In brief
After joining Manchester United, Ruben Amorim is now among the highest-paid managers globally for 2025.
The new top earner is Diego Simeone, who is closely followed by Mikel Arteta and Pep Guardiola.
The majority of well-funded coaches are from Saudi Arabian and English teams.
The job of a football manager is an unappreciated one. It brings a tremendous amount of pressure, frequently with little return. Any manager who produces less than satisfactory outcomes will be fired, unless they retire or resign. However, they will receive a very high salary for the position if they are competent enough to manage at the highest level.
Elite players and managers are receiving staggering salaries, and the beautiful game is awash with money. With Saudi Pro League clubs offering massive contracts to entice players like Laurent Blanc to their borders, the money have only gotten bigger over time.
As a result, we have listed the 20 highest-paid managers worldwide, spanning from the international game to the desperate attempts of some clubs to win the Champions League. These managers will probably be at the forefront of the sport’s constantly shifting dynamics.
The World Football League’s Highest Paid Managers (2025)
Place
Supervisor
Club
annual salary
1.
Simeone, Diego
Real Madrid
£25.9 million
2.
Guardiola, Pep
City of Manchester
£20.7 million
3.
Arteta Mikel
The Arsenal
£15.6 million
4.
Pioli Stefano
Al Nassr
£15.5 million
5.
Moyes, David
Everton
£12.5 million
6.
Luis Enrique
Saint-Germain, Paris
£9.6 million
7.
Jaissle, Matthias
Al-Ahli
£9.6 million
8.
Mourinho, Jose
Fenerbahce
£9.2 million
9.
Jesus Jorge
Al Hilal
£8.6 million
10.
Ancelotti, Carlo
Real Madrid
£8.3 million
11.
Emery Unai
Villa Aston
£8.3 million
12.
Blanc, Laurent
Al-Ittihad
£8.3 million
13.
Kompany, Vincent
The Bayern Munich
£7.8 million
14.
Amorim Ruben
United Manchester
£6.7 million
15.
Slot Arne
Liverpool
£6.4 million
16.
Tuchel, Thomas
England
£6 million
17.
Inzaghi Simone
Milan Inter
£5.6 million
18.
Postecoglou, Ange
Tottenham
£5.2 million
19.
Alonso Xabi
Leverkusen Bayer
£5.1 million
20.
Frank Thomas
Brentford
£4.6 million
20Thomas Franck – Brentford
Yearly Wage: £4.6m
Thomas Frank was named Brentford’s head coach in 2018. Since then, he has stabilised the London team in the Premier League and guided them to promotion in 2021. More astonishingly, he made the Bees serious challengers for Europe in 2023 by guiding them to ninth place in the league standings, two points clear of Europa League Conference qualifying.
Additionally, his squad broke their own league cup record and advanced to the 2023 League Cup semifinals under his leadership. Even if the 2023–24 season has been more challenging, the Dane still has a wonderful reputation and is adored by his fans.
19Xabi Alonso – Bayer Leverkusen
Yearly Wage: £5.1m
In 2024, Bayer Leverkusen won their first Bundesliga championship under Xabi Alonso’s leadership. By doing this, he led them to the longest winning streak among European major leagues, which was unthinkable only a year earlier.
The team, players, and supporters all adore the Spaniard because they know they can rely on him to motivate them when needed. Alonso’s assurance on the touchline helped them score innumerable last-minute victories. In 2024, he was linked to moves to Bayern Munich and Liverpool, but he declined offers of far higher pay to remain with his current team.
18Ange Postecoglou – Tottenham Hotspur
Yearly wage: £5.2m
As everyone is aware, being a Tottenham coach is not an easy job. And not because the coach doesn’t have enough resources at his disposal, but rather because the team is accustomed to delivering performances that don’t live up to the fans’ expectations.
Ange Postecoglou, who joined from Celtic in 2023, has personally witnessed this. However, the Australian is committed to helping the London club win their first championship since 2008 and propel them to the pinnacle of English football. In the upcoming weeks, he could be able to do this with a strong FA Cup run.
17Simone Inzaghi – Inter Milan
Yearly wage: £5.6m
Simone Inzaghi is a major factor in Inter Milan’s return to the top of both Italian and European football after a few years of failure. Since joining the team in 2021, the tactician has established his dominance, winning multiple domestic titles with the Nerrazurri and making it to the 2022–2023 Champions League final.
The former Lazio striker defeated fierce rivals AC Milan to win the Serie A title in 2024 while playing a thrilling brand of flowing football. In July, Inzaghi became the highest paid manager in Italy’s top division after agreeing to a one-year contract extension to remain at San Siro until 2026.
16Thomas Tuchel – England
Yearly wage: £6m
Thomas Tuchel has been chosen as the replacement for Gareth Southgate as England’s manager, and he will be paid handsomely as a result. The German will bring a winning legacy with him, even though the Three Lions have only ever taken home one significant trophy.
