The Top Football Players Who Managed Their Former Team

The profession of a player is limited shockingly as one day the boots must be hung up. At the point when that day comes, many seek after the normal development to be director, however, all the playing experiences do not consequently result in a fruitful managerial career. 

Here is a look at the best footballers who managed their former team:

Zinedine Zidane | Real Madrid

Subsequent to going through under two years learning the art in

's youth academy, Zinedine Zidane was selected for one of the most impressive jobs in world football in the wake of the event Rafa Benitez parted ways with Los Blancos. Zizou didn't disappoint. He managed Real Madrid to three back to back

trophies ahead of leaving in the mid-year of 2018. Zidane is currently back in charge after an unsuccessful spell by Santiago Solari. 

While Zinedine Zidane can't exactly equal Frank Lampard as far as being maybe the best player throughout the entire existence of Real Madrid, he isn't excessively far off. Zizou went through the most recent five years of his football at Madrid, having landed from Juventus in 2001 for a world-record charge of €77.5 million. The Frenchman wasn't generally the most reliable in Madrid, however, he despite everything lit up Madrid regularly when he made a difference most with his confounding technique and amazing skills with the ball at his feet. The most brilliant of his playing days with Los Blancos was without a doubt the 2002 Champions League when he scored one of the most incredible UCL goals as Real defeated

2-1 to win the trophy. 

Zidane hung up his boots in 2006, after an emotional farewell to the realm of football in the 2006 World Cup final against

. Following a couple of years to a great extent out of the sport, Zidane was enticed over into a job at Real Madrid in 2010. Next year, he ventured up to become a co-head coach, and two years later, he became Carlo Ancelotti's assistant director. After a year Zidane informally assumed responsibility for

, doing so informally since he didn't have the essential training identifications required to deal with Real Madrid Castilla. 

Zidane ventured up to supplant Rafa Benitez in the top employment at the Bernabeu in January 2016. It was an intense arrangement, however, he ends up being a clever one, and Zidane won 3 UCL trophies in over two campaigns with his previous club. He, alongside

, parted ways with Real Madrid in the mid-year of 2018, and Los Blancos descended into somewhat of an emergency situation. Zizou returned in March 2019, and on the off chance that he can organize a comparable renaissance in the Spanish capital after the coronavirus break, he will demonstrate without question that he is a great director notwithstanding having been a legendary player. 

Truth be told, Zidane was regarded as an administrative flop, during his time with Real Madrid Castilla. However, that is the case no longer. 

Zidane has immediately settled himself as a star of the training scene - yet profiting by the list of stars available to him at the Bernabeu. 

As a player, obviously, he was unique and he characterized two World Cup finals, for totally different reasons by his forehead.

Antonio Conte | Juventus

Skipper, pioneer, director. Antonio Conte is a

legend. Playing as a midfielder, Antonio Conte started his football at local club Lecce and after the fact turned into one of the most decorated and influential footballers in the history of the Old Lady. He was the skipper of the team and won the UCL, as well as 5  Serie A trophies, along with lots of other honors. He also featured for the Italy national team and was included at the 1994 FIFA World Cup and UEFA Euro 2000.

Conte regarded to be one of the greatest Italian midfielders of his age, the Italian was considered as a fast, offensive, energetic, and versatile player throughout his football career who could play anyplace in midfield.

Normally a skillful player from a specialized angle, Antonio Conte was a steady and clever footballer, with an intrinsic skill to monitor the game, who was for the most part known for his solid mindset, precise tackling, endurance, and vision. these qualities, combined with his perfect first touch empowered him to help his side both in defense and offense.

He began managing in 2006, directing

to the 2008-09

trophy, and Siena to advance from the same division 2 years after the fact. He then became the manager in Juventus in 2011, where he used a 3-5-2 formation and earned 3 back to back Serie A trophies, ahead of taking charge of the Italian national team in 2014 till the UEFA Euro 2016. Conte became the manager of Chelsea in April 2016 and guided them to the PL trophy in his initial campaign in charge, later winning the

in his second campaign with the club. He was sacked as

director in July 2018. He was hired as the new

director in 2019.

All things considered, the Italian strategist In 13 years won 5 Serie A trophies, 4 Italian Super Cups, and a UCL trophy as a footballer ahead of turning into the club's director in 2011. During his time with the Old Lady, he guided the side to 3 back to back Serie A trophies and two Italian Super Cups. In his initial year, Conte's Bianconeri went an entire Serie A campaign without enduring a defeat turning out to be just the second team to accomplish this great feat and cementing his place as a true legend in Turin. 

