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While football is played by eleven players, the manager is the architect or the mastermind behind what happens on the pitch. Today's crop of managers is among the best in the history of the game. Several clubs can boast some of the best footballing minds at their helm right now.
Some managers have been associated with their clubs for a long time, while others are more recent in comparison. Let's take a look at four managers who could have a statue built outside the stadium in their honor.
#4. Diego Simeone - Atletico Madrid
Diego Simeone has been associated with Atletico Madrid for over two decades now.
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A Rojiblancos legend, Simeone had two spells at the club as a player. His first stint was in 1994, when he represented Atletico for three years, followed by a return to the club six years later.
Described as a versatile midfielder, Simeone was widely regarded as a talented player. The year 2011 saw Simeone etch his name into Atletico's history books as he took over the position as the club's coach.
In the ten years since, Simeone has become one of the most successful managers in the history of the club. Simeone has won La Liga twice, a feat that is truly remarkable considering the domestic dominance of Real Madrid and Barcelona.
He has also won two UEFA Europa League titles and has also finished runner-up in the UEFA Champions League on two occasions. Simeone has also built a reputation for extracting the maximum out of his team.
Despite having a relatively smaller budget compared to his direct rivals, he has done some shrewd business to enable Atletico to compete at the highest level. He is certainly deserving of a statue outside the Wanda Metropolitano in commemoration of his achievements with the club.
#3. Jurgen Klopp - Liverpool
Jurgen Klopp has emerged as one of Liverpool's most prominent figures in the modern era.
Taking over the club in 2015, Klopp had a mammoth task ahead of him. Handed a comparatively mediocre team, Klopp was given the task of making Liverpool a competitive club once again.
In the six years since, it is an understatement to say that he has lived up to the expectations. His achievements have been truly incredible: Klopp has delivered one Premier League title and one UEFA Champions League title, while also making the final on another occasion.
Klopp also enabled Liverpool to compete with the likes of Manchester City and Chelsea, whose spending power is comparatively higher. Klopp has been described by many as the catalyst behind Liverpool's rise from the ashes.
He has also developed a habit of honing seemingly average players' skills and making them world class. Leading the club to their first-ever Premier League title is no mere feat. Klopp is loved greatly by Liverpool fans worldwide and will forever hold a fond place in the club's history.
#2. Pep Guardiola - Barcelona, Manchester City
Pep Guardiola can take credit for revolutionizing the game of football as we know it.
A legend of both Barcelona and Manchester City, Pep is one person on this list who warrants two statues at two different clubs. Pep represented Barelona as a player for well over a decade.
Operating as a defensive midfielder, Pep was a key member of the Blaugrana setup. He won six La Liga titles as a player as well as three domestic cups.
Taking over as the club's manager in 2008, Pep would go on to build one of the best football squads of all time. Managing legends such as Xavi, Iniesta and Lionel Messi, Pep won three La Liga titles as a manager. He also won two UEFA Champions League titles, even completing an unprecedented sextuple in the 2008-09 season.
Pep joined Manchester City as head coach in 2016 and has enjoyed great success since then. He already has three Premier League titles and one FA Cup to his name and looks well set to challenge for even more silverware.
Currently the manager of one of the strongest teams in Europe, there is no doubt Pep will remain the most successful coach in both clubs' history for many years to come.
#1. Zinedine Zidane - Real Madrid
Zinedine Zidane is a bonafide legend of Real Madrid.
Having represented the club as both a player and a manager, there is very little that Zidane failed to achieve. As a player, Zidane featured regularly in midfield, pulling strings and creating goals.
Regarded as an elite playmaker, Zidane is fondly remembered by many as one of the best footballers of all time. He won one La Liga title and one UEFA Champions League title with Los Blancos and is certainly one of the most influential players of the Galacticos era.
Donning the managerial hat for Madrid in 2016, Zidane went on to break a host of records in just four years. Zidane managed one of the strongest squads in the modern era and went on to win two La Liga titles as the manager of Real Madrid.
His most remarkable achievement is his UEFA Champions League record as a manager. Zidane won three Champions League titles in a row, a feat that was previously considered impossible.
He is the only manager in the modern era to win three European titles in a row and has several other records to his name as both player and manager. Zidane will forever be remembered as one of the most influential figures in Real Madrid's history.
