Top 10 Football Managers With the Most Trophies in History
Managers Who Have Claimed the Most Trophies in Football
Trophy wins define success for football managers, no matter where they coach. Among the elite, Pep Guardiola, Carlo Ancelotti, Jose Mourinho, and Luiz Felipe Scolari remain active, while others have retired. Leading the list is Sir Alex Ferguson, who has secured a remarkable 49 trophies, far ahead of anyone else.
Some managers built their legacies in Western Europe, widely recognized by fans and media alike. Others earned their honors behind the Iron Curtain, making their feats less known globally. A few stayed mostly in their home countries, limiting their recognition to local fans.
10. Ottmar Hitzfeld – 26 Trophies
Hitzfeld spent his entire coaching career in Switzerland and Germany, retiring in 2014 as one of the greats. He managed Grasshoppers in Switzerland before moving to Borussia Dortmund in 1991, winning two Bundesliga titles and Dortmund's first Champions League in 1997. After departing Dortmund, he joined Bayern Munich, winning four Bundesliga titles (three consecutively), a Champions League in 2001, and multiple domestic cups. He later returned to Bayern briefly and finished his career managing Switzerland's national team.
- SC Zug: Nationalliga B
- Aarau: Swiss Cup
- Grasshopper: 2x Swiss Super League, 2x Swiss Cup, Swiss Super Cup
- Borussia Dortmund: 2x Bundesliga, Champions League, 2x DFB-Supercup
- Bayern Munich: 5x Bundesliga, Champions League, 3x DFB-Pokal, 4x DFB-Ligapokal, Intercontinental Cup
9. Jock Stein – 26 Trophies
Stein began coaching Celtic's reserves before moving to Dunfermline, where he won a Scottish Cup. Returning to Celtic in 1965, he led them to dominance with ten league titles (nine consecutively), eight Scottish Cups, six League Cups, and a historic European Cup win in 1967—the first British team to claim a continental treble.
- Dunfermline: Scottish Cup
- Celtic: European Cup, 10x Scottish League Championship, 8x Scottish Cup, 6x Scottish League Cup
8. Luiz Felipe Scolari – 26 Trophies
Scolari traveled widely, winning state championships in Brazil, the Kuwait Emir Cup, and major titles including Brazil’s World Cup victory in 2002. His club success included the Copa Libertadores and league titles in Brazil, China, and Uzbekistan. He also coached Portugal to the Euro 2004 final and Brazil to the Confederations Cup in 2013.
- Al Qadisiya: Kuwait Emir Cup
- Criciuma: Copa do Brasil, Campeonato Catarinense
- Gremio: Campeonato Gaucho x 3, Brasileiro Serie A, Copa do Brasil, Copa Libertadores, Recopa Sudamericana
- Palmeiras: Brasileiro Serie A, Copa do Brasil x 2, Copa Mercosur, Copa Libertadores
- Jubilo Iwata: J1 League
- Bunyodkor: Uzbek League
- Gangzhou Evergrande: Chinese Super League x 3, AFC Champions League, Chinese FA Cup, Chinese FA Super Cup
- Kuwait: Arabian Gulf Cup
- Brazil: FIFA World Cup, FIFA Confederations Cup
7. Jose Mourinho – 26 Trophies
Mourinho began under Sir Bobby Robson before making his name at Porto, winning a treble including the Champions League in 2004. At Chelsea, he set records with a Premier League title and won several domestic trophies. Later successes include another Champions League with Inter Milan in 2010 and titles in Spain and England. His latest trophy was the Europa Conference League with Roma in 2022.
- Porto: Primeira Liga x 2, Taça de Portugal, Supertaça Cândido de Oliveira, UEFA Cup, UEFA Champions League
- Chelsea: Premier League x 3, FA Cup, Football League Cup x 3, FA Community Shield
- Inter Milan: Serie A x 2, Coppa Italia, Supercoppa Italiana, UEFA Champions League
- Real Madrid: La Liga, Copa del Rey, Supercopa de España
- Manchester United: EFL Cup, FA Community Shield, UEFA Europa League
- Roma: UEFA Europa Conference League
6. Bill Struth – 30 Trophies
Struth served Rangers as assistant and then manager for over three decades, winning 18 Scottish Premiership titles and 10 Scottish Cups. Known for his strict discipline, he guided Rangers through one of their most successful eras before retiring in 1954.
- Rangers: 18x Scottish Premiership, 10x Scottish Cup, 2x Scottish League Cup
5. Carlo Ancelotti – 30 Trophies
Active since 1995, Ancelotti has won trophies across Europe's top five leagues. He's lifted the Champions League five times—more than any other manager—including twice with AC Milan and three with Real Madrid. His domestic titles include league wins in Italy, England, Germany, France, and Spain. Recently, he led Real Madrid to La Liga glory in 2024 and now manages Brazil.
