Ranked: Best and worst manager jobs for clubs and national teams

Will there be any significant managerial positions that remain unfilled shortly?

Statistics suggest otherwise. The typical tenure for a manager in England is just under a season and a half. In other words, any head coach who manages to see through two complete seasons is exceeding expectations.

This average includes everyone, and almost all teams in England operate under a financial crunch. With the threat of relegation or promotion hanging over almost every professional club, “panic” becomes the default mindset. When you’re concerned about a poor performance costing your franchise millions, the simplest solution is to dismiss the coach.

yet, a select few clubs in Europe are insulated from this instability: large clubs that can remain profitable even amid consecutive poor seasons. You might assume these teams would be less inclined to make frequent changes, but that’s not the case.

In England, Chelsea is hiring a new coach every couple of months, Tottenham Hotspur’s Thomas Frank is on precariously thin ice, and Manchester United is managed by Michael Carrick, whose contract extends only until May. Pep Guardiola may leave Manchester City in the next couple of seasons. Arne Slot is not safe despite winning Liverpool’s second-ever Premier League title only a year ago. While Mikel Arteta seems secure at Arsenal with the Gunners pursuing a potential quadruple, he won’t remain forever … right?

Beyond England, Real Madrid hasn’t confirmed whether Álvaro Arbeloa will remain after this season. Luis Enrique’s contract with Paris Saint-Germain expires after next season, while Barcelona’s Hansi Flick has not outlasted a couple of seasons at his previous stops. Diego Simeone suddenly finds himself working under new private-equity owners at Atlético Madrid, Bayern Munich’s board is notoriously discontent, and Italian clubs seem to operationalize coaching changes as a time-honored tradition.

We haven’t even touched on the approaching World Cup this summer. This means many of the world’s most notable coaches—such as Thomas Tuchel, Julian Nagelsmann, Carlo Ancelotti, and Mauricio Pochettino—might also be seeking new opportunities shortly. and, several of the wealthiest national teams could be in the market for new managers.

In anticipation of what seems like an impending upheaval in managerial ranks, we’ve compiled and ranked the 25 most prestigious club and national jobs globally, from most to least desirable.

Ranking Methodology

Simplicity is crucial when ranking methodologies. so, this list utilizes three equally weighted factors: (1) How much does the coach earn? (2) How stable is the role? (3) How skilled is the team?

To assess salary, I researched various managerial earnings and made estimates when necessary. This is based on what the present coach is earning. It may not be flawless, but it shares equal weight with the other two metrics to prevent bias towards inflated salaries.

Regarding stability, I looked into the number of different managers who have coached at least 10 games for the team this decade. Market valuations from Transfermarkt will serve as a proxy for talent assessment.

The selected teams for this list include the Premier League’s “Big Six,” the “Big Three” from Spain, Bayern Munich and Borussia Dortmund from Germany, the two Milan clubs in Italy, and Paris Saint-Germain from France. In terms of national teams, I selected the traditional top nine: Argentina, Brazil, Spain, France, England, Germany, Portugal, Italy, and the Netherlands—then added Mexico and the United States, knowing my audience.

Pep Guardiola has been at the helm for nearly a decade, commands a high salary, and oversees one of the world’s most talented squads.

Manchester City benefits from virtually unlimited sovereign wealth, and the funds are allocated through a vast, professional global structure—not the whim of an aggrieved prince. For a club capable of making impulsive decisions, City seldom does so.

What these rankings can’t account for: the next coach might not receive the same support or patience Guardiola did, you’re associated with an organization listed on Amnesty International’s website, and the club’s 115 financial allegations for purported Premier League rule violations will loom over the new coach.

In terms of job situation, this parallels the City position—minus the complexities of funding from a sovereign entity. The pay might not be as lucrative, but you get to experience life in London. and, Arsenal appears to possess a team well-equipped for the immediate future.

Similar to City, the next Arsenal manager after Mikel Arteta likely won’t receive the same leniency and authority as Arteta. Nevertheless, this is generally a wealthy team willing to invest, having shown an ability to spend wisely, and it is unlikely to terminate your contract after just a few disappointing results.

If I were to categorize these, this would mark the apex of the top tier, underscoring the unique positions of Guardiola, Arteta, and Diego Simeone in modern football. They are, according to most evaluations, the three highest-paid coaches in the sport, with Simeone topping the list. plus, they are the three longest-serving coaches at the Champions League level, with Simeone entering his 14th year.

