Ranking the 5 best players to have played under Carlo Ancelotti
Real Madrid manager Carlo Ancelotti is one of the most accomplished personalities in the world of football.
During his playing years, Ancelotti made his name as a central midfielder, winning two Champions League trophies and three Serie A titles, amongst other honors. Shortly after retirement, he kicked off his managerial journey, coaching some of the most legendary teams in the sport.
Juventus, AC Milan, Chelsea, Paris Saint-Germain, Real Madrid, and Bayern Munich, Ancelotti’s resume is decked with glowing recommendations from some of Europe’s most elite clubs.
Over the course of his managerial journey, Ancelotti, the only man to win all the top five European leagues, has had the fortune of managing some of the biggest players in the business.
Today, we will take on the very difficult task of choosing five names that eclipsed all the others, shining ever so brightly under the Italian mastermind.
Now, without further ado, let’s take a look at the five best players to be managed by Carlo Ancelotti.
Selection criteria: Since 1992, Ancelotti has managed some exceptional players, many of whom have cemented their names as legends of the game.
While creating today’s list, we simply have not taken the biggest names into consideration. We have only picked the ones who peaked under the Italian tactician.
Chelsea’s John Terry and Frank Lampard, Juventus’ Zinedine Zidane, and AC Milan’s Ronaldo and Ronaldinho were all managed by Ancelotti, but they peaked under different managers. Hence, their names have been kept out.
#5 Andrea Pirlo - AC Milan
Andrea Pirlo was Ancelotti’s go-to man at AC Milan. A diminutive midfielder with impeccable finesse, Pirlo could effortlessly set the tempo of the match and split open defenses with his impeccable long balls.
He was the heartbeat of Ancelotti’s Milan for eight long years, between 2001 and 2009.
The 2006 World Cup winner played 327 games under Ancelotti at Milan, recording 39 goals and 61 assists.
He won two Champions League trophies, two Serie A titles, two UEFA Supercups, one Italian Cup, and one Italian Supercup.
#4 Karim Benzema - Real Madrid
Real Madrid’s Karim Benzema is arguably the best player in the world right now. The striker has been at the Santiago Bernabeu since 2009 and is seeming to be getting better with every passing day.
The Frenchman, who has won five Champions League titles in Real Madrid colors, is the overwhelming favorite to win the 2022 Ballon d’Or.
Benzema has not had the good fortune of playing long under the Italian tactician, but he has surely made his days count.
The 34-year-old has played 144 games under Ancelotti (over two spells and three seasons), scoring 90 times and providing 46 assists.
27 goals in #LaLigaSantander 2021/22
@Benzema is an absolute 𝗠𝗔𝗖𝗛𝗜𝗡𝗘!!
🥇⚽️ 27 goals in #LaLigaSantander 2021/22
🤖 🇫🇷 @Benzema is an absolute 𝗠𝗔𝗖𝗛𝗜𝗡𝗘!!
🤍🤍 @realmadriden https://t.co/zIoNI92vTm
The two won the Champions League and the Copa del Rey together in the 2013-14 campaign (La Decima) and bagged the La Liga-Champions League double last season.
Benzema scored 44 times and provided 15 assists in 46 games in the 2021-22 season, recording the best-ever campaign of his professional career.
#3 Kaka - AC Milan
Kaka did not have the best of luck when it came to injuries, but the Brazilian, when fit, had the quality to dismember even the most astute of defenses.
The former attacking midfielder glided past defenses without breaking a sweat, picked out his teammates with inch-perfect passes, and scored mesmerizing curlers without paying any mind to it.
At his best, Kaka was nothing short of a work of art. Ancelotti gave the 2002 World Cup winner his wings during their time together at AC Milan. Between 2003 and 2009, Kaka played 270 games under the Italian, scoring 95 times and recording 77 assists.
He won one league title, one Champions League, one UEFA Super Cup, and an Italian Super Cup under him.
On the back of his exceptional 2006-07 campaign, where he scored 18 goals, provided 11 assists and won the Champions League, Kaka won the Ballon d’Or in 2007.
#2 Paolo Maldini - AC Milan
Widely hailed as the greatest defender in the history of the sport, Paolo Maldini enjoyed the best spell of his career under Ancelotti.
He made full use of Maldini’s intelligence, tenacity, and leadership, always making sure to give him the special attention he deserves. The Italian repaid the favor by helping his compatriot to multiple trophies.
Instead of using Maldini as a left-back like former AC Milan boss Fabio Capello did, Ancelotti deployed him primarily as a centre-back during his spell in charge of the San Siro outfit.
Between 2001 and 2009, Maldini played 213 games as a centre-back and only 31 as a left-back (via Transfermarkt).
Under his countryman, Maldini scored seven goals and provided six assists, winning two Champions League trophies, one Serie A title and one Italian Cup, amongst other honors.
#1 Cristiano Ronaldo - Real Madrid
Five-time Ballon d’Or winner Cristiano Ronaldo hardly needs an introduction. With 815 goals to his name, he is the leading goalscorer in the history of football.
The Portuguese ace has won five Champions League trophies and seven league titles across three countries, cementing his name as one of the greatest forwards to ever play the game.
Ronaldo has also had the good fortune of playing under some of the best coaches in the business. Ancelotti, who managed him for two seasons at Real Madrid, helped him become the ruthless goalscorer he is now.
🏻♂️
⚽️🏃🏻♂️ https://t.co/MUY0MpqUcF
Under the Italian, Ronaldo worked more on his off-the-ball movement, making it a habit to be in the right place at the right time.
Between 2013 and 2015, Ronaldo played 101 games under the former AC Milan boss, recording a whopping 112 goals and 40 assists. In the 2013-14 season, Ronaldo led from the front (with 17 goals) as Real Madrid ended their 12-year Champions League drought, lifting their ‘La Decima’. For his unfathomable exploits, he won his third Ballon d’Or in 2014.
Los Blancos went trophyless in the 2014-15 season, but the 37-year-old enjoyed a blistering Pichichi and European Golden Shoe-winning season, scoring 48 goals in 35 matches.
Also Read: Cristiano Ronaldo's Bugatti, Lionel Messi's Ferrari: 5 best cars owned by footballers