Top 10 Best Coach in the World of Football - 2026 (Ranked)

The current development in football in the last few years, has now become a lot more focused on the strategic and analytical side of the game. Owing to the ever-changing nature of the sport, football managers have also had to up their game by integrating new tactics each season. A few of the best coach in the world include some familiar names who have led their teams to glory recently.

In the interests of keeping the list as objective as possible, managers who are currently affiliated with a club will be taken into account. Who is the best football coach in the world? Is it Arne Slot for lifting the 2024-25 Premier League title with Liverpool, or is it Luis Enrique for winning the UEFA Champions League, or maybe Hansi Flick or Antonio Conte for winning their respective league titles by showing a clear superiority?

List of Top 10 Best Coach in the World 2025

It is easier to judge a team and a manager who has won trophies with their team as the Best coach in the world. However, there are other factors to consider and take into consideration, such as the impact of the manager or how they have performed in comparison to the expectations placed on them. This is our comprehensive list of the best coaches in the world.

Note: The Matches column includes games from across all competitions in 2025-26 season.

How We Ranked the Best Coaches in the World?

Here are the key metrics upon which the list of best coaches in the world has been assembled:

Note: The data for the above-mentioned ranking factors are fetched from reputable football analytics sites like Transfermarkt & Sportsdunia.

Who is the Best Coach in the World in 2025?

In the 2024-25 football season, some coaches have done an amazing job leading their teams with smart tactics and great results. Let’s check out who is the best coach in the world based on the above-mentioned ranking factors. Now that the 2025-26 season is underway, it will be worth taking notes on how these world-class tacticians will perform following a fresh start. Let's find out who is the best football coach in the world currently.

10. Simone Inzaghi (Al Hilal)

For the most part, it is an incredible achievement in itself to be placed in top 10 best coach in the world. However, considering what Simone Inzaghi has managed during his time with the Serie A giants Inter Milan, it is hard to argue otherwise. Initially taking SS Lazio to Champions League contention, Inzaghi’s reputation went up a notch when he received the job at San Siro.

In his third season with Inter, he turned his side into one of the best teams in the world, winning Scudetto 2023-24 and reaching the Champions League final against Ligue 1 Champion Paris Saint-Germain in the 2024-25 campaign. After a successful spell in Italy, he has moved to the Middle East for a fresh challenge. Now, taking over Al Hilal as their new head coach, Inzaghi is doing a brilliant job in the Saudi Pro League and in the Asian football circuit, given his managerial experience.

9. Pep Guardiola (Man City)

The Man City boss Pep Guardiola is one of the most elite football brains. The Spaniard has been revolutionary in shaping modern football and the way possession-based style is executed. Last season, he had a subpar campaign without winning a single trophy, something unexpected from Guardiola's City team. Since taking over Man City, the manager has brought tactical discipline to the team and an aggressive pressing playstyle. His side focuses on pressing, quick passes and overlapping full-backs.

However, the 54-year-old has returned to the list of best football coaches, contesting for the Premier League title after losing it to Liverpool. The six-time Premier League champion, Pep, has set his sights on the 7th, and Manchester City are displaying promising signs on the field. Recently, the ex-Barca boss made a few significant changes to his team, bringing in new names and experimenting with players in different positions. It eventually helped them create more chances in the final third and defend strongly.

8. Xabi Alonso (Real Madrid)

Xabi Alonso's breaking into a coaching career wasn't a surprise to anyone. One of the greatest Spanish footballers of all time, Xabi has played for some of the biggest clubs in the world, learning from elite tacticians like Pep Guardiola, Carlo Ancelotti, Rafa Benitez and more. As a midfielder, he was simply supreme, delivering pinpoint passes and being influential in the midfield. The Basque has brought the same reliance and credibility to his managerial work on the sidelines, leading Bayer Leverkusen to a historic Bundesliga triumph in the 2023-24 season.

Los Blancos were keen to rope in the new-age coaching sensation Xabi Alonso to replace Ancelotti at Santiago Bernabeu. He had a great start to life in Madrid, a winning string of games in La Liga and Europe, including a big win over Barcelona in El Clásico. But managing, Real Madrid has its own difficulties, dealing with superstar players, implementing a new style and more. Despite this, Alonso's side looked dangerous in rhythm, which surely makes him one of the best coaches in the world in 2025.

7. Mikel Arteta (Arsenal)

When Arsenal found themselves in a crisis in 2019, they boldly appointed Ex-Man City assistant Mikel Arteta as the head coach. Certainly ahead of the curve with the decision, many were initially shocked to see such an inexperienced manager at the helm of a club with massive burdens and expectations. Arteta is also easily one of the best coaches in the world, currently. However, the Spaniard bested Manchester City and Chelsea on the way to an English FA Cup win that very season, before scraping past Liverpool to win the FA Community Shield.

With his work, the Spaniard turned an average side into a Premier League title contender and helped them return to European competition for the first time since Arsene Wenger’s departure. Over the past few seasons, Arsenal is still searching for league success despite their massive turnaround thanks to Arteta, and this season, they are clear favourites over Liverpool and City. Unbeaten in the Champions League and sitting atop of the EPL points table. Since taking the role of head coach and manager, Arteta has been one of the best coaches in the world in 2025.

6. Arne Slot (Liverpool)

Following the news of Jurgen Klopp’s decision to leave Liverpool at the end of the 2023-24 season, Liverpool fans were naturally panicked, owing to the monumental weight and the expectations of the role potentially falling to someone incapable of handling it. However, those doubts have since been cast aside by the Dutch manager Arne Slot and his superb run to the 2024-25 season, claiming the English Premier League title. But multi-million-dollar squad reinforcements have backfired, affecting their team's coordination.