Johan Cruyff | Ajax & Barcelona

The late and extraordinary Johan Cruyff appreciated huge achievements both on and off the football field. He ruled on the pitch as well as changing the game away from it. The Dutch legend's style of play is as yet performed by numerous directors these days. Besides winning various titles with

and

, he likewise established the renowned La Masia institute which created legendary players, for example,

,

, and

Hernandez. 

As a footballer, Cruyff won the Ballon d'Or thrice, in 1971, 1973, and 1974. He was an example of the football theory famous as Total Football founded by Rinus Michels and is broadly viewed as perhaps the best player in football history.

During the late 1960s, the Netherlands football rose from obscurity to turn into a powerhouse in the game. He drove the Netherlands to the final of the 1974 FIFA World Cup and got the Golden Ball as the player of the competition. At the 1974 finals, he created a special dribble that was named after him, the "Cruyff Turn". 

He began his football at Ajax, where he won 8 domestic trophies, 3 European Cups, and one Intercontinental Cup. He transferred to Barcelona In 1973 for a world record move expense, winning La Liga in his initial campaign and was named European Footballer of the Year. Subsequent to hanging his boots in 1984, Cruyff turned out to be a successful manager at Ajax and later Barcelona.

He directed two of the sides he played for and left an enduring inheritance at both; Ajax and Barcelona.

Ajax just really won a Dutch Cup and UEFA Cup Winners' Cup during Cruyff's 3 years, however, the framework he executed was still set up when the They won the UCL in 1995.

Cruyff took his strategies to Barcelona and won 11 titles as well as set up a special way of thinking which has been adhered to from that point onward. 

He likewise founded the renowned La Masia, a foundation whose graduates were enduring heritage for sure.

Johan Cruyff revolutionized football truly. As a player, he was one of the greatest ones on the planet winning 3 Ballon d'Ors and being the superstar of the significant worldwide competitions of the 1970s, achieving second place in World Cup 1974. 

At the point when he retired, he proceeded to trailblaze with his clubs. What's more, Ajax and Barcelona profited to the tune of European accomplishments, modern strategies, and player development.

Pep Guardiola | Barcelona

was a deep-lying midfielder who often played as a playmaker.  He was likewise fit for being an offensive force, because of his capacity to make attacking rushes and strike precisely. he was additionally successful at making goal chances or shooting from set-pieces. He was the skipper of both the Catalans and the

. Guardiola's playing style affected some future Spanish playmakers such as Andres Iniesta and Xavi Hernandez.

Subsequent to leaving the Catalans, he had spells with

,

,

and

. He played 47 matches for Spain national side and featured at the 1994

, just as at UEFA Euro 2000.

Pep Guardiola is the most popular manager in football that is as it should be. The Spanish director has earned trophies and ruled leagues any place he has gone. His brilliant career began in 2008 when he assumed responsibility for the administrative seat in Barcelona. During 4 years he directed the Catalans to 14 trophies, involving 3 La Liga's and 2 UCL. His side is frequently considered as a standout amongst other ever teams to overwhelm football. 

Pep Guardiola is the director who surpassed Cruyff's record of 11 trophies as Barcelona director, Pep earned 14 in only 4 campaigns at the Nou Camp.

His honors were one more than he'd directed as a massively effective footballer for the Catalans, assuming a key job in Cruyff's side which lifted the European Cup in 1992 and later proceeding to become the skipper. 

Diego Simeone | Atletico Madrid

began his club career in 1987, he played for the most part for Sevilla,

, Internazionale, and Lazio. In 1996, Simeone lifted a double with Atletico Madrid, and the UEFA Cup with

two years later, additionally winning another double with Lazio in 2000, just as the 1999 UEFA Super Cup and the 2000 Supercoppa Italiana. He played 106 games for the Argentina national side and netted 11 goals.

Diego Simeone was considered as a relentless, adaptable, agile, and complete midfielder who was dominating in the air and able both of winning balls and beginning attacks. He was empowered to play anyplace in midfield all through his career, despite the fact that he was generally played as a defensive midfielder. His primary inspiration as a player was German midfielder, Lothar Matthaus.

After turning into Los Colchoneros' manager, Diego Simeone has completely changed the side's situation. He finished Los Blancos' and the Catalans' stranglehold on the

trophy by pipping both to the trophy. He likewise transformed Atletico Madrid into European power, winning 2 Europa League trophies and arriving at 2 UCL finals. 

Diego Simeone had played for Los Rojiblancos two different periods as a player, in 1996 winning La Liga and the

, yet he has appreciated more prominent accomplishments as a director with Atletico Madrid, earning 7 significant titles. 

