Many seasoned football managers have achieved all possible successes. But in today’s era, we see an increasing number of young managers emerging, asserting their talent. Some have shone in lower leagues, while others have been fortunate enough to lead teams in major tournaments. As Jurgen Klopp and Thomas Tuchel are set to depart at the end of the season, both Liverpool and Bayern Munich will need to find replacements. In this article, bestsoccertips will introduce the best young football managers currently, some of whom have already made a name for themselves in Europe.
Top young football managers
10. Arne Slot
Leading the list of the world’s best young football managers is the oldest at 45, Arne Slot. The Dutchman, until now, has only managed his hometown club, initially making an impression at AZ Alkmaar before being appointed as the head coach of Feyenoord ahead of the Eredivisie 2021/22 campaign. Slot guided Feyenoord to a third-place finish in his debut season, a significant improvement from the fifth-place finish the season before. European football is back at De Kuip, and fans are excited about the club’s future under Slot’s leadership.
That excitement materialized as Feyenoord went on to win the Eredivisie 2022/23 title, finishing seven points ahead of PSV Eindhoven. Feyenoord ended the season with 82 points, losing only twice throughout the campaign. Feyenoord’s triumph is their first league title since the 16/17 season, making the success even more remarkable. Slot brought a free-flowing style of football to Feyenoord, a style that Tottenham Hotspur had previously shown interest in the Dutchman. Slot has also impressed in the 2023/24 season, with his team currently sitting second in the Eredivisie.
9. Still
Born in Belgium to English parents, Still was a relatively unknown figure when appointed as the manager of Reims in October 2022, after being promoted from assistant manager, a position he held since July 2021. Still attracted considerable media attention as he was only 30 years old at the time of his appointment, and the club was fined €25,000 (£21,000) for each match he managed as Still did not possess a UEFA Pro License. In March 2023, Still revealed that he had begun a related course, so Reims would no longer face penalties.
After taking the reins two months into the 2022/23 campaign, Still guided Reims to an 11th-place finish. During that time, Still’s team remained unbeaten for 17 matches, setting a new record in Ligue 1. The 2023/24 season saw Still helm his first full season in France’s top flight, and he continued to impress. Reims currently stands a chance of securing a spot outside the European places, sitting 9th, five points ahead of Lille in 5th. Achieving European qualification would be a significant feat for Reims, who haven’t had a European campaign since 1963.
8. Francesco Farioli
After playing for the Turkish club Alanyaspor, Farioli was appointed as the manager of OGC Nice ahead of the 2023/24 campaign. His transition to management, akin to Still at Reims, wasn’t the most conventional. The Italian studied philosophy and later sports science at university. Farioli began his football career as a goalkeeper coach with Margine Coperta from 2009 to 2011.
In a league predominantly dominated by Paris Saint-Germain, who won 7 out of their last 9 matches, Farioli has done notable work at Nice, with the team currently sitting in 2nd place behind PSG. This achievement is even more impressive considering Nice finished 9th in the 2022/23 season, their highest finish since placing 3rd in the 2016/17 season.
7. Andoni Iraola
Before being appointed at Bournemouth ahead of the 2023/24 season, Iraola was highly regarded by managerial circles for his work at Rayo Vallecano. During his time at Vallecano, he led the club to promotion to La Liga in 2021, and in the 2022/23 campaign, Iraola guided the club to the round of 16 of the Copa del Rey. This was only Vallecano’s second appearance in that stage, the first being 40 years prior. Iraola was supposed to move to Leeds United in February 2023, but Vallecano refused to allow the Championship club to speak to their manager.
Iraola’s tenure at Bournemouth started off on an unstable note, securing their first win of the season in their 10th match against Burnley on October 28, 2023. Since their first win of the season, Bournemouth has impressed and adapted well to Iraola’s style, and they have a genuine chance of finishing in the upper half in the 2023/24 season.
6. Vincent Kompany
Changing Burnley’s style from the one employed by the previous manager, Sean Dyche, who had ingrained it in the players for so long, was always going to be a challenge for whoever succeeded him. The former Manchester City captain, who previously impressed at Anderlecht, was seen as the right fit for the job and was believed to be capable of leading the club back to the Premier League after their relegation from the Championship in the 2021/22 season.
With any relegation, there are bound to be changes within a football club to balance the financial loss of dropping down a division. If Burnley supporters had any concerns heading into their Championship campaign, they need not have worried. Kompany guided the club to championship success in some style, as Burnley lost only three matches all season and broke the 100-point barrier, finishing the campaign with 101 points. Burnley became only the sixth team to reach 100 points or more in a Championship season in a superb campaign. Kompany and Burnley faced difficulties upon returning to the Premier League, and they had to fight to avoid relegation.
5. Edin Terzic
Terzic played over 100 matches in the German fourth division before becoming a scout and assistant coach for Borussia Dortmund’s youth team. He then became an assistant to Slaven Bilic in 2012 for Croatia and followed Bilic to Besiktas and West Ham United in similar roles.