- Juventus: UEFA Intertoto Cup
- AC Milan: Serie A, Coppa Italia, Supercoppa Italiana, 2x UEFA Champions League, 2x UEFA Super Cup, FIFA Club World Cup
- Chelsea: Premier League, FA Cup, Community Shield
- Paris Saint-Germain: Ligue 1
- Real Madrid: 2x La Liga, 2x Copa del Rey, 2x Supercopa de España, 3x UEFA Champions League, 3x UEFA Super Cup, 2x FIFA Club World Cup
- Bayern Munich: Bundesliga, 2x DFL-Supercup
4. Valeriy Lobanovskyi – 30 Trophies
Lobanovskyi's work with Dynamo Kyiv shaped Soviet and Ukrainian football in the 70s and 80s. His teams combined scientific methods with pressing tactics. Dynamo won eight Soviet Top League titles, six Soviet Cups, and multiple European trophies under him. He also managed the Soviet national team, narrowly missing the Euro 1988 title.
- Dnipro Dnipropetrovsk: Soviet First League
- Dynamo Kyiv: 8x Soviet Top League, 6x Soviet Cup, 3x Soviet Super Cup, 5x Ukrainian National League, 3x Ukrainian Cup, 2x European Cup Winners' Cup, European Super Cup, 3x CIS Cup
3. Mircea Lucescu – 38 Trophies
Lucescu's extensive career spanned Romania, Turkey, Ukraine, and Italy. He won titles with Dinamo Bucuresti and Rapid Bucuresti before a long spell at Shakhtar Donetsk brought eight Ukrainian league titles, six cups, seven super cups, and the UEFA Cup in 2009. He also claimed a Russian Cup with Zenit and ended his managerial career in 2023 after winning a domestic treble with Dynamo Kyiv.
- Dinamo Bucuresti: Divizia A, Cupa Romaniei
- Brescia: Anglo-Italian Cup
- Rapid Bucuresti: Divizia A, Cupa Romaniei, Supercupa Romaniei
- Galatasaray: Super Lig, UEFA Super Cup
- Besiktas: Super Lig
- Shakhtar Donetsk: 8x Ukrainian Premier League, 6x Ukrainian Cup, 7x Ukrainian Super Cup, UEFA Cup
- Zenit Saint Petersburg: Russian Super Cup
- Dynamo Kyiv: Ukrainian Premier League, Ukrainian Cup, Ukrainian Super Cup
2. Pep Guardiola – 41 Trophies
Guardiola might be the greatest ever or on track to become so. By age 53, he already boasts 41 trophies, possibly increasing before retirement. Starting at Barcelona, he won 14 trophies in four years, including the first-ever sextuple. At Bayern Munich, he added Bundesliga and cup wins but fell short of a third Champions League. His tenure at Manchester City cemented dominance in English football with six Premier League titles and finally a Champions League in 2023, plus multiple domestic cups and international trophies.
- Barcelona: 3x La Liga, 2x Copa del Rey, 3x Supercopa de España, 2x UEFA Champions League, 2x UEFA Super Cup, 2x FIFA Club World Cup
- Bayern Munich: 3x Bundesliga, 2x DFB Pokal, UEFA Super Cup, FIFA Club World Cup
- Manchester City: 6x Premier League, 3x FA Cup, 5x EFL Cup, 2x FA Community Shield, UEFA Super Cup, FIFA Club World Cup
1. Sir Alex Ferguson – 49 Trophies
Ferguson’s trophy count is unmatched. Starting at St Mirren with a second-tier title, he moved to Aberdeen, winning three league titles, four Scottish Cups, and a European Cup Winners’ Cup in 1983. Joining Manchester United in 1986, his early years were tough, but from 1990 to 2013, he averaged nearly two trophies per season. United dominated England and Europe under him, securing 13 Premier League titles, multiple domestic cups, two Champions Leagues, and world club championships. He remains a legend at Old Trafford and beyond.
- St Mirren: Scottish First Division
- Aberdeen: 3x Scottish Premier Division, 4x Scottish Cup, Scottish League Cup, European Cup Winners' Cup, European Super Cup
- Manchester United: 13x Premier League, 5x FA Cup, 4x Football League Cup, 10x FA Community Shield, 2x UEFA Champions League, European Cup Winners' Cup, European Super Cup, Intercontinental Cup, FIFA Club World Cup
Summary: Top 10 Managers by Trophies Won
- 1. Sir Alex Ferguson: 49 trophies, active 1974-2013
- 2. Pep Guardiola: 41 trophies, 2007-present
- 3. Mircea Lucescu: 38 trophies, 1979-2023
- 4. Valeriy Lobanovskyi: 30 trophies, 1969-2001
- 5. Carlo Ancelotti: 30 trophies, 1995-present
- 6. Bill Struth: 30 trophies, 1920-1954
- 7. Jose Mourinho: 26 trophies, 2000-present
- 8. Luiz Felipe Scolari: 26 trophies, 1982-present
- 9. Jock Stein: 26 trophies, 1960-1985
- 10. Ottmar Hitzfeld: 26 trophies, 1983-2014
