Manager Power Rankings: Guardiola and Arteta go head-to-head for top spot

December 14, 2025

in Juventus

Reading Time: 10 mins read

Mikel Arteta, Pep Guardiola, Manager Power Ranking — © IMAGO

The FootballTransfers Supervisor Energy Rating is BACK going into 2026.

Who’re the very best managers on the planet? FT outlines the very best coaches and the way they’re presently perceived by followers, golf equipment, and the media alike.

Our bespoke algorithm takes into consideration an enormous variety of components, together with:

Membership present kind, adjusted for the energy of the competitionEuropean formStyle of playReputationMedia buzzRecent trophies wonExperienceRecent further achievements

All of this comes collectively to kind the record beneath:

1. Pep GUARDIOLA (Man Metropolis)

Simply when it appeared as if Pep was maybe meandering in direction of an exit from soccer, he is solely gone and constructed one other spectacular Manchester Metropolis group.

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This one is totally different from the remaining, upending the type that he’s related to and pushing Erling Haaland to be the very best striker on the planet by a long way.

Throw in some adept new signings – Rayan Cherki proving to be the standout – together with the re-emergence of Phil Foden, Metropolis look formidable once more and Pep appears to have his groove again.

2. Mikel ARTETA (Arsenal)

He could effectively have spent €1 billion constructing this group, however Arteta’s Arsenal are positively purring in the mean time. There have been a couple of bumps alongside the best way, however the method by which the Gunners dispatch weaker groups places them in pole place to lastly safe that long-awaited Premier League title.

Arteta’s facet have unbelievable energy in depth, having been capable of endure tough runs of accidents by placing in a participant of equal or, in some circumstances, higher expertise.

That truth alone will make them terribly tough to cease. It is taken Arteta a good period of time to get right here, however now they’re, they’re right here to remain.

3. Vincent KOMPANY (Bayern Munich)

Kompany’s emergence as one of the spectacular coaches in Europe was tough to envisage when his Burnley group had been dropping most weeks within the Premier League.

However Bayern noticed one thing in him, and to his credit score, he’s delivering one of many best, most attacking, thrilling Bayern groups for a while.

With Harry Kane turning right into a No.10 and the emergence of recent younger expertise, Bayern will win the Bundesliga comfortably – permitting them to focus their efforts on the Champions League.

4. Luis ENRIQUE (PSG)

Some of the formidable Champions League winners of all time, PSG have not fairly hit these heights but this season, struggling a bit for home kind as they have not been capable of discipline their full-strength assault fairly often this season.

However this squad is kind of unbelievable, bolstered additional by the emergence of gamers from the academy who look simply as thrilling as these forward of them within the pecking order.

What Luis Enrique has performed is definitely make PSG a reliable drive as an alternative of a soccer circus – no imply feat.

5. Unai EMERY (Aston Villa)

There is a case to be made that Emery is essentially the most underrated coach of the twenty first century. His achievements on the likes of Valencia, Sevilla and Villarreal are the stuff of legend contemplating the budgets he labored with.

And but the relative failures at PSG and Arsenal – far shorter spells than those of success – will all the time be held in opposition to him. Slowly, what he is attaining at Villa is shaping a unique narrative.

He has full autonomy at Villa now, and even given some monetary restrictions due to over-exertion up to now, he is making them actual contenders for a return to the Champions League.

6. Xabi ALONSO (Actual Madrid)

Alonso stays one of the coveted coaches on the planet – regardless of what’s presently occurring at Actual Madrid.

He is slowly discovering that the administration of this bunch of Galacticos, with their very own egos and needs, shouldn’t be the identical as a plucky bunch of Leverkusen stars trying to punch above their weight.

It is a essential second for Alonso. He must get a deal with on issues shortly. This isn’t to do together with his expertise, extra his man-management expertise. He is a incredible coach – regardless of what Actual Madrid could really feel about him.

7.Hansi FLICK (Barcelona)

Barca followers could also be nervous over his notoriously excessive defensive position, but it surely’s exhausting to argue that Flick’s incarnation of Barcelona is without doubt one of the most fun in years.

He efficiently overtook Actual Madrid within the league final season and negotiated their triumphant return to Camp Nou, all taking part in the kind of soccer that Barca followers really respect.

They’ve fallen quick within the Champions League, however with the attacking expertise Flick has out there, they may all the time be a risk – if their defensive points will be managed.

8. Diego SIMEONE (Atletico Madrid)

Simeone continues to go robust and on this new incarnation of Atleti he’s setting them as much as be a severe risk within the Champions League as soon as once more.

Domestically their away kind is simply too inconsistent to maintain up with Barcelona and Actual Madrid, however in Europe they’re in wonderful contact, and it’s testimony to Simeone’s means to reinvent this group over a decade and a half.

