Football management combines tactics, coaching, and a touch of genius to construct football teams with a tangible effect on the sport. With the recent appointment of Manolo Marquez, the new head coach of the Indian men's national football setup, now is the time to look back at the profound effect that elite administrators can have. While Marquez has shown the ability to transform young talents into polished professionals, let’s look at the top 10 greatest football managers in history and their monumental contributions to the game.

10. Giovanni Trapattoni – 23 Titles

Trap, Giovanni Trapattoni, is an Italian football legend, having coached a dynasty of the Italian top teams, Juventus, Inter Milan, and AC Milan. His trophy-laden stint at Juventus included six Serie A titles and European triumphs like the European Cup and the UEFA Cup Winners’ Cup, solidifying his reputation as a tactical mastermind.

9. José Mourinho – 25 Titles

Not many of the (controversial and successful) José Mourinhos' Managers (of) them are. Thanks to spells with Porto, Chelsea Real Madrid, etc, the trophy room of Mourinho is filled now with 25 trophies, with several of them Champions League trophies. His studies of approach and sociable personality maintain his standing in the ranks of the big boys.

8. Ottmar Hitzfeld – 25 Titles

Ottmar Hitzfeld's managerial talent was best known in the Bundesliga. As head of the clubs Borussia Dortmund and Bayern Munich, he obtained seven league titles and two Champions League titles, having a permanent range in German football.

7. Carlo Ancelotti – 28 Titles

Carlo Ancelotti's career path is a case in point of how one can compensate for and achieve greater heights by combining reliability and flexibility. As the only manager to win league titles across all five major European leagues, his Champions League wins, including a record-breaking fifth in 2024 for Real Madrid, demonstrate his constant success.

6. Luiz Felipe Scolari – 26 Titles

Scolari is fated to remain forever in the imagination as the Brazilian national team coach who delivered Brazil the World Cup trophy in 2002. Beyond international glory, he found success with clubs like Palmeiras and Gremio, amassing 26 titles during a career that highlighted his motivational prowess.

5. Jock Stein – 26 Titles

As a bona fide Scottish football legend, Jock Stein's success for Celtic is unsurpassed, with a European Cup in 1967 to boot, which, in turn, made Celtic the first British club to win it. Imperiousness in the realm of the house also contributed to his legendary stature.

4. Valeriy Lobanovskyi – 29 Titles

As a football tactician, Valeriy Lobanovskyi's initial methods turned Dynamo Kyiv into a contender for European championships. His 29 awards are 2 UEFA Cup winners' trophies and a legacy of tactical innovation in the game.

3. Mircea Lucescu – 32 Titles

The Romanian Mircea Lucescu enjoys the greatest standing and has been held in high regard for his extended period of service and his outstanding results in different areas. [Shakhtar Donetsk to Galatasaray] 32 titles represent his ability to adapt and show tactical flexibility, etc.

2. Pep Guardiola – 39 Titles

Pep Guardiola redefined modern football with his possession-based philosophy. Barcelona, Bayern Munich, and City's "sages of management" to date as of the 2023-24 season each held more than 39 trophies and guaranteed their position at the summit of the game.

1. Sir Alex Ferguson – 48 Titles

According to reports, Sir Alex Ferguson owns a collection of 48 books that are devoted to the history of football. His 27 years as the manager of Manchester United included 13 Premier League victories and two Champions League victories. Regenerative and innovative platforms created by Ferguson continued dominance and are thus at the forefront.

Not only did these managers win the title, but they revolutionized the game, creating footprints behind which the ceiling of future generations' imaginations will hang. This is the brilliance behind the modern version of football becoming the globally popular thing it is now.