5 managers with most wins in the 21st century
There has been no shortage of world-class managers in football in the 21st century. A top manager is often the difference between a good team and a great team. They can have various philosophies and styles of play but a manager's effectiveness often relies on how well he can use the personnel at his disposal.
There are several coaches in Europe right now who have enjoyed success domestically and in Europe. Champions League nights are an absolute treat because we get to watch some of the best managers trying to outwit one another.
Without further ado, let's take a look at the five managers with the most wins in the 21st century.
#5 Sir Alex Ferguson - 471 wins
Sir Alex Ferguson is widely viewed as one of the greatest managers of all time. He is fifth on this list only because a major chunk of his achievements came in the last decade of the 20th century.
Ferguson coached Manchester United through their most successful period. The Scot managed 725 games for the Red Devils in the 21st century and picked up 425 wins.
Ferguson won seven Premier League titles, one Champions League title, one FA Cup, two League Cups and one FIFA Club World Cup in the 21st century.
Javier Hernandez on playing for Sir Alex Ferguson at Manchester United ❤️ https://t.co/h89aEiDezQ
#4 Jose Mourinho - 557 wins
Jose Mourinho first turned heads by winning the UEFA Champions League in 2004. Shortly after that historic triumph, Mourinho took charge as Chelsea's manager. He broke Arsenal and Manchester United's duopoly over the Premier League title and transformed Chelsea into a powerhouse of sorts.
He also led Inter Milan to Champions League glory in 2010 before joining Real Madrid as their manager. Mourinho also had managerial stints at Manchester United and Tottenham Hotspur. The Portuguese coach is currently at AS Roma with whom he won the UEFA Europa Conference League this past season.
Mourinho has picked up 557 wins in 891 matches in the 21st century.
#3 Pep Guardiola - 563 wins
Pep Guardiola is widely viewed as one of the greatest tacticians in the history of football. Guardiola started his senior managerial career with Barcelona, guiding them to a historic continental treble win in his debut season.
After a thoroughly successful reign with Barcelona, where he won three La Liga titles and two Champions League titles, Guardiola moved to Bayern Munich. He couldn't replicate that same level of success with the Bavarians but still managed to win the Bundesliga title in all three of his seasons there.
Guardiola has since been at Manchester City, with whom he has won the Premier League title four times in the last five seasons. The former Spanish international has managed his teams to 563 wins in 759 matches.
#2 Arsene Wenger - 588 wins
Arsene Wenger transformed Arsenal and the way they played football since being appointed manager of the club in 1996. He brought about various changes to the way the club approached the game by changing training and dietary regimes and by also revitalizing the scouting system.
Wenger's beautiful brand of football was well received by fans and its effectiveness saw Arsenal navigate their most successful era in the Premier League. Wenger's Arsenal team went undefeated in the league in the 2003-04 season and earned the tag 'The Invincibles'.
The French coach managed 1002 games for Arsenal in the 21st century and picked up 588 wins.
#1 Carlo Ancelotti - 611 wins
Carlo Ancelotti is yet another individual who has had an illustrious career as both a player and a coach. The legendary Italian midfielder recently won the La Liga and Champions League title with Real Madrid in the recently concluded 2021-22 season.
Ancelotti has managed some of the biggest teams in Europe like Juventus, AC Milan, Chelsea, Paris Saint-Germain, Real Madrid, Bayern Munich and Napoli. 'Don Carlo', as he is lovingly called, is the most decorated manager in the history of the UEFA Champions League, having won the trophy a record four times.
He has managed 1003 matches in the 21st century and picked up 611 wins.
The first manager ever to win all of Europe’s top five leagues and the only manager to win four Champions League titles.
Carlo Ancelotti turns 63 today. One of the best 😎 https://t.co/sHWsuUTCRh