Top 10 Highest Paid Football Managers in the World (2025)

A football manager’s job is extremely difficult because of the intense pressure from the fans, board, and team. The highest-paid football managers in the world certainly either justify their pay or have done so in the past. Being a football manager means helping the team win trophies and, more importantly, getting through the bad periods.

The amount of money that players receive has grown exponentially, and the pay grade for managers has also increased. The best teams in the top leagues pay their managers a handsome amount of money to get consistent and efficient results in return. Let’s take a look at who has made it to our list of the top 10 highest paid football managers in the world, from renowned managers in the Premier League to the Saudi Pro League.

How We Ranked the Highest-Paid Managers in Football

Annual Base Salary: For ranking the top 10 highest paid football managers in the world, we are only taking the annual base salary as our primary factor to determine the rankings of the managers. We did not take any variables in the salaries of managers. This also helped us in analysing the salaries with more accuracy without any further confusion.

Exclusion of Performance Bonuses: By omitting the bonuses from salaries, we have kept our focus on the fixed wages of managers. This has helped us in maintaining uniformity while ranking the highest-paid football managers. For example, A manager of a team like PSG will get a bonus for winning Ligue 1, which is not that competitive, and on the other hand, Premier League managers have to fight hard throughout the season to win the domestic title.

League and Club Financial Power: This factor played a significant role while we ranked the highest paid football managers in the world, as we all know, financially sound clubs will provide good wages to the club managers. For example, A manager working in the Premier League in a team like Manchester City will always earn more than someone who is managing a club in the Jupiler League.

Contract Length & Stability: Longer contracts give a sense of trust to owners of football clubs; in return, the managers can expect above-par salary wages. The longer the contract higher the salary of managers. For example, Diego Simeone has been leading Atletico Madrid for more than a decade now, and he is among the top 10 highest-paid coach in the world.

Marketability and Endorsements: Clubs’ marketability and endorsements play a crucial role in determining the salary of coaches by the owners. For example, a club is keeping Jose Mourinho as their manager, and on the other hand, another club promoted their B team coach, who is likely to get paid more. If you have answered Jose Mourinho, then yes, you are now ready to discover the top 10 highest paid football managers in the world.

Top 10 Highest Paid Coach in the World

The table listed below contains some of the famous as well as the highest-paid managers in the world. These managers just don’t earn hefty amount of salaries but have reimagined football tactics in their own way. Without further wasting any of your time, let’s view who the top 10 highest-paid managers in the world are currently.

Top 10 Highest Paid Managers in Football

Before moving forward with a detailed list of the top 10 highest-paid footballers, we want to inform our readers that bonuses and rewards are excluded from the salaries, and only basic pay is taken into account. Here is the list of the highest earners in the football managers category.

10) Carlo Ancelotti – Real Madrid – £8.3 million

Ancelotti is one of the best managers of modern football and is definitely amongst the likes of Pep Guardiola and Jose Mourinho, with his managerial career extending more than 30 years as of 2025. Carlo is Real Madrid’s most successful manager, winning 15 trophies with them, and overall has the most trophies as a manager. Carlo’s latest achievement at Real Madrid was winning the Spanish Super Cup, La Liga, and the UEFA Champions League in the 2023-2024 season, making him one of the highest-paid football managers. But to everyone’s surprise, the coach is getting a lower salary (£8.3 million) compared to his mates despite having a club that earns a billion in a year. This also tells us that Real Madrid refrain from spending a lot on managers and focus on player wages.

Real Madrid’s season consisted of lots of ups and downs. The team started their domestic campaign with a rough start, however, they took the lead in the points table in December but later on bottled it and ended their season in 2nd position. Carlo Ancelotti is set to coach the Brazilian National side for the 2026 FIFA World Cup. He signed a 1 year contract with the Brazilian National side. However, there were reports that Real Madrid had offered him a 1 year extension, but he chose to decline it.

