The 10 best young football managers today
In modern football, the appearance of young but talented managers is becoming increasingly common. The combination of a creative spirit, extensive professional knowledge, and the ability to work effectively with generations of players has had a significant impact on the football world. From radically changing the way their teams play to developing and facilitating the growth of young talent, these young managers have proven their abilities and are standing out at the top clubs in the world. In the following article, Kingsoccertips experts will explore with you the 10 best young football managers today to learn how they make this sport more interesting and attractive for fans.
List of the best young football managers that you may not know
1. Will Still (31 years old)
Will Still, 31, born in Belgium to an English family, began attracting attention when he was appointed coach of Reims in October 2022. Before that, he worked as an assistant manager starting in July 2021. Media attention focused on Still’s youth when he received the honor at the age of 30. In addition, the club faced a fine of 25,000 euros (equivalent to £21,000) per match due to his lack of a UEFA Professional License. However, in March 2023, Still started the relevant course to obtain his UEFA Professional License, which eventually led to the fine being imposed.
In the 2023/24 season, continues to demonstrate his managerial prowess in a challenging season in the French top flight, solidifying his reputation as one of the best young football managers. In the 2023/24 season, continues to demonstrate his managerial prowess in a challenging season in the French top flight.
2. Francesco Farioli (34 years old)
After gaining experience with Turkish team Alanyaspor, Farioli has started a new journey with OGC Nice ahead of the 2023/24 season. Similar to Still’s impact at Reims, Farioli’s transition to the coaching position was not easy. Despite lacking the support of a traditional background, Farioli’s approach to football based on philosophy and sports science made him unique.
Farioli began his coaching career in football as a goalkeeper coach for Margine Coperta from 2009 to 2011. But really, it was his appointment as coach of OGC Nice that made him the center of attention. In a competition where Paris Saint-Germain has regularly dominated, winning seven of the last nine titles, Farioli has made a huge impact with OGC Nice, establishing himself as one of the best young football managers in the league.
3. Matthias Jaissle (35 years old)
Red Bull Salzburg is not only famous for producing excellent players but also for nurturing good coaches. This is a ‘factory’ that produces effective leaders, with names such as Roger Schmidt, Adi Hutter, Marco Rose, and Jesse Marsch having worked or currently working here. Now, Matthias Jaissle is part of this tradition, and he is gradually asserting his position.
Starting his playing career at Hoffenheim, Jaissle then became an assistant coach at Brondby before being invited by Salzburg to coach the U18 team. After just three months at the second-tier Liefering club, Jaissle was brought back to Salzburg and took on the responsibility of leading the team.
4. Julian Nagelsmann (36 years old)
Julian Nagelsmann (36 years old) is a talented coach who is praised as a genius in German football. He took charge at Hoffenheim before turning 30 and made his mark with notable achievements, including securing the club’s first Champions League qualification. At the age of 32, he led RB Leipzig to the Champions League semi-finals for the first time in history. After two impressive seasons with Leipzig, he was chosen by Bayern Munich as Hansi Flick’s replacement.
In his first season leading Bayern, at the age of 35, Nagelsmann won the Bundesliga championship. However, midway through the next season, he was suddenly fired and replaced by Thomas Tuchel. This decision is considered unfair and wrong by many, given Nagelsmann’s achievements and reputation as one of the best young football managers.
5. Vincent Kompany (37 years old)
Vincent Kompany (37 years old), former captain of Manchester City, faced a difficult challenge when taking over as coach of Burnley after they switched from an entrenched style of play under Sean Dyche. With experience from managing Anderlecht, Kompany is considered the most suitable person for this task. Hoping to re-establish Burnley in the Premier League after their relegation in the 2021/22 season, all eyes are on Kompany.
Relegation often means major adjustments within the club to minimize financial pressure. However, Burnley fans don’t need to worry too much. Under Kompany’s direction, the club performed impressively, winning the league title in a challenging season. They lost just three games and surpassed the 100-point mark.
