'%20x='0'%20y='0'%20height='100%25'%20width='100%25'%20%0A%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%20xlink%3Ahref='data:image/jpg;base64,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'%3E%3C/image%3E%3C/svg%3E)
The world of football has been revolutionized by the changing dynamics of finances. Be it the broadcasting rights or the influx of foreign investments, the economics of the modern game has given clubs around Europe more spending power. This has resulted in an ever-increasing pay grade for footballers. However, if you thought it was only the players who were earning astronomical amounts of money, you are in for a surprise.
Clubs now acknowledge the contributions of managers and are willing to break the bank to get the best coaches in the business too. While being at the charge of a football team can be a thankless job at times, the remuneration can sometimes make up for the rigors of management. And there are quite a few football managers in the current scenario who are extremely well paid.
Today, we take a look at the top 5 best-paid football managers in the world. The list contains managers from La Liga, Premier League as well as the Ligue 1, but who has earned the highest this season? Read on to find out.
#5 Ernesto Valverde (Barcelona)
Remuneration - €23.5m
Ernesto Valverde took charge of Barcelona in the summer of 2017 amid a lot of expectations. The Spaniard had given a fantastic account of himself at Athletic Bilbao and had been chosen by the Barcelona hierarchy to take the club forward. He was replacing Luis Enrique, who had won every trophy possible for Barcelona in his three-year spell. It was an impossible feat to follow in many ways, but Valverde soon made it clear that he was special in his own way.
The Spaniard finished his first season at the club with a La Liga and Copa Del Rey double. He won the Supercopa de Espana this season and looks set to repeat a league and cup double once again this time. Under his guidance, Barcelona have been fluid, free-flowing and deadly accurate in front of goal. Most importantly, the Spaniard has allowed Messi to flourish in his system.
For all his efforts on the pitch, Ernesto Valverde also receives a handsome remuneration from the club. He has recently agreed to a contract extension which keeps him tied to the club until the end of next season. And as of now, the Spaniard earns €23.5m a year, which makes him the 5th highest paid Football Manager this season.
#4 Pep Guardiola (Manchester City)
Remuneration - €24m
Often regarded as the best manager on the planet in recent years. Pep Guardiola has won every trophy he has competed for as a Manager, albeit for different clubs. The Spaniard revolutionized the tiki-taka during his time at Barcelona, entertaining the world with some brilliantly entertaining football. Barcelona were consistently the best team in the world under him and were immensely successful too.
After a modest association with Bayern Munich, Guardiola found his zeal once again with Manchester City in the Premier League. He took a year to shape the players and the club to his liking and since then, has developed his team into one of the best in Europe. Last season, City won the Premier League with a record 100 points. This season, they are well on course to complete a quadruple.
The Spaniard has been ably supported in the Transfer Market by the club and has been allowed to spend at will to get the player he desires. The club has not held back in his salary either and have rewarded Guardiola with a contract that sees him earn a cool €24m per year.
#3 Thierry Henry (Monaco)
Remuneration - €25.5m
Nope, you don't have to recheck the name. Thierry Henry is actually in this list, he is one of the highest earning Managers in this season, but the reason is not as enticing.
The Frenchman took charge of a faltering Monaco side in October after the club hierarchy decided to sack Leonardo Jardim. The club were already going through a tough phase, but Henry failed to turn their season around. He could only muster a total of 5 wins in all competitions, including 2 wins in 12 games in the league. In the end, it was too much for the club management, who decided to part ways with the Arsenal legend in January, after just three months in charge.
Interestingly, the club rehired Leonardo Jardim as the manager, acknowledging that sacking him in the first place was a premature decision. But the winner in the entire situation seems to be Thierry Henry, he was entitled to severance pay due to his sacking.
The Frenchman's total remuneration for three months in charge, which includes the severance pay and three months salary, is €25.5m! Unimaginable, but true and that makes the Thierry Henry the third best-paid manager this season.
#2 Jose Mourinho (Manchester United)
Remuneration - €31m
Jose Mourinho's story has a sense of deja vu. The Portuguese is one of the most successful managers in world football but has been going through a tough phase of late. Mourinho took charge of Manchester United in the summer of 2016 after the club parted ways with Louis van Gaal at the end of the 2015/16 season.
The Portuguese started by breaking the bank to get Pogba and also luring Zlatan Ibrahimovic to make the move to Old Trafford. United achieved success under him in his first season, winning the League Cup and the Europa League. Last season, they finished second in the league, the highest they had managed in the table since Sir Alex's retirement. However, everything fell out of place soon.
After a less than subdued performance in the summer transfer window, Mourinho looked a lost man. United were extremely poor under him and the Portuguese showed signs of his third season syndrome. He was ultimately relieved of his services in mid-December, but Mourinho went smiling to the bank after the sack. He had been handed a fat severance check, which saw him earn a total of €31m this season!
#1 Diego Simeone (Atletico Madrid)
Remuneration - €41m
At the top of the pile, we have a manager who is one of the best in the world right now and has a pay to match. Simeone has taken Atletico Madrid back to their glory days and has ensured that La Liga is no longer a two horse race. He has singlehandedly nullified the dominance of Barcelona and Real Madrid in the League and has transformed his players into a bunch of warriors on the pitch.
The Argentinean has been quite successful with the club too. He won the La Liga, two Europa Leagues, 2 Super Cups, as well as the Supercopa de Espana and the Copa Del Rey since joining Atletico Madrid in December 2011. He also guided them to two UEFA Champions League finals and is already a part of the folklore at the club.
Simeone's gritty, tough attitude as a player has transformed seamlessly into his management. It is a trait that has been passed on to his players at Atletico Madrid as well and the club are certainly delighted with their Argentinean gaffer. If anything, Simeone's pay package highlights that fact, with the Argentinean set to collect a total of €41m this season as salary. He is, at present, the highest paid manager in world football.