From a broader perspective, Atlético Madrid appears to be the perfect role: you’re compensated more than any other coach globally, you’re situated in a vibrant city that easily lures players, and you’re spared from the towering expectations that come with managing Real Madrid. When closely observed, the view improves: Simeone might be football’s last genuine manager, having an unparalleled influence over Atlético Madrid’s direction compared to any other high-profile club head coach.

The lingering question, however, is: how much longer can this continue? Apollo Global Capital, a private-equity firm managing approximately $900 billion in assets, acquired Atlético Madrid in November. Do you really believe they will allow the coach to continue making all the major choices at the club?

Currently, these two national teams—France and Brazil—constitute the highest level of talent worldwide, and that status is unlikely to shift soon. Didier Deschamps has guided France since 2012, while Gareth Southgate enjoyed nearly a decade before Thomas Tuchel replaced him; Tuchel automatically emerged as one of the highest-paid national team managers.

You won’t earn the same as you would at a top European club, nor will you be able to cultivate talent or implement complex strategies as you can in a club setting. yet, coaching world-class players is a benefit; it’s significantly less stressful, allowing you more family time.

If you want a lucrative paycheck for managing the best talent globally but fear being dismissed just because those players don’t favor your approach or because of a sudden realization from higher-ups about the unpredictability of Champions League knockout rounds, then these two roles are ideal.

I would probably elevate this role if these rankings were subjective, as Liverpool has demonstrated a willingness to compensate a manager well, evident in their decisions for Jürgen Klopp, coupling it with the most methodical decision-making among the clubs listed. also, they have an impressive track record regarding organizational structure.

Still, I doubt they’ll offer as high a salary for their next manager as they did for Klopp, as they seem to prefer a head coach model, a role Slot currently occupies. also, lingering uncertainties surround Richard Hughes, the club’s sporting director since 2024. This summer marked the first time in around a decade where one could observe Liverpool’s actions and think, “I’m not entirely sure what the plan is here.”

Spain compensated Luis Enrique more than what the current manager Luis de la Fuente is earning; hence, a more prominent figure could still command substantial earnings while managing La Roja. You’re also banking on Lamine Yamal, potentially enjoying 15 more years of elite performance from this versatile star.

even so, I still believe England and France present a lower risk of experiencing a talent drop-off between generations compared to Spain.

Coaching Lionel Messi with Argentina feels like a surefire success in sports. even with lacking a proven track record in top-level management, Lionel Scaloni managed to do so, currently holding three consecutive major trophies and maintaining the title of World Cup champion since taking over in 2018.

yet, if we consider the history prior to 2018, there were no major trophies, plenty of psychological distress, and three different managers in the three preceding years. I question how stable and consistently successful this role will remain once Messi retires.

Currently managing Cristiano Ronaldo feels like a daunting task. You essentially must persuade one of the most prominent and powerful athletes in history that he should come off the bench or cannot play a full 90 minutes regularly. If this proves implausible, which it likely will, you must create a team strategy revolving around a mostly immobile 41-year-old forward who still attempts ill-advised shots and has little defensive contribution.

That said, the Portuguese federation has only had five full-time managers since the 2002 World Cup, and plenty of talent awaits discovery in the post-Ronaldo era.

Interestingly, Germany and Bayern Munich ended up with identical scores based on the three inputs. yet, the two positions might not be more different.

The German federation has revamped the domestic structure since 2004 and is generally regarded as a forward-thinking authority in the sport. Compared to the previously bruising and tedious styles, modern Germany is inclined to embrace an aggressive, creative, possession-based form of soccer—something we used to see at the highest club levels. Since 2006, there have been three managers for the national team.

If you’re leading Bayern, you enjoy a significant salary and command an excellent team, but winning the Bundesliga has diminished in significance; it loses its charm after clinching 12 titles in the last 13 seasons. plus, the club’s board routinely vents discontent to the media over various issues.

This is among the few national team roles that can rival top club positions in terms of potential salary. and, Brazil boasts a vast, predominantly soccer-centric population continually generating talent.

Yet, the expectations are almost untenable: You are tasked with replicating the historic success of a nation that is no longer the world’s talent base, while also upholding the fluid and joyous style of play synonymous with Brazil. If anyone can achieve this, it’s likely current manager Carlo Ancelotti.

even with stabilizing under Hansi Flick, we need only reflect on a recent past where Barcelona struggled to balance financial obligations while securing players like Robert Lewandowski, even publicly pressuring Frenkie de Jong to accept a pay reduction.

Luis Enrique achieved everything with Barcelona, yet he faced fan dissatisfaction from the outset, ultimately serving only two seasons after clinching the Champions League title. Their capacity to pay top-tier salaries for management positions is also in question. The prospect of managing Barcelona is genuinely stressful.