6. Domenico Tedesco (38 years old)
Domenico Tedesco (38 years old) is one of the best young football managers and was once praised as a genius in football. In 2017, Tedesco made a strong impression by leading Schalke to the runner-up position in the Bundesliga at the age of 31. However, after that, his career faced many challenges. He was fired from Schalke after a painful 7-0 loss to Manchester City, and his tenure at Spartak Moscow was interrupted by the Covid-19 pandemic.
Despite winning his first trophy with RB Leipzig, he was fired after just one year. In February 2023, Tedesco was appointed head coach of the Belgian national team. His mission is to refresh the squad, building a new golden generation after the team was disappointed at the 2022 World Cup.
7. Ruben Amorim (39 years old)
Ruben Amorim (39 years old) is one of the best young football managers, having had an impressive career advancement in his coaching career. After retiring in 2017, Amorim quickly attracted attention with his development as a coach. Starting at Portuguese third-tier club Casa Pia, he was quickly recognized by Sporting Braga and invited to coach the reserve team before being appointed head coach after Ricardo Sá Pinto left the club.
Amorim immediately showed how special he was when he led Braga to victory in the Taça da Liga, against Porto in the final, and then to a historic away win over Benfica after 65 years. Sporting also quickly recognized Amorim’s potential, approaching him right when he had only led Braga for 2 months. Sporting decided to spend up to 10 million euros, ranked third highest in club history, to release Amorim’s contract at the end of the season. This move highlighted Amorim’s status as one of the best young football managers.
8. Mikel Arteta (41 years old)
Mikel Arteta (41 years old) began his managerial career at the top of football after three years as assistant to Pep Guardiola at Manchester City. In December 2019, Arteta took on the role of Arsenal coach, opening a promising new chapter. This transformation has transformed Arsenal, from a candidate in the top 4 to a real contender for the Premier League championship.
In his first season at the Emirates, Arteta led Arsenal to the FA Cup championship at the end of the 2019/20 season. With eighth and fifth places in the following seasons, Arteta showed great effort in turning the Gunners into a formidable opponent for Manchester City’s dominance in the Premier League. Their efforts reached their peak in the 2022/23 season, when Arsenal achieved runner-up, just one step away from the top of the table.
9. Edin Terzic (41 years old)
Edin Terzic (41 years old) is considered one of the best young football managers, having a starting journey full of patience and effort in the football industry. Terzic began his career on the field with more than 100 matches in Germany’s fourth division before moving into the role of scout and assistant coach for Borussia Dortmund’s youth team. He then expanded his experience by working as assistant manager under Slaven Bilic for the Croatian National Team in 2012, later joining him at Besiktas and West Ham United in the same capacity.
In 2018, Terzic returned to Borussia Dortmund as an assistant to head coach Lucien Favre. His commitment and contribution led to him being appointed interim manager in December 2020 following Favre’s departure. Terzic has had an impressive interim spell, with a win rate of 62.50% and Dortmund in third place in the league standings. His performance solidified his reputation as one of the best young football managers.
10. Andoni Iraola (41 years old)
Andoni Iraola (41 years old) received much praise in the football world before taking over Bournemouth in the 2023/24 season, thanks to significant successes at Rayo Vallecano. His time at Vallecano saw the club climb to La Liga in 2021, marking an important turning point. Additionally, in the 2022/23 season, Iraola led Vallecano to the semi-finals of the Copa del Rey, a feat they had only achieved once in the previous four decades.
Upon moving to Bournemouth, Iraola faced a huge challenge, as the team struggled to win their first matches. However, they finally got their first win of the season on October 28, 2023, in a tense match against Burnley.
Conclusion
Above are the 10 best young football managers. They are not only the leaders of top football teams but also the people who bring new opportunities and progressive methods to the football industry. Their mission is not only to lead the team to victory but also to build and develop young talent, shaping the future of football. With vision, creativity, and unrelenting passion, these young coaches continue to be bright spots in the football world, opening up vast prospects for the development of soccer in the future!
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