Ranking the Best Premier League Managers of All Time
By
Richard Janvrin
Contributor Updated: 03 September 2024
Richard Janvrin Contributor
Richard has been writing about sports since he was a teenager. Still, his first professional role came in 2015, covering all things NFL and fantasy football-related. From there, in December 2018, he started in the sports betting industry, covering sportsbook reviews before arriving to where he is today.
Best Premier League Managers of All Time
The Premier League was established in 1992, and over that time, countless prolific managers have come through the ranks. Whether they were known for their ability to draw up plays or demonstrate elite leadership, the best Premier League managers have helped lead clubs to prominence within the league.
Understanding the impact of these managers is vital when you visit sportsbooks with Premier League markets to wager, as you can add that to your repertoire of making educated bets.
Below, I’ll explore the best Premier League managers of all time, looking at their achievements, accolades, and overall impact on the sport.
Let’s dive in.
- 11. Rafael Benítez
- 10. Antonio Conte
- 9. Sir Kenny Dalglish
- 8. Roberto Mancini
- 7. Claudio Ranieri
- 6. Carlo Ancelotti
- 5. Jürgen Klopp
- 4. José Mourinho
- 3. Arsène Wenger
- 2. Pep Guardiola
- 1. Sir Alex Ferguson
11. Rafael Benítez
Kicking off my list of the best managers in the Premier League is Rafael Benitez.
Coaching Liverpool, Chelsea, and Newcastle United, Benitez racked up many accolades in the Premier League, including an FA Cup and UEFA Champions League title with Liverpool and a Europa League title with Chelsea.
He helped keep Steven Gerrard with Liverpool and, when he arrived there, signed numerous La Liga players who became fan favorites.
While Benitez never won a Premier League title, he did finish in second place with Liverpool during the 2008-09 season.
Benitez, one of the best Premier League managers ever, will be remembered fondly for sticking it out with Newcastle after relegation and leading them back to prominence.
10. Antonio Conte
Next up on my list of the best Premier League managers of all time is Antonio Conte.
Known for his time with Chelsea and Tottenham, Conte won the Premier League title with Chelsea in 2016 and the FA Cup in 2018.
While it’s not necessarily a quality that would make someone one of the best managers in the Premier League, Conte is also one of the most charismatic managers the game has ever seen.
His Premier League title win with Chelsea in 2016 was even better because it was his first season with the club. That season, they won 30 of 38 games.
9. Sir Kenny Dalglish
Dalglish coached the Blackburn Rovers from 1991 to 1995, had two stints with Liverpool from 1985 to 1991 and again from 2011 to 2012, and also spent two seasons with Newcastle United.
Dalglish will go down in history for leading Blackburn to their first league title win in 80 years in 1995, which led him to become one of the best Premier League managers of all time.
He also won the League Cup with Liverpool in 2012, his final season as a manager.
8. Roberto Mancini
Mancini coached Manchester City from 2009 to 2013, and in 2012, he led them to their first Premier League title. This was the start of the club’s dominance, as they would win six from 2017 through 2024.
Manchester City winning that Premier League title was also their first league title in 44 years, and while we have Mancini to thank, we also have to thank Sergio Aguero for his goal in the 94th minute on the final day of the season.
Mancini will also be responsible for bringing in some of the club’s best players, including David Silva, Yaya Toure, and Aguero.
7. Claudio Ranieri
There are some English Premier League coaches below Ranieri that I could be talked into putting above him, but his Premier League title with Leicester City in 2016 was simply unfathomable. Leicester City were 5000-1 odds to win it, and it’s easily one of the biggest upsets in sports history.
That would be like if, in 2024, Aston Villa won the title over heavyweight competitors like Manchester City, Arsenal, and Liverpool.
Ranieri also coached Chelsea, Fulham, and Watford, but his Leicester City stint is the most memorable.
6. Carlo Ancelotti
Like Ranieri, some managers may have a better overall resume than Ancelotti, but his domestic double in 2010, which included a Premier League title, FA Cup, and League Cup win, showed his ability to become a heavyweight contender in one of the most competitive environments in sports.
Although Ancelotti didn’t spend much time in the Premier League, his winning percentage above 60% is among the best in the League’s history.
5. Jürgen Klopp
Klopp is taking some time away from managing following the 2024 season, but he left a mark that’ll be remembered forever with Liverpool. He coached the club from 2015 through this most recent season. During his time, he won a Premier League title (2020), FA Cup (2022), League Cup (2022), and UEFA Champions League title (2019).
Before his league title win, Liverpool had a 30-year drought; thus, he’s one of the best managers ever.
4. José Mourinho
Coaching Chelsea, Manchester United, and Tottenham Hotspur, Mourinho won three Premier League titles (2005, 2006, and 2015), one FA Cup (2007), and four League Cups (three with Chelsea and one with Manchester United).
His Premier League title with Chelsea ended a 50-year drought of a big-time win, and not only did he win it in 2005, but he also won it again in 2006. This came after he led Porto to a Champions League win the year before arriving in England.
He’s currently managing Fenerbahce, a Turkish club.
3. Arsène Wenger
Wenger coached Arsenal from 1996 to 2018, and during that time, he brought in three Premier League titles (1998, 2002, and 2004), seven FA Cups (1998, 2002, 2003, 2005, 2014, 2015, 2017), and also went undefeated during the 2003-04 campaign. They won 49 consecutive matches.
2. Pep Guardiola
Guardiola has been the manager of Manchester City since 2016. Over that time, the club has won six Premier League titles, been voted Manager of the Season five times, and won various other awards, such as two FA Cups, four League Cups, and one UEFA Champions League title.
As of the conclusion of the 2023-24 season, Guardiola has 225 wins, 41 draws, and 38 losses.
He’s still actively coaching Manchester City and will look to add more hardware.
1. Sir Alex Ferguson
This one was quite obvious, but Sir Alex Ferguson sits atop the best managers in Premier League history of rankings everywhere.
He managed Manchester United from 1986 through 2013 and was there at the inception of the Premier League.
He led Manchester United to 13 Premier League titles, five FA Cups, four League Cups, two UEFA Champions League titles, and several other titles, both domestically and abroad.
Guardiola still has many wins to go to catch Ferguson.
