In the world’s most popular sport, soccer clubs spend big to maintain high standards. Soccer managers who lead their clubs to glory get paid well in salary and bonuses.
The highest-paid soccer managers in the world command salaries that often rival top players.
Diego Simeone tops the list of highest-paid soccer managers in 2024. The Atlético de Madrid boss makes $30 million a year to lead Los Colchoneros.
He’s been their manager since 2011 and has achieved sustained success. Under the shadow of titans Barcelona and Real Madrid, Simeone has reestablished Atlético as a top club in La Liga.
Simeone has won eight trophies since his appointment.
Second on the list is Roberto Mancini for Saudi Arabia, who earns $25 million to manage the Saudi Arabian national team.
He’s the highest-paid national team manager by a long shot. He earns $20 million more than the next highest-paid national team manager, Gareth Southgate of England.
Mancini last led Italy’s national team to become champions of Europe in 2021. He left the job unexpectedly to become Saudi Arabia’s manager in 2023.
Josep “Pep” Guardiola takes the third spot for highest-paid soccer managers. The former Barcelona manager earns $22 million to manage England’s Manchester City.
Guardiola is the most successful manager on the list. He’s won 39 total trophies in his time managing Barcelona, Bayern Munich, and Manchester City.
Coming in fourth is Liverpool’s Jürgen Klopp. The German-born manager brings in $18 million annually to lead the Reds. Klopp started coaching in his native Germany with Mainz and then Dortmund.
After joining the Premier League club, Klopp led Liverpool to their first Premier League title in thirty years. He may not keep his third spot as he announced in January he’s leaving the club at the end of this season.
A Liverpool legend rounds off the top five. Steven Gerrard makes $17.6 million to manage Al Ettifaq in Saudi Arabia. The former Liverpool skipper joined the Saudi club in 2023 after a short stint with Aston Villa in the Premier League.
It pays to win.
Out of the top 25 highest-paid soccer managers, only two have never won a trophy. Almost half of the list, twelve managers, have won double-digit trophies as a manager.
Ranking The Highest-Paid Soccer Managers
Here is the entire list of the highest-paid soccer managers of 2024. The list was compiled with data from Planet Football, Tech Report, and Express.
- Updated: May 30, 2024
Rank | Manager | Club | Trophies Won | Total Compensation |
1 | Diego Simeone | Atlético de Madrid | 10 | $30 million |
2 | Roberto Mancini | Saudi Arabia (National Team) | 14 | $25 million |
3 | Pep Guardiola | Manchester City | 39 | $22 million |
4 | Jürgen Klopp | Liverpool FC | 13 | $18 million |
5 | Steven Gerrard | Al Ettifaq | 1 | $17.6 million |
6 | Marcelo Gallardo | Al Ittihad | 14 | $15 million |
7 | Erik Ten Hag | Manchester United | 8 | $11.3 million |
T-8 | Carlo Ancelotti | Real Madrid | 28 | $11 million |
T-8 | Simone Inzaghi | Inter Milan | 12 | $11 million |
10 | Thomas Tuchel | Bayern Munich | 14 | $10.3 million |
11 | Jorge Jesus | Al-Hilal | 20 | $10 million |
12 | Luis Enrique | Paris St Germain | 11 | $9.48 million |
13 | Mikel Arteta | Arsenal FC | 3 | $8.3 million |
14 | Massimiliano Allegri | Juventus | 16 | $7 million |
15 | Stefano Pioli | AC Milan | 1 | $6.372 million |
T-16 | Xabi Alonso | Bayer Leverkusen | 1 | $5 million |
T-16 | Ange Postecoglou | Tottenham | 18 | $5 million |
T-16 | Gareth Southgate | England (National Team) | 0 | $5 million |
T-16 | Sean Dyche | Everton | 1 | $5 million |
20 | Julian Nagelsmann | Germany (National Team) | 4 | $4.8 million |
21 | Thomas Frank | Brentford | 0 | $4.5 million |
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