A La Liga trophy in 2014 was the feature, and just

stopped the magnificence in the Champions League final. However, 2 Europa League trophies help mellow the blow to some degree. 

Diego Simeone has won silverware both as a footballer and a director, yet his general career is in no way like those of his peers on this rundown. 

Be that as it may, his effect as both a director and a footballer has been fundamentally more noteworthy than the trophies he has won, most eminently at Atletico Madrid, whom he has taken to within a whisker of the world-class level of the football. However, for UCL final Losses in 2014 and 2016, his record would be altogether different in fact. 

Harry Redknapp | West Ham

To get directly to the point, you could argue for Harry Redknapp going into either classification here. During the 1990s, he changed

into a slick, offensive team who completed fifth in the PL in 1998-99, which remains their second-most elevated ever standing at the top level. His administration balanced out West Ham as a

team during that era, and he additionally brought through a few foundation graduates like Joe Cole, Michael Carrick, Frank Lampard, and Rio Ferdinand. 

That Harry Redknapp reign is one of the most reminiscent spells in the history of the Premier League, yet it additionally had its drawback. Redknapp cherished a move and it was his emphasis on adding player after player and his requests for additional investment that saw West Ham's drop to the Championship in 2003. 

Eventually, Harry Redknapp was sacked before that happened. He goes down in memory as maybe West Ham's greatest boss ever.

Carlo Ancelotti | AC Milan

A legendary footballer,

was an inventive, wary, and effective midfielder who was famous for his dominance in the air and having a ball at his feet. Ancelotti is viewed as extraordinary compared to other Italian midfielders of his age.

his wide scope of abilities empowered him to add to his side's attack with assists and goals. A flexible midfielder, he was fit for playing in different positions. while he was generally played as a playmaker, he occasionally played on the flanks during his time with Roma and was additionally equipped for playing as a second striker. Ancelotti is considered as having been the coach of Albertini and Pirlo as playmakers at the club.

Before directing Chelsea,

, Real Madrid,

,

, and now

Ancelotti became well known at

, the team for which he played for a long time. In his 8 years with AC Milan, he earned 8 titles involving 2 UCL trophies. 

An amazing midfielder Carlo Ancelotti played for

26 times and scored a goal. He was included in the 1986 and 1990 World Cups. 

He earned the European Cup title twice with AC Milan and won the third Champions League trophy when he turned into the manager. 

Carlo Ancelotti has won titles in England, Germany, Italy, and France. He is broadly regarded as one of the absolute best managers these days. 

Simone Inzaghi | Lazio

The two Inzaghi brothers have become managers as of late, and while Filippo was without a doubt the better player, Simone may very well be the better director. Filippo additionally dealt with his previous club, AC Milan, however, that was fleeting, and he currently mentors

in Serie B. Simone, in the meantime, has just at any point trained at Lazio. 

They started their football with Piacenza, yet while Filippo became well known with Juventus and AC Milan, Simone went through 11 years and hence by far most of his football with Lazio. Tall, agile, and fast, Inzaghi was Lazio's best goalscorer as they won a Serie A trophy under Sven-Goran Eriksson in the 1999-2000 campaign, notwithstanding lifting 3

titles. 

In 2010 Simone hung his boots with Lazio and was promptly given occupation as a youth mentor. He was given the main side job toward the finish of the 2015-16 campaign, before being supplanted by Marcelo Bielsa. In any case, Bielsa left the club after seven days in Rome, and in that situation, Inzaghi was named the manager consistently. He has completed 5th twice and 8th once in three campaigns and he let the club to a Coppa Italia title win. Lazio are as of now second in the Serie A, seeming as though great bets to make the UCL next campaign and great rivals as far as keeping up the pursuit with Internazionale and Juventus for the Scudetto. 

Sir Kenny Dalglish | Liverpool & Celtic

Much the same as Johan Cruyff, in 1997, Kenny Dalglish's substitution at

, the Scot neglected to oust the King on Tyneside, however, that nickname is positively protected by

fans. 

As a footballer, Dalglish won an extraordinary 22 significant titles in what was the Reds' most noteworthy period. 

What's more, in his first spell as manager, at first as player-director, he drove the team to 3 First Division trophies, a Super Cup, and two FA Cups. 

In 2011, Kenny Dalglish came back to deal with the Reds in the wake of the sacking of Roy Hodgson, and however it was anything but a vintage year in charge, he led the club to 2 cup finals.

Dalglish likewise earned incredible status as a footballer with Celtic, the club where he became well known and the one another team he played for in his football career, and in 2000 he came back to Parkhead in an offer to accomplish for them what he had accomplished for Liverpool. 

