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Over the years, many world-class players have graced the sport of football. However, not all of them have gone on to enjoy as much success on the other side of the touchline. Of course, there are always exceptions, like Zinedine Zidane, Pep Guardiola, and more recently Steven Gerrard, to name a few.
After many years at the top level, most players opt to stay in touch with the game. They do so by becoming assistant coaches before they go on to manage top clubs. In the last few years, many top players have taken this route.
On that note, here's a look at eight legends of the game, in terms of their highest career market values, who are currently assistant coaches:
#8 Kolo Toure (Leicester City) - €22 million
Kolo Toure was one of the best centre-backs of his generation during his playing days.
The former Cote d'Ivoire international played over 500 games, most of them for Arsenal and Manchester City. Toure also won Premier League titles with both clubs. The 40-year-old was part of Arsenal's Invincibles team during the historic 2003-04 campaign.
He also made over 100 appearances for his country. After retiring in 2016-17, Toure joined Leicester City as their first-team coach two years later.
He is now part of Brendan Rodgers' management team at the King Power Stadium.
#7 Rafael van der Vaart (Esbjerg) - €26 million
Rafael van der Vaart was an attacker of repute for club and country during his playing days.
After breaking into the Ajax first team in the early 2000s, the 38-year-old played for the likes of Hamburg, Real Madrid and Tottenham Hotspur. Van der Vaart tallied nearly 300 goal contributions during his club career, with most of them coming for Ajax and Hamburg.
The two-time Eredivisie winner retired after the 2018-19 season and was appointed assistant manager of Esbjerg fB in Denmark.
These are early days into his managerial career. But Van der Vaart will want to make a mark with the Danish team before embarking on stiffer challenges elsewhere.
#6 Michael Carrick (Manchester United) - €26.5 million
Michael Carrick had a successful playing career after debuting during the 1999-00 season. The midfielder played nearly 700 games across competitions for various clubs, with most of them coming for Manchester United.
Carrick enjoyed a successful 12-year career with the Old Trafford club, winning five Premier League and one Champions League. After retiring at the end of the 2017-18 season, the 40-year-old immediately plunged into management at the same club.
He served as Jose Mourinho's deputy for a few weeks and is now in the same capacity under Ole Gunnar Solskjaer.
#5 Yaya Toure (Akhmat Grozny) - €36.5 million
Yaya Toure enjoyed a successful two-decade-long career as a midfielder of repute during his playing days.
The 38-year-old played for the likes of Barcelona and Manchester City, featuring in over 600 games across competitions. Toure was an integral part of City's three Premier League-winning teams, making his name as a world-class central midfielder.
The former Cote d'Ivoire international called time on his playing career in 2019. Toure is currently the assistant manager of Russian club FC Akhmat Grozny.
Toure started his managerial career with Olimpik Donetsk, an assignment that lasted less than four months.
#4 Michael Essien (FC Nordsjaelland) - €38 million
Michael Essien was one of the best defensive midfielders in the world during his playing days.
During a successful career spanning almost 550 games for eight different clubs, the 38-year-old made his name as a world-class player while at Chelsea. Essien also played for the likes of Real Madrid, AC Milan and Olympique Lyon, winning four league titles.
The 2011-12 UEFA Champions League winner retired with FK Sabail in Azerbaijan at the end of the 2019-20 campaign. A few months later, FC Nordsjaelland appointed Essien as their assistant coach.
The former Chelsea player also made over 50 appearances for Ghana, scoring nine goals.
#3 Robin van Persie (Feyenoord Youth) - €48.5 million
Robin van Persie is one of the most prolific strikers to have graced the game since the turn of the century.
The 38-year-old Dutchman made nearly 600 appearances across competitions for four different clubs, most of them coming with Arsenal and Manchester United. Van Persie played a key role in United's 2012-13 Premier League triumph, scoring 26 league goals.
The Dutchman retired at the end of the 2018-19 season following a spell with Feyenoord. Van Persie then took up the role of 'forward coach' with his boyhood club.
Van Persie is now the assistant coach of Feyenoord's Under-16 team.
#2 Fernando Torres (Atletico Madrid U19) - €50 million
Fernando Torres was one of the most lethal goalscorers in the game during his playing days.
The 38-year-old played over 700 games across divisions during a successful two-decade long career. Torres enjoyed a blistering stint with Liverpool, but his lone Champions League triumph came during a rather quiet spell with Chelsea.
Torres also found success with Spain, winning the FIFA World Cup once and the European Championship twice. Upon ending his playing career in 2019, the Spaniard joined his boyhood club Atletico Madrid for his first managerial assignment.
Torres currently manages the Rojiblancos' Under-19 team.
#1 Thierry Henry (Belgium) - €50 million
Thierry Henry is one of the best strikers to have graced the beautiful game, especially since the turn of the century.
A quintessential goalscorer, the 44-year-old scored 360 goals in nearly 800 appearances for five different clubs. The all-time Arsenal top-scorer was also part of Barcelona's historic 2008-09 UEFA Champions League-winning team.
After calling time on his career in 2014, Henry had his first managerial assignment at Arsenal, where he served as the Gunners' youth coach.
The 1998 FIFA World Cup winner is now Belgium's assistant manager, serving as deputy to Roberto Martinez.
Henry will hope to replicate the success he enjoyed on the field during his stint on the other side of the touchline.
