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Argentina is one of those countries where football is considered a religion rather than a sport. They are also the only country alongside Brazil and France to win international trophy triplets of the FIFA World Cup, Confederations Cup and Olympic gold medal.
The country never ceases to deliver world-class products, be it the wine or the cuisines they make or the footballers that have earned legendary status across time. However, Argentine managers have never been considered in this category for some reason and we are set to give them the recognition they deserve.
In addition to legendary players like Alfredo di Stefano, Diego Maradona and Lionel Messi, the land of silver has also produced some superlative managers. In this article, we will be looking at five of the best managers to have emerged from Argentina:
#5 Mauricio Pochettino
Mauricio Pochettino completely changed the face of English club Tottenham Hotspur. The Argentine would have easily topped this list if it hadn’t been for the lack of major silverware in his cabinet. But credit where due, he is a manager of the highest honor.
Pochettino started his managerial journey in 2009 at the club where he hung up his boots, Espanyol. His unique form of football attracted interest from the Premier League and he took over Southampton in 2013. Pochettino’s speciality was seen that season itself as he guided the club to a decent eighth-placed finish, their best in a decade.
The following season, he was recruited by Tottenham Hotspur and went on to change their history as well. He transformed the side from a regular mid-table team to a title-contending one in just five years. A trophy would have been the icing on the cake for his incredible journey, however, second place in the Premier League, Carabao Cup and the Champions League is the best he could settle for.
Currently employed by Paris Saint-Germain, Pochettino will be eager to lift some much-needed silverware this season.
#4 Marcelo Gallardo
The 45-year-old is the youngest and surprisingly the most decorated manager on this list. He has been deemed one of the most successful managers in River Plate's history. However, he has never put his skills to the test in the top European leagues.
Having already won a lot of silverware as a player for River Plate, he continued the winning form even after becoming their manager. He initially managed an Uruguayan side called Nacional, but joined his former club after winning the domestic league in his only season there.
Gallardo started stacking his trophy cabinet right from the moment he joined them and has won 12 trophies, making him the most decorated River Plate manager of all time.
If that wasn't enough, he won the South American Manager of the Year award three times in a row. Gallardo has many years to reach his prime, and if he maintains his exploits at River Plate, he could earn a new job in Europe sooner rather than later.
#3 Marcelo Bielsa
Famously known as 'El Loco', Marcelo Bielsa is the person who perfectly justifies the nickname translated as 'the crazy'. He technically invented the 3-3-3-1 formation which has been used on almost every team he ever managed. This formation of his helps the team shift quickly from a defensive to offensive, and vice versa.
After a failed attempt in forging a successful playing career, Bielsa started his journey as a manager in 1980. Although he has won only a few trophies, he will always be remembered for his contributions to football.
Bielsa managed his national side from 1998 to 2004. In his final year, he helped Argentina win their first-ever Olympic gold medal in 56 years. They also became the first Latin American team to do so.
In 2018, he joined Leeds United and became the club's highest-paid manager. He guided the club back into the Premier League and has been entertaining us with his famous high-paced style of football. In 2020, he achieved third place for the best FIFA football coach.
#2 Cesar Luis Menotti
Cesar Luis Menotti was so passionate about coaching that he became a manager the same year he retired. Starting from 1970, he managed around 20 teams before calling time in 2007.
Menotti rose to fame when he managed Argentina's football team in 1974. He was leading them in the 1978 FIFA World Cup. Although the road to the final was bumpy, he created history when his side defeated the Netherlands 3-1 to lift their first ever World Cup. This achievement has directly put him on the greatest of all time list.
A year later he took over Argentina's youth team and went on to do the same as they won the U-20 FIFA World Cup in 1979. Adding to his supremacy, he won a treble of Copa del Rey, Copa de La Liga and Supercopa de Espana with Barcelona in his only year with them.
#1 Diego Simeone
With a decent playing and an exquisite managerial career, Diego Simeone grabs the top spot as the greatest Argentine manager of all time. One can debate as much as they want, but the things achieved by Atletico Madrid during Simeone's tenure would not have been possible without him.
The 51-year-old can always flaunt himself for representing Inter Milan, Lazio, Sevilla and Atletico Madrid as a player, but his managerial reign at Atletico still stands tall. Simeone took over the duties at Atletico Madrid in 2011. The rest, as they say, is history.
In his first season, he won the UEFA Europa League. In the 2013-14 season, he was the one who broke the Barcelona-Real Madrid dominance by winning the La Liga title. He did the same again in the 2020-21 season.
Along with this, Simeone has won five more trophies and that is something to boast about in a league dominated by two clubs before his arrival. There has been plenty of criticism regarding his defensive tactics. But as long as his tactics deliver results, no critics are worth heeding to.