The club invested significantly to bring Thomas Frank from Brentford, signaling a willingness to financially commit to managerial talent. Though they’ve had five coaches since 2020, I would argue this owes more to their decision-making rather than an overly short trigger.

and, their decision-makers have evolved over the past five years, while Thomas Frank finds his team hovering near the relegation zone. I suspect he would have been dismissed at numerous clubs on this list already.

This situation seems more like a case of “it can’t get any worse.”

Italy hasn’t secured a World Cup victory since winning the title in 2006. Statistical trends suggest that accepting this job could naturally lead to improved results, even through random chance. yet, the talent level appears significantly inferior compared to previously mentioned countries, and improvements seem unlikely shortly.

The highest-paid coach globally is former Inter Milan manager Simone Inzaghi, reportedly earning close to $30 million annually with Al Ahli in Saudi Arabia. Meanwhile, current Inter Milan manager Cristian Chivu might be the least compensated on this list.

even so, Inter continues to perform well and currently looks to be the strongest team in Serie A this year. The past decade of success has firmly established Inter Milan as the predominant club in Italy.

A significant number of American fans view this as a fantastic role, especially after hedge-fund billionaires pooled resources to compensate the U.S. men’s national team manager $6 million annually for potentially only coaching three critical matches over two years.

Consider this for a moment: Mauricio Pochettino might coach just three games of real significance during the World Cup. The Gold Cup had neither his elite roster nor did the Nations League hold much weight, and there were no qualifiers for the World Cup. A successful tenure for Pochettino might entail advancing past the group stage this summer and winning a match, resulting in a grand total of five competitive matches as U.S. national team manager.

This situation is, of course, an anomaly: he took charge after the 2024 Copa America, missing the only significant continental tournament of this cycle, and as hosts, the U.S. avoided qualifying for the World Cup. Nevertheless, I speculate that national team coaching roles may grow in appeal to high-profile coaches now that many clubs are adopting structures designed to diminish managerial influence.

As a national team coach, you receive limited training time, and the style of play is often more basic; yet, you’re free to select your players and ultimately serve as the face of the federation.

If the U.S. continues offering substantial salaries like Pochettino’s and maintaining relatively low expectations of performance on the global stage, this role will likely remain favorable.

It’s amusing how many of these interconnected jobs tend to cluster: England and France, Germany and Bayern, Inter and Italy, and the U.S. Men’s National Team and AC Milan.

While managing Christian Pulisic for his national side may yield lower pay compared to his club prospects, you’re far less likely to be dismissed.

Why does this position rank lower than the U.S. Men’s National Team role?

truly, your chances of capturing a World Cup with the Netherlands are significantly higher due to their superior players compared to the U.S. yet, you’re also more vulnerable to job termination after a few unsatisfactory performances and unlikely to receive compensation as great as Pochettino’s.

Unrealistic expectations? Front office disarray? A position that has bedeviled numerous predecessors over the last decade and a half? Greater financial constraints than many realize, owing to troubling upheavals? So, why is this not relegated to the bottom of the list?

The potential that the role holds is unmistakably highlighted by current events: Michael Carrick has secured four victories already, and people are already hailing him as a savior. plus, the compensation is commendable, with room for future increases. Keep in mind, though, that United’s five managers since 2020 don’t represent the top turnover rate on this list…

No, that title goes to Chelsea, with their seven managers since the onset of the pandemic. While we witness stark changes under new ownership with BlueCo compared to Roman Abramovich’s era, this is one area where the new owners have upheld club tradition. Perhaps they have even amplified it.

During Abramovich’s final four seasons as owner, Chelsea employed four distinct managers: Thomas Tuchel, Frank Lampard, Maurizio Sarri, and Antonio Conte. In BlueCo’s first four seasons, they’ve already cycled through six: Tuchel, Graham Potter, Lampard, Pochettino, Enzo Maresca, and currently, Liam Rosenior.

Jürgen Klopp and Thomas Tuchel led Dortmund for a collective nine seasons. Since then, they have had nine distinct full-time managers across nine years, including Edin Terzic, who had two stints.

No longer characterized as a club with a definitive identity or commitment to player development, the primary remaining advantage of managing Dortmund lies in receiving a decent paycheck.

If you’re interested in a role where the expectations are even more unattainable than at Manchester United—where your players aren’t as talented, your salary may be halved (or even less), and you’re just as likely to be dismissed after a few disappointing matches—please submit your résumés to the Mexican Football Federation in Toluca.