He just kept going a couple of months in charge, however, he won the Scottish League Cup at that time. 

Dalglish likewise delighted in progress on and off the pitch with two of his previous clubs. He began his football as a director while he was all the while playing, assuming the job of a player-director in 1985. Five years later, he won his 3rd and Liverpool's 18th league title. In 2000, he was named

's caretaker director where he earned the domestic title. 

In his first era as director, Dalglish was just as acceptable for Liverpool as he was as a player. 

Additionally, he did everything under unbelievably attempting conditions, stepping in as player-director after Joe Fagan sacked after the Heysel chaos. 

During 6 years as Liverpool's director, Dalglish won 3 domestic titles and two FA Cups. He left the Reds in 1991 in spite of his side leading the ranking and while still had a chance of winning another FA Cup. 

One of Liverpool's best-ever footballers, if not their greatest ever, Dalglish won 10 First Division trophies in

. 

His performances led Liverpool to 3 European Cups and he is viewed as a legend at the Anfield, while likewise being loved by Scottish fans for his 30 goals in 102 matches.

Vicente Del Bosque | Real Madrid

Years ahead of Zinedine Zidane become Real Madrid manager, it was a sure Vicente del Bosque who was all the rage. across his playing years, the Spanish man showed up for Los Blancos over 400 times however it's his time off the pitch which makes him a true legend. Subsequent to winning 9 titles in 4 years with Los Blancos, Del Bosque managed Spain to win the 2010 World Cup ahead of winning the European Championships two years after the fact. 

Vicente del Bosque provided Spain with their initial World Cup and managed a spell of international dominance. 

Be that as it may, his heritage in the game goes past Spain's 6-year dominance of world football. 

As a footballer in the Los Blancos team of the 1970s and 1980s, Del Bosque, the defensive midfielder scored 30 goals. He played 18 times for his nation scoring a goal in the 1980 European Championship.

Bob Paisley | Liverpool

Supplanting Bill Shankly was never going to be simple, yet Liverpool got fortunate when their previous footballer and once Shankly's assistant, made a name for himself. The amazing Englishman went through 9 years with Liverpool, winning a great 20 titles including 3 of the 5 coveted for European titles won by Liverpool and six league trophies. 

Bob Paisley is an ideal case of a one-club man. He had been with Liverpool as a footballer from 1939 and even earned the First Division title with the Reds in 1947 preceding hanging up his boots in 1954. His relationship with the Reds didn't end there and he was hired as the club's physiotherapist not long after his retirement as a footballer. Paisley's time as a physiotherapist was short and he was selected as the assistant to Bill Shankly and held the job until 1974. 

Bob Paisley was made director of the Reds in the wake of Shankly's retirement in 1974 and introduced their best period. Under Bob Paisley, the Reds won 6 First Division trophies, 6 FA Charity Shields, three League Cups, UEFA Cup and 1 UEFA Super Cup alongside 3 European Cups. He is the director who lifted the trophy three times. The Englishman at long last left Liverpool in 1983 following 44 years of caring support of the club and is as of now the best English director in football alongside being considered as one of the best ever mentors.

Luis Enrique | Barcelona

was an adaptable player with great technique, he was fit for playing in different positions, yet generally played as a midfielder or striker, and was likewise famous for his personality and endurance. Beginning in 1991 and finishing in 2004, he played for both Los Blancos and the Catalans with equivalent individual and side achievement, playing in excess of 500 matches and scoring in excess of 100 goals. He also played 62 matches for the Spain national team and scored 12 goals. He was included in three World Cups and one European Championship. 

Because of his sharp eye for goal scoring and capacity to make offensive runs into the box, he much of the time played as a striker, either as a second striker or a center forward. Notwithstanding his playing skills, he likewise stood apart for his dedication and leadership.

Luis Enrique had a critical choice to think about In 1996. Remain with youth club Real Madrid or begin another section with gigantic opponents Barcelona. The brave Spaniard picked the last mentioned. In his 8-year with

, he captained the side to various significant achievements and scored some vital goals including a 25 yarder against his previous bosses. He came back to the Nou Camp in 2014, this time as the club's director. Enrique's time as a manager was as brilliant as his time as a footballer. across 3 years he won an amazing 9 titles. Luis Enrique will always be associated with leading Barcelona's 6–1 triumph over PSG in the last 16 of the UCL. 

Kevin Keegan | Newcastle 

Keegan just played for Newcastle for two campaigns, however, he, in any case, left as a legend on Tyneside in the wake of scoring 48 goals over those two seasons in the Second Division to help win the Magpies advancement to the top flight. 