With all major signs pointing to a sustainable system and reinvigorated team, the Merseyside giants were expected to kick on to great things last season. However, things did not go as per their plans after a series of losses in the domestic league and Europe. Arne will aim to retain its crown in England and Europe. But the question remains, will major signings such as Alexander Isak, German sensation Florian Wirtz, Hugo Ekitie, Milos Kerkez and Jermie Frimpong will thrive under his management?

5. Antonio Conte (Napoli)

Up next on our list of top 10 best coach in the world, is the eccentric Antonio Conte, who has revived his managerial career out of nowhere, currently winning hearts in Naples. The Italian tactician Conte was always seen as one of the best football managers in modern-day football. He has enjoyed success with almost every club he has managed: Inter, Juventus, Chelsea and now Napoli. With a career as glamorous and productive as his, one would expect more of a sustained tenure with any one club.

Last season, the Napoli boss recorded a win ratio of 75.6%, which makes him one of the best managers in Europe and he was nominated for the best manager award at the Ballon d'Or ceremony. The former Chelsea manager is now rolling back the years with SSC Napoli in Serie A, powering them to compete for Italy’s most prestigious Scudetto triumph. Under his management, Napoli is playing fearless and attacking football, dominating the domestic scene in Italy in this season as well.

4. Enzo Maresca (Chelsea)

Maresca at Chelsea has proven himself as one of the best coaches in the world right now. Although their performance in the English Premier League wasn’t up to mark in the last season, they managed to finish fourth in the table, which qualified them for the next edition of the UEFA Champions League. A UEFA Conference League glory and a top-four finish mean they are back in Europe in the Champions League after a couple of seasons. Maresca’s style of play and tactics are similar to those of Pep Guardiola, but his ability to adapt quickly makes him a little different from his Premier League peer.

The Italian manager Enzo Maresca surprised everyone with his tactics and approach during the FIFA Club World Cup final against PSG. Putting more pressure from multiple sides to draw loose balls and capitalising on them. He has led his team to two trophies this season, the 2024-25 UEFA Conference League and the 2025 FIFA Club World Cup. He was nominated for Best FIFA Men's Coach 2025. The Blues have looked promising with their on-field performances, and new additions have shown class, but they would still need more work to challenge for the league title.

3. Vincent Kompany (Bayern Munich)

One of the best Belgian players of all time turned manager, Vincent Kompany, is at the helm of Bayern Munich, securing a place in our list of the best coaches in the world with an excellent win ratio percentage. These numbers reflect a sharp tactical mind that has made a quick impact at Bayer Munich. He learnt his coaching from his former boss Pep Guardiola, and uses a similar playing style approach. Vincent Kompany brings a modern blend of possession football, intelligent pressing, and positional discipline. The club witnessed a turbulent phase this season when they were on the verge of bottling down the domestic league.

But they kept their calm and executed their plans well, and were crowned the Bundesliga Champions. His team builds patiently from the back and dominates the ball, but also shows intensity and intent in transitions. As a result, they remain unbeaten in the 2025-26 campaign so far and have only lost once in the Champions League. Bayern sees Kompany as a long-term project and the best coach in the world at the moment. He is a leader who can evolve the team tactically while restoring consistency and European prestige.

2. Hansi Flick (FC Barcelona)

Only a few could have imagined the rollercoaster trajectory of Flick’s career. Following a brief spell of 19 months with German giants Bayern Munich, Hansi Flick enjoyed a record-breaking spell, winning six trophies in 2020. After taking up the reins at the Bavarian giants, Flick went on to have one of the most dominant records as a manager, winning every trophy possible with the German giants. Flick’s decision to leave after just one season puzzled many, especially seeing how it blew up in his face.

In 2024, he joined the Catalan giants FC Barcelona as their new boss after a career break to refresh his mind. Since his arrival, he has injected new life into a struggling side, making them a force to be reckoned in Europe. They lifted the domestic treble, which includes the La Liga title, the Copa Del Rey, and the Spanish Super Cup. Overall, he has done a tremendous job with limited resources and players. Also, his achievement with the Catalan side was acknowledged by football experts around the world as he got the nomination for Best FIFA Men's Coach 2025.

1. Luis Enrique (PSG)

The Spain tactician Luis Enrique has firmly transformed Paris Saint-Germain into a powerhouse, instilling a distinct identity built on high pressing, fluidity, and an emphasis on possession-based football. His tactical flexibility and fearless in-game performance have made PSG not just a dominant force. They went all guns blazing, thrashing Inter Milan with a 5-0 scoreline in the UCL final, to mark their first European glory. He demonstrated a willingness to adapt the squad’s strengths, nurturing rising stars like Warren Zaire-Emery, Joao Never, Desire Doue and Bradley Barcola and Senny Mayulu.

While integrating experienced names like Ousmane Dembele and Marquinhos. Thus, it’s safe to say that he is by far the best coach in the world right now. After his historic campaign with PSG in the 2024-25 season, Luis Enrique secured the Johan Cruyff Trophy for best male coach at the 2025 Ballon d'Or event. Now, the 55-year-old was recently crowned the Best FIFA Men's Coach 2025 award for guiding the Parisians to win the French League, Coupe de France, a first-ever UEFA Champions League title, the UEFA Super Cup and FIFA Intercontinental trophy to complete the sextuple feat.