Ranking the most successful managers in football history by trophies won
Manchester United icon Sir Alex Ferguson is considered by many to be the greatest manager in football history – but how does his trophy record stack up against other legendary figures?
Ferguson won plenty of silverware during his 26-year spell at Old Trafford, making him by far the most successful manager of his era.
There’s been other bosses from different countries that can match the Scot’s trophy haul – but are they more successful than Ferguson?
Pep Guardiola recently moved up to second on the list after he guided Manchester City to a fourth consecutive Premier League title.
We’ve taken a deep dive into the most successful managers in football history by trophies won to answer that very question.
10. Giovanni Trapattoni – 23
Juventus – 14
Serie A x 6 (1976–77, 1977–78, 1980–81, 1981–82, 1983–84, 1985–86)
Coppa Italia x 2 (1978–79, 1982–83)
European Cup x 1 (1984–85)
UEFA Cup Winners’ Cup x 1 (1983–84)
UEFA Cup x 2 (1976–77, 1992–93)
European Super Cup x 1 (1984)
Intercontinental Cup x 1 (1985)
Inter – 3
Serie A x (1988–89)
Supercoppa Italiana x 1 (1989)
UEFA Cup x 1 (1990–91)
Bayern Munich – 3
Bundesliga x 1 (1996–97)
DFB Pokal x 1 (1997–98)
DFB Ligapokalx 1 (1997)
Benfica – 1
Primeira Liga x 1 (2004–05)
Red Bull Salzburg – 1
Austrian Bundesliga x 1 (2006–07)
Republic of Ireland – 1
Nations Cup x 1 (2011)
9. Luiz Felipe Scolari – 24
Al Qadisiya – 1
Kuwait Emir Cup x 1 (1989)
Kuwait – 1
Arabian Gulf Cup x 1 (1990)
Criciuma – 1
Copa do Brasil x (1991)
Gremio – 4
Campeonato Brasileiro Serie A x 1 (1996)
Copa do Brasil x 1 (1994)
Copa Libertadores x 1 (1995)
Recopa Sudamericana x 1 (1996)
Palmeiras – 6
Campeonato Brasileiro Serie A x 1 (2018)
Copa do Brasil x 2 (1998, 2012)
Copa Mercosur x 1 (1998)
Copa Libertadores x 1 (1999)
Torneio Rio-Sao Paulo x 1 (2000)
Cruzeiro – 1
Copa Sul-Minas x 1 (2001)
Brazil – 2
FIFA World Cup x 1 (2002)
FIFA Confederations Cup x 1 (2013)
Bunyodkor – 1
Uzbek League x 1 (2009)
Guangzhou Evergrande – 7
Chinese Super League x 3 (2015, 2016, 2017)
AFC Champions League x 1 (2015)
Chinese FA Cup x 1 (2016)
Chinese FA Super Cup x 2 (2016, 2017)
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=7. Ottmar Hitzfeld – 26
SC Zug – 1
Nationalliga B champions x 1 (1983–84)
Aarau – 1
Swiss Cup x 1 (1985)
Grasshopper – 5
Swiss Super League x 2 (1989–90, 1990–91)
Swiss Cup x 2 (1988–89, 1989–90)
Swiss Super Cup x 1 (1989)
Borussia Dortmund – 5
Bundesliga x 2 (1994–95, 1995–96)
DFB Supercup x 2 (1995, 1996)
UEFA Champions League x 1 (1996–97)
Bayern Munich – 14
Bundesliga x 5 (1998–99, 1999–2000, 2000–01, 2002–03, 2007–08)
DFB Pokal x 3 (1999–2000, 2002–03, 2007–08)
DFB Ligapokal x 4 (1998, 1999, 2000, 2007)