Over the years, he has won a few trophies during stints with Borussia Dortmund, Paris Saint-Germain, Chelsea, and Bayern Munich. Due to his winning experience, he was appointed as one of the highest-paid managers in the world right away. However, his pay will be seen as a fantastic bargain if he can lead England to their first victory since 1966.
15Arne Slot – Liverpool
Yearly Wage: £6.4m
In the summer of 2024, Arne Slot succeeded Jurgen Klopp as manager of Liverpool. The German will be remembered as one of the Reds’ finest managers, but Slot must now continue his legacy at Anfield. The Dutchman, who came from Feyenoord, where he had won the Eredivisie once, has a dynamic style of play and had a quick start to his career on Merseyside.
Liverpool just made one significant addition to the first team roster during Slot’s first transfer window, signing Federico Chiesa for £10 million. Slot receives less than half of Klopp’s base salary from the previous season, thus FSG cannot attribute the paucity of spending to their new manager’s wage demands.
14 Ronaldo Amorim of Manchester United
Salary each year: £6.7 million
After less than a week of searching for the Dutchman’s successor, Ruben Amorim was quickly appointed as Manchester United’s successor after Erik ten Hag was eventually let go. The Portuguese player signed a contract with Old Trafford that expires in 2027 and includes a one-year option.
According to reports, the most recent player to try his luck in football’s most demanding position will earn £6.5 million a season while working at the Theatre of Dreams. After leading Sporting Lisbon back to the top of his own country and winning a league title after a 19-year break, he joins.
13. The Bayern Munich player Vincent Kompany
Salary per year: £7.8 million
Vincent Kompany was paid handsomely upon his arrival in Bavaria, despite being at the bottom of Bayern Munich’s prospective list of management candidates in the summer of 2024, behind a failed U-turn for Thomas Tuchel, the head coach the club was firing in the first place.
The record Bundesliga winners hired Burnley’s manager just eighteen days after Burnley’s Premier League relegation was officially confirmed. In addition to Kompany’s high salary, which is almost £2 million less than what Tuchel earned in his one season at Munich, Bayern had to pay a compensation fee of £10.2 million to entice the Belgian manager to leave his current position with Burnley.
12Laurent Blanc – Al Ittihad
Yearly wage: £8.3m
Laurent Blanc might have been surprised when Al Ittihad offered him a golden bridge to join the Saudi team following a disappointing stint at Olympique Lyonnais, when he was fired in 2023. However, it was the situation. Thus, in July of last year, the French world champion moved to the Middle East, earning almost £8.3 million.
The 58-year-old coach’s move has obviously paid off, as he now hopes to see his team win the title. They are presently tied for first place with the likes of Al-Hilal, but ahead of Cristiano Ronaldo’s Al Nassr.
Unai Emery, Aston Villa, 11
Salary per year: £8.3 million
Right now, Aston Villa is in paradise. Unai Emery brought European football to Villa for the first time in 13 years after leading the team from 17th to 7th in the table during his first season as manager. The Spaniard then followed up this victory with a new five-year contract, earning £8 million annually in the midlands.
Given how well he began this season, the club’s management is also unlikely to object to handing him more. After defeating Bayern Munich, they are comfortably atop the Champions League group phase and currently sit in the top four of the Premier League table.
10 Real Madrid’s Carlo Ancelotti
Salary per year: £8.3 million
The fact that Ancelotti’s compensation is lower than that of some of the other names on this list is perhaps the most unexpected aspect about it. Since moving to the Bernabeu in 2021, the Italian has performed admirably, adding two Champions League trophies and an equal number of La Liga titles to his already outstanding prize collection.
After being linked to the Brazil management role, Ancelotti signed a new contract extension with Los Blancos until 2026 as a reward for his efforts in Madrid. Even if things have started slowly after a devastating 4-0 loss to Barcelona lately, Kylian Mbappe was signed to a brilliant roster ahead of the 2024–25 season, which might see them add another trophy to their famous collection.
9 Al Hilal’s Jorge Jesus
Wage per year: £8.6 million
Jorge Jesus’s managerial career has been lengthy and varied. His most fruitful tenure was with Benfica, when he made it to the Europa League final twice and won the league title three times. In Saudi Arabia, he is now in command of Al Hilal. Jesus receives a luxury salary, just like athletes who relocate to the Middle East.
He was the club’s manager in 2018, but in his second stint, he has ignited the world. Jesus finished with a record 96 points, 14 points ahead of their nearest competitors, Cristiano Ronaldo’s Al Nassr, and won the 2023 Saudi Super Cup, King Cup, and Saudi Pro League. They also surpassed the 100-goal milestone for the season. Discuss an instant impact.
Jose Mourinho, Fenerbahce, number eight
Salary per year: £9.2 million
Jose Mourinho does more than just manage football teams. Rolling Stone magazine’s Spanish version crowned the Portuguese superstar its ‘Rockstar of the Year’ after he led Real Madrid to the 2011/12 La Liga title, overthrowing Pep Guardiola’s storied Barcelona era. Even though Mourinho’s tactical dominance has diminished over the past ten years, his attractiveness on a worldwide scale remains unwavering.
