Football is officially the most popular sport in the world, so it’s no surprise that some of the world’s top soccer players are paid millions for showing off their skills and athleticism.
However, you don’t necessarily need to be on the field to make big bucks. Coaches and managers, whose team selections and strategies are partially responsible for how the team performs, are also locking in huge salaries.
From legendary students of the game and master motivators to players-turned-coaches, here are some of the wealthiest coaches and managers to have worked in world football, according to the money crunchers at Celebrity Net Worth.
8= Jurgen Klopp, 57
Estimated net worth: US$50 million
After spending most of his professional playing career with FSV Mainz 05 in the German Bundesliga, JUrgen Klopp became the team’s manager in 2001. Moving then to Borussia Dortmund, he won German Football Manager of the Year in 2011, 2012 and 2019, before moving again, this time to England. There he managed Liverpool in the Premier League for nine seasons, winning a whopping eight trophies in the process.
7= Carlo Ancelotti, 65
Estimated net worth: US$50 million
The most successful manager in UEFA Champions League history, Carlo Ancelotti has won the prestigious trophy five times as a manager, as well as the equivalent European Cup twice as a player. During his managerial career, the Italian has coached several superstar teams including Bayern Munich, Paris Saint-Germain, Chelsea, and Juventus. These days, he’s coaching La Liga’s Real Madrid on a lucrative contract that runs until 2026.
6= Pep Guardiola, 53
Estimated net worth: US$60 million
Spanish soccer coach and former professional player Pep Guardiola considered one of the greatest soccer managers of all time, currently manages the Premier League’s Manchester City. Previously a defensive midfielder who won the likes of the European Cup, Super Cup and La Liga while playing with Barcelona, Guardiola is thriving as a boss, helping City to win trophy after trophy and being crowned Fifa World Coach of the Year in 2023.
5= Alex Ferguson, 82
Estimated net worth: US$70 million
Scottish soccer legend Sir Alex Ferguson is officially the most successful soccer manager in British football history, having won 13 Premier League titles with Manchester United. Now retired, he recently appeared in Netflix’s Beckham documentary where he discussed his tumultuous relationship with former star player David Beckham during the star’s early career. After retiring from the game, Ferguson swapped his attention to his other love, horse racing, splashing out record-breaking figures on horses.
4= Zinedine Zidane, 52
Estimated net worth: US$120 million
Estimated net worth: US$120 million
Named Fifa World Player of the Year three times, Zidane hung up his boots in 2006. He began his coaching career at Real Madrid’s B team in 2014 before stepping up to Real Madrid itself two years later for the first of two stints as manager. Also known as Zizou, he’s inflated his wealth thanks to endorsements with brands like Adidas, Lego, Audi, Volvic and serving as Christian Dior’s first male model.
3= Jose Mourinho, 61
Estimated net worth: US$120 million
Estimated net worth: US$120 million
Named Portuguese Coach of the Century in 2015 by the Portuguese Football Federation, Jose Mourinho is famous for being a master of psychological warfare, using the media to create narratives and put pressure on opponents. Now the head coach of Turkish Super Lig club Fenerbahce SK, the former player is one of only six managers to win the European Cup with two different clubs and is the only manager to have won all three current UEFA club competitions.
2= Diego Simeone, 54
Estimated net worth: US$130 million
Argentine soccer manager Diego Simeone started his career playing as a midfielder. These days, he’s the longest-serving manager in La Liga after starting at Atletico Madrid back in 2011. Last November, he signed a three-year contract extension with the club worth an estimated US$17.6 million annually, per the New York Times, ensuring there are many more millions to come.
1. Wayne Rooney, 38
Estimated net worth: US$170 million
At the top of the list, and notably, also the youngest (and least decorated as a coach), is English former striker and now manager Wayne Rooney, who famously won the Premier League five times with Manchester United.
Known as one of the best players in the game, Rooney announced his official retirement as a player in 2021 and became a full-time coach with English Football League club Derby County. After stints at D.C. United in the US and Birmingham City back in England, this season he has joined Plymouth Argyle as manager on a lucrative three-year contract, per Associated Press. Endorsement deals with brands like Nike, Ford, Nokia, and Coca-Cola have only added to his impressive fortune.