UEFA Champions League x 1 (2000–01)
Intercontinental Cup x 1 (2001)
=7. Jose Mourinho – 26
Porto – 6
Primeira Liga x 2 (2002–03, 2003–04)
Taca de Portugal x 1 (2002–03)
Supertaca Candido de Oliveira x 1 (2003)
UEFA Champions League x 1 (2003–04)
UEFA Cup x 1 (2002–03)
Chelsea – 8
Premier League x 3 (2004–05, 2005–06, 2014–15)
FA Cup x 1 (2006–07)
Football League Cup x 3 (2004–05, 2006–07, 2014–15)
FA Community Shield x 1 (2005)
Inter – 5
Serie A x 2 (2008–09, 2009–10)
Coppa Italia x 1 (2009–10)
Supercoppa Italiana x 1 (2008)
UEFA Champions League x 1 (2009–10)
Real Madrid – 3
La Liga x 1 (2011–12)
Copa del Rey x 1 (2010–11)
Supercopa de Espana x 1 (2012)
Manchester United – 3
League Cup x 1 (2016–17)
Community Shield x 1 (2016)
UEFA Europa League x 1 (2016–17)
Roma – 1
UEFA Europa Conference League x 1 (2021–22)
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6. Carlo Ancelotti – 29
Juventus – 1
UEFA Intertoto Cup x 1 (1999)
AC Milan – 8
Serie A x 1 (2003–04)
Coppa Italia x 1 (2002–03)
Supercoppa Italiana x 1 (2004)
UEFA Champions League x 2 (2002–03, 2006–07)
UEFA Super Cup x 2 (2003, 2007)
FIFA Club World Cup x 2 (2007)
Chelsea x 3
Premier League (2009–10)
FA Cup x 1 (2009–10)
Community Shield x 1 (2009)
PSG – 1
Ligue 1 x 1 (2012–13)
Real Madrid – 12
La Liga x 2 (2021–22, 2023-24)
Copa del Rey x 2 (2013–14, 2022-23)
Supercopa de Espana x 2 (2021–22, 2023-24)
UEFA Champions League x 3 (2013–14, 2021–22, 2023-24)
UEFA Super Cup x 2 (2014, 2022)
FIFA Club World Cup x 2 (2014, 2022)
Bayern Munich – 3
Bundesliga x 1 (2016–17)
DFL-Supercup x 2 (2016, 2017)
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5. Valeriy Lobanovskyi – 36
Dnipro Dnipropetrovsk – 1
Soviet First League (1): 1971
Dynamo Kyiv – 34
Soviet Top League x 8 (1974, 1975, 1977, 1980, 1981, 1985, 1986, 1990)
Soviet Cup x 6 (1974, 1978, 1982, 1985, 1987, 1990)
USSR Super Cup x 3 (1980, 1985, 1986)
Dynamo Games of the USSR x 1 (1987)
Ukrainian National League x 5 (1997, 1998, 1999, 2000, 2001)
Ukrainian Cup x 3 (1998, 1999, 2000)
European Cup Winners’ Cup x 2 (1975, 1986)
European Super Cup x 1 (1975)
Commonwealth of Independent States Cup x 3 (1997, 1998, 2002)
Kuwait – 1
Gulf Cup of Nations x 1 (1996)
=3. Jock Stein – 38
Dunfermline Athletic – 5
Scottish Cup x 1 (1960–61)
Fife Cup x 3 (1959–60, 1960–61, 1962–63)
Penman Cup x 1 (1959–60)
Hibernian – 1
Summer Cup x 1 (1963–64)
Celtic – 31
European Cup x 1 (1966–67)
Scottish league championship x 10 (1965–66, 1966–67, 1967–68, 1968–69, 1969–70, 1970–71, 1971–72, 1972–73, 1973–74, 1976–77)
Scottish Cup x 8 (1964–65, 1966–67, 1968–69, 1970–71, 1971–72, 1973–74, 1974–75, 1976–77)
Scottish League Cup x 6 (1965–66, 1966–67, 1967–68, 1968–69, 1969–70, 1974–75)
