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With the opening game of the World Cup just a couple of days away, the intensity, drama surrounding the build-up of the tournament is steadily peaking. With a number of fans from around the world flocking to Russia to be part of the festivities, the world gears up for a month of football extravaganza.
All the 23-man squads of the nations participating at the World Cup have been announced and the tournament is ready to get underway. There are some interesting group stage battles to look forward to and a number of individual duals throughout the tournament.
Portugal's head coach Fernando Santos makes €1.91m while Gareth Southgate and Carlos Queiroz get €1.69m a year and are sixth, seventh and eight on the list. Here we look at the top five highest paid managers at the World Cup.
#5 Stanislas Cherchesov - Russia
Stanislas Cherchesov, the manager of the Russian national football team is the fifth highest paid coach at the tournament. Appointed as the manager in 2016, the 54-year-old former goalkeeper is a veteran football man with over 20 years of playing experience and 15 years of coaching experience.
Cherchesov will be guiding his country on their own soil and is being paid a handy €2.21m a year. With the tournament under three days away, Russia will kick off the festivities against Saudi Arabia in the opener.
If the Russians can progress out of their group and into the knockout rounds it will be a giant boost for the country's football aspirations. Cherchesov will lead the country out and hope to progress from the group.
#4 Julen Lopetegui - Spain
Julen Lopetegui, the Spanish national team manager who took over from Vicente del Bosque is fourth on the list of highest paid manager at the tournament. Lopetegui earns €2.58m a year and will be eager to put on a good showing, considering Spain's humiliating exit last World Cup.
The Spanish head into the tournament as outside favorites to lift the crown for the second time in eight years. Spain has a strong squad and tight balance of young and experienced players to carry them through tough times.
In a tough group with Portugal, Iran, and Morocco, Spain cannot afford to slip up and possibly face a tricky round of 16 clash against Uruguay in the knockout stages.
#3 Didier Deschamps - France
Didier Deschamps will be guiding his country to their third major international competition as manager and is the third highest paid manager at the World Cup. Receiving €3.02m a year, Deschamps will be eager to guide the country to another major final and this time go a step further and lift the trophy.
With a strong squad comprising of top quality players, France and being tipped as one of the favorites to go far in the tournament.
Despite making some tough decisions while naming his squad, Deschamps will be under a lot of scrutiny by the fans and media if the players do not perform. In what will be an interesting turn of events on the grandest stage of them all, the World Cup is sure not to disappoint.
#2 Tite - Brazil
Brazilian manager Tite took over the reigns as head coach from Dunga and has guided the country to another World Cup. Tite has reorganized the team since the fall in the 2014 world cup semi-final against Germany and built a strong team capable of challenging for the crown this time out.
With more youth infused in this Brazilian team going forward, the Selecao looks dangerous on the attacking front and will hard to stop.
One of the favourites to win the World Cup for a record sixth time, Tite has brought the team under one banner and look a healthy fit unit raring to go in the World Cup. Earning €3.02m a year, Tite is the second highest paid coach at the World Cup.
#1 Joachim Low - Germany
Germany's World Cup-winning coach from 2014, Joachim Low is the highest paid coach at the tournament with €3.31m a year. The manager will be eager to defend his crown and become the first and only manager to win the trophy twice as the head coach.
Low has selected a strong squad capable of defending their title but will face stern tests from other side chasing glory themselves. The World Cup is going to be a fascinating contest and its set to start in a couple of days.
The Germans will be confident of a strong showing and will be eager to go far in the tournament and defend their crown to possibly become just the third team since Uruguay and Brazil won back to back titles.