It is tough to think about Atleti with out him at this level.

9. Oliver GLASNER (Crystal Palace)

It is exhausting to overestimate the job Glasner has performed at Palace; he has turned a perennial bottom-half facet into one of the progressive outfits in Europe.

And he is been compelled to take action regardless of struggling turnover of expertise on a constant foundation; he misplaced Eberechi Eze, Michael Olise and can lose Marc Guehi this summer time, however Glasner will maintain issues ticking.

He is delivered an FA Cup and European soccer – would possibly he ship a European trophy as effectively?

10. Luis DE LA FUENTE (Spain)

The Euro 2024 profitable coach helped to return Spain to the summit of European soccer with a slick group and good performances.

He’ll lead Spain into World Cup 2026 as one of many clear favourites, and is a uncommon instance of a coach in worldwide soccer now with out a lot expertise at membership stage, however one that will be very coveted ought to he want to change.

Given the Spain group he inherited – ageing and in want of a refresh – he has carried out a spectacular job.

11. Sebastian HOENESS (Stuttgart)

Stuttgart’s finances is modest and but their output is price excess of the sum of their elements, thanks in no small half to Sebastian Hoeness.

From the brink of relegation, he has delivered Champions League soccer after which a DFB Pokal title, and as soon as once more they’re within the dialog to return to Europe’s premier match.

His transformation actually has been one thing to behold and if he chooses to go away, there shall be a number of golf equipment watching with intent.

12. Antonio CONTE (Naples)

Conte is doing what Conte does; profitable league titles. And though there’s often a drop-off when he is requested to compete domestically and in Europe, they’re nonetheless favourites to retain their Serie A crown.

In Europe, they’ve work to do with the intention to attain the knockout levels, however the method by which he has turned Scott McTominay into one of many world’s most fun skills has been really particular to observe.

13. Peter BOSZ (PSV)

There’s all the time a cap on what is feasible within the Dutch Eredivisie however Bosz’s PSV facet are making such mild work of it, they’ve their eyes set on doing the identical in Europe.

As Ajax wrestle hopelessly to compete, PSV as an alternative destroyed Liverpool and have been aggressive in practically each European match.

They’re flying in prime spot within the league and Bosz – a person who has been round Europe within the final 20 years – has the expertise to get the very best out of his group.

14. Arne SLOT (Liverpool)

Sure, this has been a particularly testing spell for Slot after a primary marketing campaign which went in addition to any first season presumably may.

And he is feeling the stress, significantly given the Mo Salah scenario. However he hasn’t turn out to be a foul coach in a single day, and he is having to combine £400m of expertise into a brand new setup. All of it relies upon whether or not he is given the possibility to get it proper.

15. Thomas TUCHEL (England)

It is all the time exhausting to steadiness worldwide efficiency versus membership, however Tuchel has, up to now, performed every little thing requested of him with England.

Their qualifying course of was methodical, ruthless, and stress-free, setting them as much as have their first severe problem to win the World Cup in arguably 20 years.

16. Enzo MARESCA (Chelsea)

If Maresca can simply handle to get some sort of consistency from his gifted group of gamers, Chelsea could be a severe contender on all fronts.

However it reveals the place Chelsea are that if we did this record a couple of weeks in the past, Maresca would probably be greater; their dreadful latest run merely highlights that Maresca nonetheless has work to do to get this group the place they have to be.

17. Fabian HURZELER (Brighton)

Hurzeler is without doubt one of the youngest managers in Premier League historical past however he has been one other massively profitable appointment at a membership that very not often get it incorrect.

Brighton is perhaps a bit extra inconsistent however are arguably extra thrilling to observe than ever, with a deep squad stuffed with burgeoning expertise, and Hurzeler’s tactical nous continues to get the very best out of them.

18. Pierre SAGE (Lens)

It is nearly unimaginable to grasp how unlikely it’s that Lens ought to be topping the desk forward of PSG, however that is what Sage is attaining on a finances one-tenth of their rivals.

And it is largely right down to Sage, a deeply underrated coach performing miracles in a league the place monetary points have made competing in any respect ever tougher.

19. Massimiliano ALLEGRI (Milan)

A lot respect must be proven to Allegri, who has taken a very disjointed Milan facet missing in any actual course and positioned them as potential Serie A contenders.

Allegri is a coach who has been maligned at instances however he’s as soon as once more proving that he can get the very best out of unhealthy conditions utilizing his expertise for participant administration.

20. Cristian CHIVU (Inter)

It was a very tough job for Chivu to choose up the items after Simone Inzaghi’s departure and the pummelling by the hands of PSG within the Champions League closing.

It isn’t been excellent – but it surely may have been a lot worse. Inter are in a great place in Europe and are competing for the Scudetto – not rather more may have been requested of the Romanian.