9) Jose Mourinho – Fenerbahce – £9.2 million

The ” Special One ” has won multiple trophies at various clubs throughout his 25-year-long managerial career. Just look at the status of clubs he has managed in his career and you won’t mind him saying he is the GOAT of managers. Jose Mourinho‘s best achievement was winning the UEFA Champions League with an underrated team like Porto, making him one of the highest paid football managers. Now, Fenerbahce have appointed Jose Mourinho for his services to help them contend with Galatasaray for the league title. But some fans questioned his decision to coach Fenerbahçe, as all his fans wanted him to coach an iconic club again.

His high salary underscores his status as a football icon, with his media presence and sponsorships significantly boosting his value, even in a less financially dominant league. Also, Fenerbahçe’s financial power is less than Europe’s elite clubs. Excluding bonuses, but Mourinho’s base salary reflects his global appeal and past successes. As of May 2025, Jose Mourinho’s Fenerbahce finished second on the table with 81 points in 17 games in the Turkish Super Lig. The club’s performance did not match the expectations in the Europa League, they got knocked out by Rangers in the Round of 16. The Portuguese Manager’s tenure is set to expire in the year 2026.

8) Matthias Jaissle – Al Ahli – £9.6 million

Many might say that Matthias Jaissle does not deserve to be a manager at such a young age; however, it is too early to say. Jaissle’s first season at Al Ahli is bound to be under a lot of pressure, as he hasn’t done much since 2023. Under his leadership, Al Ahli has been one of the consistent sides in the Saudi Pro League. He earns a base salary of £9.6 million per year, which is more than many reputed managers in the footballing space.

Furthermore, Jaissle does not have a lot of experience as a manager in the past as compared to other high-profile managers, as before joining Al Ahli, he only managed 110 games combined for FC Liefering and Red Bull Salzburg. Managers with Less Experience and a high Salary can only be seen in the Saudi Pro League. Nonetheless, Al Ahli under Matthias Jaissle has had a great start to the season, and currently the club sits in 5th position on the domestic league table.

7) Luis Enrique – Paris Saint-Germain – £9.6 million

The pressure at Paris Saint-Germain is always intense. Winning the Ligue 1 is a prerequisite for each manager since PSG is by far the strongest team in the French league. However, the main pressure that is always laid on each manager is to win the UEFA Champions League. The closest PSG came to winning it before the 2024/25 season was in 2020. The club has done exceptionally well in the UEFA Champions League. They came back from almost getting eliminated in the group stage to become the Winners. This performance itself clarifies why he is earning £9.6 million/year.

His salary reflects his brand that he has created over the years. His marketability, tied to his Barcelona treble-winning legacy, adds value, though he has fewer endorsements. Al Khaleffi’s team, PSG, always got the financial backing required to sign top managers and players to meet the global expectations. His base pay reflects PSG’s investment in a proven manager.

6) David Moyes – Everton – £12.5 million

After a disastrous start from Everton in this ongoing Premier League season, under Sean Dyche. Everton has decided to go back to one of the most experienced managers in the world, David Moyes. Since he has taken the leadership role back at the Toffees, he has taken them out of the relegation zone and they are currently sitting in 16th position in the table. which tells how good of a manager he is. Moyes had coached the Everton side from 2002-2013, which also gave the owners a sense of stability and assurance.

His salary increase from previous stints (5M at West Ham) shows Everton’s investment in reliability. Moyes’ earnings very much tell about the Premier League’s ability to offer competitive wages, even for managers without a trophy-heavy resume. Everton, with the help of David Moyes, has easily won the relegation battle, and now it sits above Manchester United and Tottenham Hotspur in the table.

5) Stefano Pioli – Al Nassr – £15.5 million

Al Nassr has transformed under Stefano Pioli’s arrival since 2024. Stefano Pioli definitely justifies his spot on the list among the highest paid football managers in the world. Pioli, so far, in his first season at Al Nassr, has managed 43 games, winning 27, drawing 7, and losing 9. Stefano Pioli will be getting £15.5 million annually at Al Nassr. Pioli’s team is competitive but not dominant in the league. His salary highlights the Saudi League’s spending power, prioritizing reputation over immediate results in their quest for global relevance.

