5 managers with most Champions League titles
In Europe, the Champions League is seen as the holy grail among players, managers, and clubs from all over Europe. These clubs compete for the trophy every year, with the prestige and financial rewards received from the tournament one of the biggest in club football.
Achieving success in this competition is usually seen by most players and managers as the pinnacle of club-level achievement in Europe. When managers lead their clubs to glory in the competition, they attain a high level of respect in the footballing community.
For many managers, winning the Champions League is the ultimate goal. Some managers, however, have managed to win the competition multiple times, some with multiple teams as well.
Without further ado, here is a list of five managers with the most Champions League title wins.
#5 Jose Mourinho (2 Champions League titles)
Known to many as the 'Special One', Jose Mourinho is undoubtedly one of the greatest managers of the 21st century. The Portuguese manager has won the UEFA Champions League twice in his career, with only two managers in history having won more times.
Mourinho won his first Champions League in the 2003-04 season when he led a largely unheralded FC Porto side to glory, defeating English giants Manchester United along the way.
His side overcame AS Monaco in the final of the competition by a scoreline of 3-0. His second Champions League title came in 2010 with Inter Milan when his side defeated Bayern Munich 2-0 to complete the first and only treble by an Italian team.
José Mourinho is the first manager to win the UEFA Champions League, UEFA Europa League and UEFA Europa Conference League.
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Mourinho is undoubtedly one of the most charismatic managers of his time. He has never lost a European final in his career and has won all three European competitions.
#4 Pep Guardiola (2 Champions League titles)
Many regard Pep Guardiola as the greatest manager of his generation due to his success with all the clubs he has managed. The Spanish manager has won the competition twice in his managerial career, both times with FC Barcelona.
Guardiola won his first Champions League title in his first season in charge of Barcelona, with his side defeating Manchester United 2-0 in 2008-09 as part of their first-ever treble. The former Barcelona midfielder was 38 years old at the time, making him the youngest manager to win the competition till date.
He won his second title two years later in the 2010-11 season, defeating the same opponent 3-1 in the final. Lionel Messi was the star of both triumphs, scoring both times.
Pep Guardiola:
- The youngest manager to win the Champions League.
- The youngest manager to win the treble.
- The only manager to win the treble during his first senior managerial season. https://t.co/IcPPsl6Rin
Guardiola has tried to add to his two titles in the past 11 years and has failed to do so despite taking charge of Bayern Munich and Manchester City. He came closest in the 2020-21 season but saw his side ultimately fall short, with Chelsea claiming a 1-0 win in the final.
#3 Sir Alex Ferguson (2 Champions League titles)
Former Manchester United manager Sir Alex Ferguson is one of the greatest managers in the history of football. The legendary manager is one of the most decorated managers in the history of football, with two Champions League titles part of his extensive trophy haul.
Sir Alex Ferguson won his first title in the 1998-99 season when his Manchester United side defeated Bayern Munich 2-1 in the final. The Scottish manager won his second title in the 2007-08 season after his side defeated Chelsea on penalties in the final in Moscow.
Despite being one of the best managers of all-time, Sir Alex Ferguson won the competition only twice. His Manchester United side lost two finals, both against Guardiola's Barcelona.
#2 Zinedine Zidane (3 Champions League titles)
Zinedine Zidane led Real Madrid in its most dominant period of the 21st century, joining an elite group of people to win the UEFA Champions League as a player and manager. The Frenchman won three titles with Los Blancos in three years in charge of the club.
Zidane won his first title just four months after he replaced Rafael Benitez as manager of Real Madrid. He led the side to defeat Atletico Madrid on penalties in the 2015-16 final. The next season, he watched as his side defeated Juventus 4-1 in the final for their 12th crown. Zidane led Real Madrid to a 3-1 win over Liverpool in the 2017-18 final.
The Frenchman is the only manager in history to win the competition three consecutive times. He is also the first and only French manager to win the competition till date.
#1 Carlo Ancelotti (4 Champions League titles)
Carlo Ancelotti is one of football's managerial greats of the 21st century. The Italian manager has won four Champions League titles in his time as a manager, having also won the competition twice as a player.
Ancelotti won his first Champions League title in the 2002-03 season after his AC Milan side defeated Juventus on penalties in the final. He won his second title in the 2006-07 season as AC Milan defeated Liverpool 2-1. He won his third title with Real Madrid in the 2013-14 season after his side defeated Atletico Madrid 4-1. His fourth title came in the 2021-22 season with Real Madrid after he engineered a 1-0 win over Liverpool.
The Italian manager is also the only manager to win all of Europe's top five leagues.