Ranking the 15 highest paid football managers in the world currently

Managers make the cornerstone of a football club and are usually the ones who play a huge role in determining how said club would fare over the course of a season. While the role of a manager was more vast and diverse back in the day, the modern-day manager has little to do apart from footballing activities.

Great managers in history have all been rewarded monetarily for bringing success to each club they have been at. However, some names set themselves apart from the rest not only due to their sheer quality, but also because of the hefty pay checks they commanded.

Having said that, let’s take a look at the highest paid football managers currently active in world football.

15. Ange Postecoglou | Tottenham | £5m

The Greek-born Australian manager earned a name for himself after successful stints with the Australian national team as well as Celtic FC in Scotland. Known for his blunt interviews and risk-taking approach to tactics, Postecoglou is one of the best man-managers in the sport currently. He joined Spurs in 2023 and has managed them for 44 games, securing 22 wins and seven draws with an average of 1.66 points per match.

14. Xabi Alonso | Bayer Leverkusen | £5.1m

Having guided Leverkusen to their first-ever Bundesliga title in the 2023-24 season, Alonso has made a lasting mark in the world of football despite being a relatively young manager. An accomplished midfielder from his playing days, Xabi Alonso’s set-up saw Leverkusen transform into one of the most dangerous teams across Europe. Having taken over in 2022, he has managed 94 games, winning 63, drawing 19 and losing just 12, earning his spot among the highest paid football managers.

13. Simone Inzaghi | Inter Milan | £5.5m

Another name on this list who has transformed the club he is at from when he took over, Inzaghi’s Inter play some of the most delightful football on the continent. The manager is clearly being rewarded for the team’s performances with a respectable salary, and rightly so. He took over in 2021 and has managed 161 matches, winning 106, drawing 29 and losing 26. Inzaghi has an astounding average of 2.16 points per match, justifying his spot among the highest paid football managers.

12. Steven Gerrard | Al Ettifaq | £6.5m

After a successful stint with Rangers FC in Scotland, Gerrard endured a rather rocky tenure during his time at Aston Villa, with the club wanting to move in a different direction. However, the former Liverpool great is currently working with Saudi Pro League side Al Ettifaq. He joined just last summer and has so far been in-charge for 38 matches, winning 15, drawing 12 and losing 11.

11. Vincent Kompany | Bayern Munich | £6.7m

One of the most surprising managerial appointments in recent times, Bayern chose Kompany as the man to take the club forward despite the Belgian’s rocky stint with Burnley FC in his first managerial role. The former Manchester City great will be expected to deliver silverware in his initial years itself, or things could get tricky. He won just 1.53 points per game in 96 matches as Burnley manager, but has a perfect three out of three start for Bayern so far.

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10. Erik ten Hag | Manchester United | £6.8m

One of the few managers who is part of the highest paid football managers list despite relatively poor results for Manchester United. The Dutchman had a respectable 2.34 points per game average in 215 games as Ajax manager, a number that has plummeted to 1.88 in 118 games in-charge of United. He has won one FA Cup and one EFL Cup during his time so far.

9. Arne Slot | Liverpool | £6.8m

Another Dutchman on the list, Slot joined Liverpool this summer and already seems to be a great fit for the club as well as the squad. He arrived on Merseyside with an average of 2.15 points per game from 148 matches as Feyenoord boss. Slot has maintained that number and then some, winning all three games in-charge of the Reds so far to earn his spot among the highest paid football managers.

8. Luis Enrique | Paris Saint-Germain | £7.5m

One of the most sought-after managers of his generation, Luis Enrique made a name for himself as a quality manager during his time with Barcelona. He had a 2.41 points per game average in 181 games in-charge, with the highlight being a treble-winning 2014-15 season. That average has only dropped down to 2.21 points per game in 57 matches since taking over at PSG in 2023, helping Enrique maintain a spot among the highest paid football managers.

7. Jorge Jesus | Al Hilal | £8.4m

Famous for his work in Portuguese football with Sporting CP and SL Benfica, Jorge Jesus joined current club Al Hilal in 2023. Such was his influence that the club won the Saudi Pro League title in his first season in-charge. He has managed 57 games at the club and won an astonishing 52 of those, drawing four and losing just one, and deservedly ranks among the highest paid football managers.

6. Jose Mourinho | Fenerbahce | £8.9m

The Portuguese legend is renowned for winning silverware for every club he has managed except Tottenham Hotspur. After winning AS Roma their first-ever continental trophy, Mourinho has moved to Turkey this summer. So far, he has managed the Turkish side for just eight games, winning five, drawing two and losing one game.

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5. Mikel Arteta | Arsenal | £9m

Despite it being his first managerial role, Arsenal manager Mikel Arteta still ranks fifth among the highest paid football managers in the world. He guided Arsenal to two eighth placed finishes in his first two seasons, followed by successive runners-up finishes to Manchester City as his team grows from strength to strength. He has managed the Gunners for 234 games, winning 142 games, drawing 35 games and losing 57 games, with an average of 1.97 points won per game.

4. Carlo Ancelotti | Real Madrid | £9.6m

One of the most veteran managers on the list, and also one of the most successful, Ancelotti ranks fourth on this list of highest paid football managers. Renowned for his managerial stint with AC Milan between 2001-09, Ancelotti won 239 of his 420 games with the Italian side. Now, he has been in-charge of Real Madrid for 177 games, winning 125 games with 2.28 points per game.

3. Diego Simeone | Atletico Madrid | £10.1

A former Atletico Madrid player himself, Diego Simeone is arguably also the greatest manager in the club’s history. He took charge in the 2011 season and has managed 685 games, winning 405 games, drawing 150 games and losing 130 games. Despite being at the helm for such a long time, he has still managed 1.99 points per game. He has one two LaLiga titles, two UEFA Europa League titles and one Copa del Rey in his time.

2. Pep Guardiola | Manchester City | £20m

The greatest manager in the club’s history, Pep Guardiola is one of the few managers in the history of the sport who can justify the money he is being paid. A six-time Premier League winner, two-time FA Cup winner, and the man who won City their first-ever Champions League title, Guardiola has done more than enough to earn his big pay check as well as a spot among the highest paid football managers.

He has been in-charge of 476 games, winning 353 games, drawing 57 games and losing just 66 games, with a 2.34 points per game average. Incredibly, this average is lower than his stints at Bayern Munich as well as Barcelona.

1. Roberto Mancini | Saudi Arabia | £21.5m

The only national team manager on this list, Mancini owns the top spot in the list of the highest paid football managers in the world. Known for delivering Manchester City’s first-ever Premier League title, Mancini has been in-charge of Saudi Arabia for just 15 games. He has won six, drawn four and lost five of those games, and is expected to be in-charge until 2027.

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