turned-managers are no safe bets, as many high-profile names fail at the highest level of football management, with Thierry Henry's stint at AS Monaco being the latest example.

With all that in mind, we should not forget some of the greats, who have been equally good at playing and then managing. Zinedine Zidane is the most recent example, with the Frenchman winning three successive Champions League titles with Real Madrid.

Now let's take a look at 10 famous players who switched to the management side of their favourite clubs after retiring.


Ole Gunnar Solskjaer

From caretaker to full-fledged manager
From caretaker to full-fledged manager

Ole Gunnar Solskjaer enjoyed a brilliant playing career, starting with Clausenengen before finishing it at Manchester United. The United journey saw him winning the famous treble in 1999, along with all major club honours available at that time.

The Norwegian started his managerial tenure almost immediately after retiring from the game. The first steps to management were made with the youth team of the Red Devils, as Solskjaer was named the Manchester United reserves manager.

Two years later, Solskjaer took his first big step into management as he returned to Molde to manage the Norwegian side. He won the league twice and the domestic cup once in his first stint with the club. Solskjaer then made a disastrous move back to England with Cardiff City before returning to Norway for his second spell.

The second coming was not trophy-laden like the first but saw Solskjaer once again working miracles with the Norwegian club. Once again, the Premier League came calling for him three years later, but this time it were his beloved former club Manchester United. Solskjaer was given the caretaker role after Jose Mourinho was removed from his managerial duties in December.

The impressive performances under the Norwegian saw the Manchester United board giving him the job on a permanent basis on the 28th of March.

You may also like