Ranking 5 greatest Spanish managers of all time
Spanish managers are well-known around the world for possessing unmatched tactical acumen. Their teams don't simply play by the norm but bring in something that helps them gain an edge over their opponents on the pitch.
That is exactly why even foreign countries prefer appointing Spanish managers at their helm in order to find success. One can take the example of Belgium under Roberto Martinez. The rise of the small European nation as one of football's superpowers is as much due to the quality of the players as it is due to their Spanish manager.
Spanish managers making the world their home
Spain had to wait until 2010 to get their hands on their first World Cup trophy. However, the seeds for that success had been sown well before. Spanish managers had by then started creating ripples worldwide with the introduction of their unique playing style.
Vicente del Bosque made the Spanish national team a force to reckon with back in 2010 when, under his stewardship, Spain won their first World Cup . However, none of the Spanish managers have made as much of an impact as current Manchester City boss Pep Guardiola. It was through him that Spain's unique tiki taka style of football gained popularity around the world.
However, while recognizing the present it would be wrong to ignore the past. The strong foundations for the eventual success of Spanish managers were laid by some of Guardiola's predecessors.
Here we take a look at five of the greatest Spanish managers that helped enhance the reputation of their country by working not just in Spain but around the world.
#5 Jose Villalonga
The fifth name on our list of greatest Spanish managers is the man who helped Spain win their first ever international honor in the form of the European Nations’ Cup. He was the one who made the nation dream and that is why a list of greatest Spanish managers is incomplete without him.
In a managerial career stretched over 12 years, Villaloga managed three different teams and made his mark almost everywhere. He started his managerial career with a two-and-a-half-year stint at Real Madrid. Despite being appointed midway through the season, he helped Los Blancos win both La Liga and the Copa Latino in his first year in charge.
At the age of just 36 it wasn't an easy job to manage stars such as Alfredo Di Stefano, Francisco Gento and Miguel Munoz. However, the young manager handled the pressure with relative ease.
After leaving Real Madrid following controversies over his deployment of Alfredo Di Stefano, Villaloga took up the vacant post at Atletico Madrid. Atletico outplayed Villaloga's former club, Real Madrid, in two successive Copa del Generalísimo finals in 1960 and 1961.
Atletico also went on to win the UEFA Cup Winners' Cup in 1962 under him. It was only recently that Zinedine Zidane managed to emulate him by winning the European Cup in his first two seasons in management.
#4 Luis Aragones
Aragones ushered in tiki taka to the Spanish national team and that is why his name has to be there in the list of the greatest Spanish managers.
His 35-year-long career as a manager speaks at length about the qualities he brought to the game. After hanging up his boots at the age of 36, Aragones started finding his footing in management.
Atletico Madrid's all-time highest goal scorer and club legend did not have to wait long to find success as a manager. In his first season in-charge, Atleti won the Intercontinental Cup. They then went on to add to that over the next three years, winning one Copa del Rey and one La Liga title.
His counter-attacking style of football played a huge role in turning Atletico Madrid into a force to be reckoned with.
Aragones is also credited with the emergence and growth of Fernando Torres. He identified the potential in the player and went on to nurture him.
The coach found success in international football as well. It was under his stewardship that Spain won the UEFA European Championships in 2008.
His contributions towards football in general can hardly be ignored and even seven years after his death, Aragones still remains one of the best Spanish managers of all time.