Drybrough Cup x 1 (1974)
Glasgow Cup x 5 (1964–65, 1966–67, 1967–68, 1969–70, 1974–75)
Scotland – 1
Rous Cup x 1 (1985)
=3. Mircea Lucescu – 38
Corvinul Hunedoara x 1
Divizia B x 1 (1979–80)
Dinamo Bucuresti – 3
Divizia A x 1 (1989–90)
Cupa Romaniei x 3 (1985–86, 1989–90)
Brescia – 2
Serie B x 1 (1991–92)
Anglo-Italian Cup x 1 (1993–94)
Rapid Bucuresti – 3
Divizia A x 1 (1998–99)
Cupa Romaniei x 1(1997–98)
Supercupa Romaniei x 1 (1999)
Galatasaray – 2
Turkish Super Lig x 1 (2001–02)
UEFA Super Cup x 1 (2000)
Besiktas – 1
Turkish Super Lig x 1 (2002-03)
Shakhtar Donetsk – 22
Ukrainian Premier League x 8 (2004–05, 2005–06, 2007–08, 2009–10, 2010–11, 2011–12, 2012–13, 2013–14)
Ukrainian Cup x 6 (2003–04, 2007–08, 2010–11, 2011–12, 2012–13, 2015–16)
Ukrainian Super Cup x 7 (2005, 2008, 2010, 2012, 2013, 2014, 2015)
UEFA Cup x 1 (2008–09)
Zenit Saint Petersburg – 1
Russian Super Cup x 1 (2016)
Dynamo Kyiv – 3
Ukrainian Premier League x 1 (2020–21)
Ukrainian Cup x 1 (2020–21)
Ukrainian Super Cup x 1 (2020)
2. Pep Guardiola – 39
Barcelona B – 1
Tercera Division x 1 (2007-08)
Barcelona – 14
La Liga x 3 (2008–09, 2009–10, 2010–11)
Copa del Rey x 2 (2008–09, 2011–12
Supercopa de Espana x 3 (2009, 2010, 2011)
UEFA Champions League x 2 (2008–09, 2010–11)
UEFA Super Cup x 2 (2009, 2011)
FIFA Club World Cup x 2 (2009, 2011)
Bayern Munich – 7
Bundesliga x 3 (2013–14, 2014–15, 2015–16)
DFB-Pokal x 2 (2013–14, 2015–16)
UEFA Super Cup x 1 (2013)
FIFA Club World Cup x 1 (2013)
Manchester City – 17
Premier League x 6 (2017–18, 2018–19, 2020–21, 2021–22, 2022-23, 2023-24)
FA Cup x 2 (2018–19, 2022-23)
League Cup x 4 (2017–18, 2018–19, 2019–20, 2020–21)
UEFA Champions League x 1 (2022-23)
Community Shield x 2 (2018, 2019)
FIFA Club World Cup x 1 (2023)
UEFA Super Cup x 1 (2023)
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1. Sir Alex Ferguson – 50
St Mirren – 1
Scottish First Division x 1 (1976-77)
Aberdeen – 11
Scottish Premier Division x 3 (1979-80, 1983-84, 1984-85)
Scottish Cup x 4 (1981-82, 1982-83, 1983-84, 1985-86)
Scottish League Cup x 1 (1985-86)
Drybrough Cup x 1 (1980)
European Cup Winners’ Cup x 1 (1982-83)
European Super Cup x 1 (1983)
Manchester United – 38
Premier League x 13 (1992–93, 1993–94, 1995–96, 1996–97, 1998–99, 1999–2000, 2000–01, 2002–03, 2006–07, 2007–08, 2008–09, 2010–11, 2012–13)
FA Cup x 5 (1989–90, 1993–94, 1995–96, 1998–99, 2003–04)
League Cup x 4 (1991–92, 2005–06, 2008–09, 2009–10)
Community Shield x 10 (1990 [shared], 1993, 1994, 1996, 1997, 2003, 2007, 2008, 2010, 2011)
UEFA Champions League x 2 (1998–99, 2007–08)
European Cup Winners’ Cup x 1 (1990–91)
European Super Cup x 1 (1991)
Intercontinental Cup x 1 (1999)
FIFA Club World Cup x 1 (2008)