The English Premier League is arguably the best league in the world. However, Spain’s La Liga provides five of the highest paid football managers in the world. Unfortunately, Italy’s Serie A does not even make the list.
Today, we present the top ten best-paid soccer managers in the world; those with the highest salaries.
The Top 10 Football Managers with the Highest Salaries
10. Jorge Jesus
Soccer manager of: Benfica
Salary: $5 million
Obviously, Benfica is not a giant club compared to the other clubs in this list of top 10 highest paid football managers. The Portuguese club are not Champions League title contenders and can’t also afford to buy expensive players from other clubs.
However, the Portuguese club manager Jorge Jesus is one of the highest earning managers in the world, earning $5 million per year. While at Benfica, the coach has won two league titles and Benfica have come out as runners-up for two years running.
9. Manuel Pellegrini
Soccer manager of: Manchester City
Salary: $5.75 million
This ninth spot on the list of top ten highest paid football managers is definitely going to surprise soccer fans. Looking at Manchester City’s spending during the transfer window it was expected that the City manager would be earning more than the $5.75 million he actually receives from the club.
During his time at Manchester City, Manuel Pellegrini has proved his worth; each and every cent of what he is getting paid. He has led the Citizens to their third title and secured a place Champions League round of 16 for the second year running. This season, Pellegrini will be looking to triumph by adding another Premier League title to City’s collection.
8. Jurgen Klopp
Soccer manager of: Borussia Dortmund
Salary: $6 million
Klopp is very much popular among the Dortmund supporters. He is also well known for his pitch-side fashion sense. He has a very unique kind of gestures and facial expressions, which incredibly makes him famous and loved by many football fans in the world. Despite Dortmund’s poor league form (they currently sit in relegation zone in the Bundesliga), Borussia Dortmund are still very much on track in the UEFA Champions League after displaying some brilliant performances.
Undoubtedly, Jurgen Klopp is one of the best managers in the world. The German has achieved quite a lot with Borussia Dortmund, managing to lead the side to two Bundesliga titles.
7. Arsène Wenger
Soccer manager of: Arsenal
Salary: $10 million
Arsenal boss Arsene Wenger is number seven on the highest paid managers in the world list. Despite being criticised by many football fans and journalists, the Frenchman has led his side to a consistent top-four finish every year and above local rivals Tottenham Hotspur.
Despite his lack of recent silverware at the club, the 67-year-old is still on the list of the highest-earning football manager in the world, pocketing $10 million a year.
Wenger is one of the longest-serving managers in football, after joining Arsenal in 1996.
6. Carlo Ancelotti
Soccer manager of: Real Madrid
Salary: $10.5 million
Carlo Ancelotti joined Real Madrid from Ligue 1 side PSG, where he won them a league title. After his move to the Bernabeu, Carlo has become one of the highest paid managers in the world, ranking as the sixth-highest earner according to our list, pocketing $10.5 million a year.
The Italian coach has had a great start to the season, leading Real Madrid to a 22-game unbeaten streak, which was recently broken by Valencia.
5. Louis van Gaal
Soccer manager of: Manchester United
Salary: $11.75 million
After the retirement of the legendary coach Sir Alex Ferguson, the esteemed role of Manchester United manager was taken over by handpicked Ferguson successor David Moyes. The former Everton boss had a torrid time at Old Trafford, only managing to stay at the Theatre Of Dreams for a single season, where United finished seventh; the Charity Shield Moyes’ solitary achievement.
After the sacking of Moyes, the Man United board appointed the Dutch coach Luis Van Gaal in an attempt to reinvigorate the side. Despite their shaky start to the season, the Red Devils have gained a little bit of form and are currently sitting third in the Premier League table.
4. Fabio Capello
Soccer manager of: Russia National Football Team
Salary: $13 million
It is definitely clear that no national team manager makes more money on a yearly basis than Fabio Capello in this list of highest paid football managers. Although Capello has not proven his worth with the Russian national team as of yet, he is still fourth on the list.
After quitting as the England national team coach, the Italian headed east, where he is earning a whopping $13 million a year.
3. Marcello Lippi
Soccer manager of: Guangzhou Evergrande
Salary: $14 million
Ever since joining the Chinese Super League side Guangzhou in 2012, Marcelo Lippi has led the side to two back-to-back titles. They also lifted the AFC Champions League trophy last year.
Marcello Lippi is best known for his work in Serie A. Lippi is a three-time Serie A Coach of the Year and has five Serie A titles to his name. Another notable achievement is when he led Italy to the 2006 World Cup, where his side defeated France in the final.
2. Jose Mourinho
Soccer manager of: Chelsea FC
Salary: $17 million
The “special one” is arguably the best manager in the world, having won titles in four different countries: namely, England, Spain, Italy and Portugal. When the Portuguese return to his beloved Chelsea, his salary roughly matched the $17 million he was earning at Real Madrid.
Jose Mourinho has broken numerous records with Real Madrid, with his side scooping the highest points tally – of 100 – in a single season, with the record number of goals scored by a team in a single season. During his time at Real Madrid, Mourinho only failed to win the Champions League, so now that he has returned to Chelsea FC his main aim will be to triumph in the European competition.
1. Pep Guardiola
Soccer manager of: Bayern Munich
Salary: $24 million
Pep Guardiola is probably the prominent most rival of Jose Mourinho. During his time at FC Barcelona, Pep managed to scoop every silverware any manager could hope for with the Spanish giants.
After signing for Bundesliga behemoths Bayern Munich, Pep has already won the Bundesliga, DFB Cup, UEFA Super Cup and FIFA Club World Cup. Apparently Bayern have the money to possess the highest paid football manager in the world, with his salary clocking in at a staggering $24 million.
Header image: “duke-0525” (CC BY 2.0) by Thomas Rodenbücher