Al Nassr currently sits in 4th place in the 2024-2025 season of the Saudi Pro League below Al Ittihad, Al Qadsiah FC, and Al Hilal with 67 points in 33 games. As per recent developments, the club is not happy with the coach and may terminate his contract after the final match of the Saudi Pro League. The situation occurred because, despite having heavyweights and a coach with years of experience, the club was unable to win a single title this season.

4) Mikel Arteta – Arsenal – £15.6 million

Just like Atletico have regained their status as contenders in La Liga and UCL under Diego Simeone, Arsenal have also regained their status as contenders in the Premier League and UCL under Mikel Arteta. Arsenal is the only team, alongside Liverpool, to give a tough challenge to the dominant Manchester City in the Premier League. Mikel Arteta’s £15.6 million salary places him third, driven by Arsenal’s Premier League financial power and his recent contract extension to 2027, ensuring stability.

Although Arteta has won only the FA Cup since his arrival and has not won the League or the UCL with Arsenal, his influence and effect are commendable. Arteta, who used to be Pep Guardiola’s assistant manager, has learned a lot from his teacher and is implementing it efficiently. As of the 2024-2025 season, The Gunners are second in the Premier League and got knocked out by PSG in the knockout rounds of the UEFA Champions League. His growing media presence and lack of major endorsements still position him as a rising star in football management.

3) Pep Guardiola – Manchester City – £20.7 million

With six Premier League titles, including winning four PL titles consecutively, winning one UCL, and many other commendable titles, Pep Guardiola at Manchester City has cemented an unparalleled legacy. Pep’s trophies and transformation with Manchester City in a span of eight seasons definitely justify his 2nd position as the highest-paid manager in football. His high earnings align with his status as a transformative, marketable manager.

His base pay highlights the City’s trust in his vision, with endorsements from brands like Puma adding to his appeal. Guardiola’s tactical genius and trophy haul make him a football icon, justifying his salary despite a dip in form during the 2024/25 season. The Manager is also loyal to the club, which gives its owners a sense of assurance. Pep Guardiola’s contract with Manchester City is set to expire in the year 2027.

2) Diego Simeone – Atletico Madrid – £26 million

The Diego Simeone effect at Atletico Madrid has been phenomenal since his era, the club has seen a lot of changes and glory as well. Although Simeone is criticized for his defensive style of play, the results are commendable. Under Simeone, the club has won the La Liga not once but twice, which is very commendable considering the dominance of FC Barcelona and Real Madrid. Atletico Madrid have also reached two UCL finals under Simeone, losing both against Real Madrid.

However, Atletico Madrid did win the Europa League in 2017. These accolades, combined with Simeone’s other achievements at Atletico Madrid, justify him being first in the list of the top 10 highest paid football managers in the world. As of now, Atletico Madrid is out of any title contention, and their only achievement is securing a Champions League spot again. Diego Simeone tops the list with a staggering £25.9 million base salary, reflecting Atlético Madrid’s La Liga financial power and his unmatched contract stability until 2027. His intense, defensive style has made him a marketable figure.

1) Simone Inzaghi – Al Hilal – £26.0 million

Simone Inzaghi at Inter Milan was far, far away from featuring in our list of the top 10 highes paid football managers in the world. But, the recent developments suggest that the Italian Manager is set to join Saudi Pro League side Al Hillal in the coming days for at least 3 years. Inzaghi recently bid adieu to Inter Milan on 3rd June, ending his 5-year tenure at Nerazzurri with a UCL final loss.

With the move to Al Hilal, the manager is set to earn a good value for his services. Many media outlets reported that Simone Inzaghi will earn an annual salary of €26 million at the Saudi Pro League club Al Hilal. The sudden signing of the Italian Manager and the sacking of Jorge Jesus hint that Al Hilal wants to leave an Impact in the upcoming FIFA Club World Cup hosted in the US. If we believe the rumour, then Simone Inzaghi will become the highest paid manager in the world