The Most Successful Managers in Champions League History

 

The Champions League no doubt is the biggest trophy in European football even though its predecessor the European Cup over time has shown some glimpses of great football artistry, nothing can be compared to the love we have UEFA Champions League.

UCL as it’s fondly called have been won by some of the most prestigious names in world football. Some great managers have won the trophy more than once. Today we shall be taking a look at the 5 managers who have done great exploits in the UCL, this list was composed due to the achievements of the managers, titles won and their dominance in world football

10. Carlo Ancelotti

Currently out of work, but his record in the UCL is quite impressive, winning the trophy thrice, with two different clubs.  His recent success came in the 2014 Champions League final. His Real Madrid side triumphed 4-1 over local rivals, Atletico Madrid, after Sergio Ramos scored a late equalizer in injury time.

Before then Ancelotti had won the competition twice with AC Milan in 2003 and 2007, He also reached the final with the Italian club in 2005, when his team lost to Liverpool after a quick 3-0 half time lead, before the English club later triumphed on penalties. In addition to his success as a manager in the competition, Ancelotti also won the trophy twice as a player, again with AC Milan, making him only one of six men to have won the competition in both their playing and managerial career.

9) Johan Cruyff

Udo Lattek is the only manager to have ever won all three of Europe’s major trophies, with the UEFA Cup Winners’ Cup ceasing to exist in 1999 and also another man to have won the UCL trophy as both a player and manager. The Dutchman won the European Cup three times as a player with Ajax, and as manager he built what was known as the Dream Team when he was in charge of Barcelona as his Camp Nou team won the European Cup in 1992, and were thrashed 4-0 by AC Milan in the 1994 Champions League final. The Catalan club also won four successive La Liga titles during his tenure, as well as the European Cup Winners’ Cup in 1989.

8) Udo Lattek

Lattek won the European Cup, UEFA Cup and European Cup Winners’ Cup in the mid to late-Seventies and early-Eighties. His first title was with Bayern Munich and that was the European Cup, they played against Atletico Madrid in 1974. The victory was the first of a German team in the competition and added a gloss to the Bavarian club’s domination in the Bundesliga during Lattek’s spell in charge.

The former German striker followed this up with another equally dominate spell in charge of Borussia Monchengladbach, where his team won the UEFA Cup. Lattek’s final European trophy came at Barcelona, where his side won the 1982 European Cup Winners’ Cup with a 2-1 over Standard Liege.

7) Rafael Benitez

The current Real Madrid Rafael Benitez has earned an unfair reputation as a steady, unspectacular, safe pair of hands when looking at his exceptional record in Europe’s top club competitions.

During his spell at Valencia, Benitez broke the Real Madrid and Barcelona dominance in La Liga to win the title in both 2002 and 2004 and the 2004 league victory was coupled with UEFA Cup success. Benitez didn’t stop there as he went one better the next season, winning the Champions League in his first season at Liverpool, in a final that became known as the miracle in Istanbul as Liverpool came back from a 3 goal deficit to win on penalties.

Benitez would guide Liverpool to the Champions League final again in 2007 facing AC Milan, the team they beat in 2005, however this time the Italian club were victorious. Benitez most recent success in Europe was during his interim spell at Chelsea, where he helped the club recover from being the first reigning champions to exit the Champions League at the group stage, by winning the Europa League final.

6) Jose Villalonga Llorente

Jose Villalonga Llorente was the first ever manager to win the European Cup in 1956, with his Real Madrid side achieving a 4-3 win against Stade de Reims. Real Madrid would go on to win the first five tournaments; however Villalonga would only add one further European Cup to his collection as he left the club in 1957.

The Spaniard was only 36 years and 184 days old when he won his first trophy, making him the first and youngest winning manager. He would later win the 1962 European Cup Winners’ Cup with Atletico Madrid and the 1964 European Championships with the Spanish national team.

5. Jose Mourinho

Not reading meaning into his current situation at Chelsea, Jose Mourinho has been extremely successful in European club competitions as a manager. In 2003, his Porto side beat Celtic to win the UEFA Cup, however better reward would follow as Mourinho led his team to Champions League glory the following season against Monaco. This was his last act as Porto manager as he would join Chelsea just days later though it didn’t win the Champions League there but he gave Chelsea their first English League title after 50 years.

Mourinho won the UCL tournament for the second time at Internazionale as his team completed an historic treble in the process, and much like at Porto the victory was his final act as manager, as the self acclaimed Special One joined Real Madrid that summer. Even though the third title has since alluded Mourinho, he reached the semi-final at both Real Madrid and his current club, Chelsea.

4) Nereo Rocco

Rocco was incredibly successful as manager of AC Milan, as well as being a pioneer of the catenaccio style of play. During his time at the club they dominated the domestic scene in Italy, winning two Serie A titles and three domestic cups.

His biggest moment was when he won the European Cup twice, in 1963 and 1969 respectively, as he also led AC Milan to European Cup Winners’ Cup success on two occasions. He was inducted into the Italian Football Hall of Fame in 2012.

4. Sir Alex Ferguson

Ferguson was a giant of the British game during his legendary tenure at Manchester United that it is often forgotten just how successful he was during his time in charge of Aberdeen.

Fergie enjoyed a highly successful period as manager of Aberdeen, winning three Scottish league championships, four Scottish Cups and the UEFA Cup in 1983 with Aberdeen defeating the mighty Real Madrid 2-1 in the final. The Scotsman add the 1991 European Cup to his collection during his, less successful, early years at Manchester United, beating that season's Spanish champions Barcelona 2–1.

Ferguson’s dominance of the British game for all of the Premier League era goes unquestioned, his critics have often argued he should have won more than the two Champions League titles he did, in 1999 and 2008 respectively. The 1999 triumph is considered one of the tournaments greatest and fergie most memorable moment because that win gave United an unprecedented treble after winning the English Premier League and the FA Cup that same season.

3.  Bob Paisley

Bob is the only manager to hold the record of three times champions with the same club with his success at Liverpool to make them the dominant force of British football during the 1970s and 1980s.

His first success in the UCL came in 1977, with Liverpool successfully defending the trophy with victory over Brugge at Wembley a year later. His other European Cup success came against Real Madrid in 1981, with the Merseyside club winning 1-0. Paisley also won the UEFA Cup during his time at Anfield in 1976.

He is also considered as one of the greatest managers of all time. Paisley and Carlo Ancelotti are the only managers to have won the European Cup three times.  He is one of four managers to have won the English top-flight championship as both player and manager at the same club.

1.Giovanni Trapattoni

Trapattoni tops this list with ease as the Italian has won eight European trophies during his long career, coaching 9 clubs and 3 national teams. He was part of the Milan team that won the 1963 and 1969 European Cup, as well as the 1968 European Cup Winners’ Cup.

He won four European trophies during his time as manager of Juventus, he also won the European Cup and European Cup Winners’ Cup once each, in 1985 and 1984 respectively. His most successful tournament was the UEFA Cup winning twice with Juventus in 1977 and 1993, also winning the trophy in 1991 with Internazionale during a spell away from the Turin club.

Trapattoni is one of only four coaches, alongside Ernst Happel, José Mourinho, and Tomislav Ivić to have won league titles (10) in four different countries. Alongside Udo Lattek, he is the only coach to have won all three major European club titles and the only one to make it with the same club. Also, he is the only one to have won all official continental club competitions and the world title, achieving this with Juventus during his first spell with the club.

He is one of the rare few to have won the European Cup, the Cup Winners' Cup and Intercontinental Cup as both a player and manager.

Complied Adekunle Adewale (@hrhmayowa)