Enzo Maresca Biography: Net Worth, Salary, Family, Lifestyle and Career

Emerging as the modern game’s tactically adaptable style, Italian manager Enzo Maresca is making his name in the Premier League as a coach who knows control over his teams. Being a professional footballer for over two decades helped shape his understanding of the game as he played across Europe as well even as a player, Maresca was known for his reading of the game as a midfielder and was destined to be a coach.

He retired in 2017 and delved into coaching, attaining his UEFA Pro License in 2019. Under the supervision of FIGC, the Italian Football Federation for Coaches, he refined his tactical development. He started with his first professional experience with his ex-club, Sevilla, where he worked as an assistant.

He would then gain valuable experience under Pep Guardiola at Manchester City, guiding their Premier League 2 side to victory in 2021. It was through his time at Manchester City that Maresca was put on the map of elite coaches as he took over as the head coach of Chelsea in 2023, bringing a new style to them.

Enzo Maresca Bio

Enzo Maresca’s Playing Career (Club)

Enzo Maresca was a well-known player during his time, with a career spanning the top leagues over 20 years. As a teenager, he began his professional career with the English side West Bromwich Albion in 1998. He made 47 appearances as a teenager and developed his skills as a deep-lying playmaker, scoring five goals in his two years at the club.

His talents were then recognized in his home country by giants Juventus in 2000, where he played alongside the greats of the game, Zinedine Zidane, Alessandro Del Piero, Edgar Davids, Gianluca Zambrotta, and others. However, despite making 37 appearances for the club, he struggled to make his place as a regular with such high star power in the squad and was often loaned out before moving to Fiorentina in 2004. He became a key player, regained his form, and signed with Sevilla, with whom he had the best time of his career from 2005 to 2009.

He was part of the club’s golden era, winning two UEFA Cups, a Copa Del Rey, a Supercopa de Espana, and a Super Cup, scoring 13 goals in 96 appearances. Sevilla fans still remember him for his UEFA Cup final goal in 2006 against Middlesbrough, where he was the Man of the Match after scoring twice. Maresca established himself as a dependable player and then moved to the Greece team, Olympiacos, in 2009, where he spent a year scoring eight goals in 39 appearances and adding a Greek Cup to his name.

In the later stages of his career, he helped Malaga qualify for the Champions League for the first time in their history, making over 40 appearances for the side and scoring some crucial goals. By this point, Maresca had developed into a dressing-room leader and was also well-known for his tactical understanding of the game. His spells with Sampdoria and Palermo showcased a change in his game as a player who could make defense-disrupting passes.

He would eventually end his playing career at Hellas Verona in 2017 after making just nine appearances for the side and receiving a red card. His teammates well respected Maresca, and he was a player with a passion for winning. He also received 62 red cards in his 490 appearances and five red cards, giving another insight into his modern philosophy as a manager.

Enzo Maresca’s International Career

Enzo Maresca may not be remembered much for his international career, which was limited to no appearances for the senior side. Despite playing for some of the biggest clubs and winning trophies, he was never considered a serious prospect for the Italian National Team. Maresca has only represented his country at the youth level in the U21 International Friendlies and the UEFA European Under-21 Championship Qualifiers.

However, Maresca did represent his country at many youth-level competitions and matches, as his place in the senior team would always be in contention with greats like Andrea Pirlo, Genaro Gattuso, or Francesco Totti. His time away from Italy could also be why the Italian selectors omitted him from the national team.

Enzo Maresca Managerial Milestones: Key Moments in Coaching

Enzo Maresca’s coaching career has already seen him manage some of the biggest clubs in the world, showcasing his potential as a coach. He began his coaching journey with Ascoli in Italy’s Serie B straight after his professional retirement as a player in 2017 as an assistant coach and later at Sevilla. These formative years helped solidify his tactical approach towards the game.

Maresca was chosen as the head coach for Manchester City’s Elite Development Squad (EDS) in 2020, as Pep Guardiola’s philosophy heavily inspired him. At City, he led the EDS team to a Premier League 2 title in 2021, and his tactical flexibility attained him worldwide praise. This move helped open up future manager opportunities for him as he took over as Parma’s head coach in Serie B again in 2021.

As his results were inconsistent, his tenure at Parma was short-lived, and he returned to Manchester City in 2022, where he worked closely, this time with the first team during their treble-winning season. His role mainly consisted of imparting Pep’s tactical preparations to the squad and helping young players develop.

In 2023, Maresca joined former Premier League champions Leicester City as he helped the club return to the top just after relegation. He implemented a similar philosophy to Guardiola at Leicester, with them playing an attractive possession-based game. Having signed a three-year contract with the club, he helped them gain promotion in 2024 after a bright start with the club. His tenure earned him 4 Manager of the Month trophies in the Championship, and Chelsea came knocking on his door after dealing with their fair share of managerial troubles.

Since 2024, Maresca has been leading Chelsea to a respectable state in the league, with a developing young squad at his disposal. After a shaky start and dealing with a set of defeats, Chelsea has finally found momentum this season, sitting in the top half of the league and playing solid football. Maresca was also the Manager of the Month in September 2024, as Chelsea is currently challenged for a Champions League spot with Nottingham Forrest and Manchester City.

Enzo Maresca Style of Play & Tactics

Having worked under Pep Guardiola, Enzo Maresca’s style of play is very similar to him. He focuses on a possession-based, high-tempo game, almost intending to pass the ball into the net. He focuses on structured positional play, maintaining specific roles for his players. He also prefers building his attacks from the back, perfecting short and quick passes to progress the ball. His center-backs often move ahead on the pitch or spread wide, with the fullbacks joining in attack.

Defensively, he focuses on counter-pressing to win the ball quickly and disrupt the opposition’s transitional play. Maresca depends mainly on two formations, the 4-3-3 or the 3-4-2-1 while adapting to 4-4-2 or 5-3-2 while defending. Overall, his philosophy is focused on ball possession and exploiting tight spaces. Set pieces are also crucial for his team, as he prefers a zonal marking system.

His way of implementing a fluid attacking football, almost similar to how Manchester City plays, is a strength in his coaching style. He can also adapt to his opponent and focus on exploiting their weaknesses, often surprising them with his team choices.

Enzo Maresca Achievements & Trophies

Enzo Maresca has not spent much time in his managerial career but has gotten some critical silverware that has helped him establish his name as a manager. While his achievements have not reached the top level, he is still developing Chelsea into a powerhouse again. He has his sights set on winning some trophies from the next season after instilling a winning mentality in the squad.

He has been a Championship winner and recipient of several Manager of the Month awards. Another key achievement during his career was guiding the Manchester City EDS squad to the league title, which helped his career.

Enzo Maresca’s Net Worth, & Salary

As the current Chelsea manager, Enzo Maresca is currently the tenth highest-paid manager in the league with an annual salary of 4.5 million euros. His net worth is estimated at around $2 to $5 million.

While he is being paid less than Mauricio Pochettino, who earned over 10 million euros annually, his 5-year contract with the club is bound to bonuses if he can exceed the owners’ expectations as a new coach. There are many pre-established managers like Marco Silva at Fulham and Eddie Howe at Newcastle who earn less than him, which makes Maresca one of the most valuable managers in the league.