Mourinho was appointed head coach of Fenerbahce five months after being fired by Roma. The so-called ‘Special One’ was welcomed with a vengeful warlord’s attire. Mourinho said in front of thousands of adoring fans, “This shirt is my skin.” Given the huge pay of their new appointment, it is obvious that the club’s board members are huge fans.
7 Matthew Jaissle-Al Ahli Salary per Year: £9.6 million
Matthias Jaissle is regarded as one of the biggest hopes in the German coaching industry, but his career has taken a different route than he may have anticipated. The youthful coach was about to start a new chapter in his coaching career at Al Ahli after being fired by Red Bull Salzburg in the summer of 2023.
Additionally, his first season was marked by success as he guided his newly promoted Saudi football elite team to the third position on the podium, which is equivalent to qualifying for the Asian Champions League in 2024–2025. He now has the responsibility of leading his squad, which is presently ranked fifth in the Saudi Pro League, to greater heights.
6 Paris Saint-Germain’s Luis Enrique
Wage per year: £9.6 million
For more than ten years, Luis Enrique has continuously been at the top of the professional football rankings. He is currently the hot seat in the French capital after leading Barcelona to a European treble. In his debut season with the team, Enrique won Ligue 1, but he whimpered out of the Champions League semi-finals.
For the 2024–2025 season, the former Real Madrid midfielder will be hoping that can be changed. Instead of fielding a side consisting of seasoned superstars, PSG has chosen to field a group of young players after losing Kylian Mbappe to Real Madrid. Although it’s a bold move, Enrique has proven in the past that he can bring people together.
David Moyes, Everton, number five
Salary per year: £12.5 million
Everton has produced one of the most captivating tales of the Premier League season. The Liverpudlian club chose to give over control of their first team to veteran David Moyes following a terrible start to the season under Sean Dyche. And it’s not hyperbole to suggest that the marriage is off to the best possible start.
The Toffees, who are currently 16th in the standings, have won three straight league games to escape the drop zone. All of which helps to explain why the former West Ham coach received such large payouts. The season is still long, though, so be careful.
4 Al Nassr-Stefano Pioli
Salary per year: £15.5 million
For coaches, Saudi Arabia is undoubtedly a haven. Stefano Pioli is the most recent coach to appear in this ranking, following Blanc and Jaissle. After leaving his position as coach of AC Milan at the conclusion of the 2023–2024 season, the Italian quickly recovered and signed with Al-Nassr.
The 59-year-old coach still faces the difficult challenge of leading a team that includes some of the biggest stars in sport, such as Ronaldo, Aymeric Laporte, Sadio Mane, and Jhon Duran, despite the club’s ambition. His squad, which is now in third place in the league, will need to play flawlessly in the second half of the season if they want to win the league title at the end of the 2024–2025 season.
3 Arsenal’s Mikel Arteta
Salary per year: £15.6m*
After agreeing to a new three-year contract in north London, Mikel Arteta, the manager of Arsenal, is now the third most paid manager in the world. The Spaniard has done a fantastic job at the Emirates Stadium, removing the deadwood and introducing an exciting style of football that has put the Gunners back in the running for the Premier League crown, despite the fact that it hasn’t always been easy.
Arsenal missed out on glory on the last day of the 2024 season, despite coming very close to breaking their title drought in 2022–2023. Arteta’s base income under his new contract is £13 million year, but if he wins trophies, that amount could rise to above £15 million. He has a very good chance of getting that extra given how close the Gunners have been lately.
Manchester City’s Pep Guardiola number two
Salary per year: £20 million
It’s a fact that Guardiola is the highest-paid manager in the world and in England following a treble-winning season in 2023. But given that he has won four straight league titles and is regarded as the best manager in the world at the moment, it is easy to understand why he is paid so much.
This journey started in 2016 and is expected to last until 2026 at the latest. Unless his management decides to fire him in the upcoming months due to his team’s terrible performance.
1Diego Simeone – Atletico Madrid
Yearly wage: £25.9m
Diego Simeone of Atletico Madrid was, by a considerable margin, the highest-paid manager in the world for many years. In addition to leading the team he captained to two Champions League finals, both of which were heartbreakingly lost to city rivals Real Madrid, the fiery Argentine managed to defeat Barcelona and Real Madrid twice to win La Liga.
There were rumours that Simeone’s remarkable reign may end during the 2022–2023 season, which was marred by poor domestic performances and a terrible Champions League group-stage elimination that caused animosity in the boardroom and among the public. However, El Cholo refused to enter that pleasant night in a friendly manner.
Importantly, Simeone’s team never lost faith in their coach, and everyone quickly warmed up to them. In November 2023, the former Argentina international signed a four-year contract extension that included a significant pay cut, thereby solidifying Simeone’s legendary status among a fan base that once again embraced El Cholo.