In 2018, Terzic returned to Borussia Dortmund to serve as an assistant to head coach Lucien Favre and later became the interim head coach of the team in December 2020 after Favre was sacked. Terzic impressed during his time as interim coach with a win rate of 62.50%, guiding Dortmund to a third-place finish before becoming the permanent head coach. This was followed by consecutive second-place finishes, then narrowly missing out on the Bundesliga title to Bayern Munich on goal difference, as both sides ended the season with 71 points. Borussia Dortmund has faced more challenges in the 2023/24 season, currently sitting in fourth place behind Stuttgart, Bayern Munich, and league leaders Bayer Leverkusen.
4. Julian Nagelsmann
Arguably the biggest name on the list and one of the most sought-after managers in football today, Nagelsmann began his managerial career at TSG Hoffenheim before the 2016/17 season, guiding them to an impressive fourth-place finish, a significant improvement from the previous season when they finished 15th. Finishing third and ninth subsequently, Nagelsmann began to establish himself as one of the brightest young managers around.
His achievements with Hoffenheim led to RB Leipzig appointing him as their manager before the 2019/20 season, a season in which they reached the Champions League semi-finals and finished third in the league table. He improved Leipzig’s performance in the 2020/21 season, guiding the club to a second-place finish, trailing league leaders Bayern Munich by 12 points. Nagelsmann eventually moved to the Allianz Arena as the German giants appointed him as their manager before the 2021/22 season.
He won the league and the DFB-Pokal in his first season in charge and repeated the league success in the following season before being sacked midway through the campaign, with Bayern trailing league leaders Borussia Dortmund by just one point at the time. His sacking became even more peculiar as Nagelsmann’s record at Bayern ended with an astonishing win rate of 71.4%. In September 2023, Nagelsmann was appointed as the manager of the German national team and will lead them in their first major tournament at Euro 2024.
3. Xabi Alonso
After starting his managerial career as a youth coach at Real Madrid, and then overseeing Real Sociedad’s B team, Alonso was given his first opportunity at the top level when he was appointed as the manager of Bayer Leverkusen in October 2022. After two months of dominance in the season, Alonso impressed with his playing style and led the club to an impressive 6th-place finish.
All eyes were on Leverkusen and Alonso entering the 2023/24 season with uncertainty about what they could achieve. The former Liverpool midfielder exceeded all expectations placed on him before the season opener victory against RB Leipzig. Leverkusen has a genuine chance to secure their first Bundesliga title and the first cup since 1993 as they face West Ham in the Europa League quarter-finals. This promises to be a season-ending with impressive and enticing prospects for Alonso.
2. Mikel Arteta
After three years as Pep Guardiola’s assistant at Manchester City, Arteta became the manager of Arsenal in December 2019 and began his managerial career at the first team level. It led to a change in destiny for Arsenal, no longer seen as challengers for a top-four position but as challengers for the Premier League title.
In his debut season at the Emirates, Arteta guided Arsenal to FA Cup glory at the end of the 2019/20 season. This was followed by an eighth-place finish and a fifth-place finish as the Spanish midfielder began to turn the Gunners into contenders to push Manchester City for the Premier League title. They came very close to achieving that in the 2022/23 season, finishing second and trailing Pep Guardiola’s treble-winning side by five points. This was also Arsenal’s highest finish in the competition since finishing second to Leicester City in the 2015/16 season. Arsenal is in contention for the title in the 2023/24 season, currently sitting in third place and only two points behind league leaders Liverpool. If Arteta secures the Premier League title, it will be the Gunners’ first title since the ‘invincible’ 2003/04 season.
1. Ruben Amorim
The manager with the highest win rate and the most significant number of trophies occupies the top spot in this list and is relatively unfamiliar. Amorim began his managerial career at Braga, where he won the Portuguese League Cup in his only season leading the club in the national championship. The 2019/20 campaign. His impressive record at Braga attracted interest from Sporting Lisbon, and Amorim was appointed as their manager before the 2020/21 season.
His first season in charge of Sporting Lisbon was a remarkable one, leading the club to their first league title in 19 years, and Amorim also raised the Portuguese League Cup for the second consecutive season. In total, Amorim has won 5 trophies in a short time as a coach, including 3 Portuguese League Cup titles, 1 league title, and 1 Portuguese Super Cup. If his stock rises even further, there will surely be more talks about a move to a bigger club.
Conclude
In the dynamic world of football management, a new wave of young, innovative coaches is making significant strides in the sport. From Xabi Alonso’s tactical brilliance at Bayer Leverkusen to Mikel Arteta’s revitalization of Arsenal and Ruben Amorim’s rapid success with Sporting Lisbon, these emerging managers are redefining the norms of the game. Their fresh perspectives, tactical acumen, and ability to inspire players are breathing new life into football clubs and captivating fans worldwide. As they continue to make waves in the footballing world, their journeys symbolize the exciting future of the sport, filled with promise and endless possibilities.
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