After 8 years he came back as a director with the club back in the Second Division. He kept them up that campaign as well as directed them into the Premier League next season. 

Unbelievably,

at that point completed 3rd, 6th, and 2nd in three campaigns back in the top level under him before Keegan shockingly resigned in 1997 with the club indeed struggling. 

Keegan's second comeback in 2008 was obviously invited by revering Newcastle fans, yet a similarly obvious rough relationship with proprietor Mike Ashley implied his subsequent era was brief. 

In 1982 when He joined Newcastle as a footballer, the club was struggling. They were grieving in the second division without any improvement even gradually. 

Kevin Keegan before long changed that situation, scoring 27 goals in the league in his subsequent campaign and assisting his team to advancement in the third place. Very quickly, Keegan hung up his boots and left St James' Park in a helicopter that took off during his tribute against Liverpool. 

Keegan was back 8 years after the fact, this time as boss, to set out on seemingly Newcastle's most brilliant period on the pitch since the 1950s. No significant titles were won, however, Keegan managed the club out of the second tier in 1992-93 preceding collecting one of the most lovely teams football has seen and practically beating Ferguson's Manchester United to the 1995-96 Premier League trophy. 

Keegan said farewell to Newcastle United in January 1997 and was supplanted by Dalglish.

Alan Shearer | Newcastle 

In 2008-09, Alan Shearer was given 8 matches to help his dearest Newcastle from relegation, however, it was too troublesome for the club's record-breaking goalscorer. 

Shearer wanted to find the opportunity to manage Newcastle back to the Premier League the next campaign, however, Chris Hughton was hired and Shearer plainly took the view that on the off chance that he was unable to deal with the club he adored, he wouldn't oversee anyone. 

A little more than 10 years after Keegan's first flight as director from Newcastle, he was busy once more, this time after returning for a doomed spell starting in January 2008. 

By September that year, he was gone in the midst of arguments with proprietor Mike Ashley. His job was filled by Joe Kinnear, who moved to one side a couple of months after the fact because of medical issues and was briefly supplanted by  Chris Hughton, who was given six games as director before Alan Shearer took over in April.

That arrangement of incidents pretty perfectly summarizes Newcastle at that point, and in truth, Shearer has managed a really bum hand that he was daring enough to play. He got 8 games in charge, yet he couldn't save his side from the drop and turned into the man who managed the club going down to the second tier once again after 1993-1994 campaign. 

Shearer's record at his childhood club as a manager was not good enough. His team played 8 games, won 1, drawn 2, and Lost 5. An awful situation for perhaps Newcastle's best-ever player.

Roberto Di Matteo | Chelsea

Roberto Di Matteo, during his playing career as a midfielder, played for the most part for Lazio of Italy and Chelsea of

. He played 34 times for the Italy national team and scored 2 goals, he played in UEFA Euro 1996 and the 1998 FIFA World Cup. He resigned as a player in 2002 at 31 years old in the wake of injury issues. 

Di Matteo played for Chelsea between 1996 to 2002. He made 119 appearances and netted 26 goals. His passing and shooting skills saw him become one of the main figures of Chelsea's resurgence in the late 1990s. He scored 9 goals in his first campaign. He helped the club finish 6th in the Premier League, their greatest ranking since 1989–90, and arrive at the 1997 FA Cup Final at Wembley. In 42 seconds into the game against Middlesbrough, he netted the initial goal from 30 yards and Chelsea won 2–0. The goal was the quickest in a Wembley FA Cup final since the record was broken by Louis Saha in 2009 for Everton.

This may be a disputable one, as Di Matteo did not remain a year as a Chelsea director. At any club but Chelsea, that is an indication of a lamentable era. 

Be that as it may, Di Matteo remains the

manager to win the UCL, a title chased frantically by Roman Abramovich and a progression of prominent, generously compensated gaffers. But then, it's Roberto Di Matteo who earned the trophy. 

That by itself is sufficient to consider him for the best part of this rundown. We will just disregard the reality he was sacked 7 months in the wake of being granted the director's gig for all time after a group stage drop from the 2012-13 UCL. 

Ole Gunnar Soslskjaer | Manchester United

as a player featured as a striker and burned through the greater part of his football with

.

Before he showed up in England, Solskjaer played for Norwegian clubs. OGS joined Man United in 1996 for a moving charge of £1.5 million. He played 366 matches for the Red Devils and netted 126 goals during an effective period for the team. He was viewed as a golden-sub for his skill scoring late goals. During stoppage time toward the finish of the 1999 UCL Final, he netted the triumphant goal against Bayern Munich in the last seconds of the game and winning The Treble for the Red Devils. Solskjaer declared his retirement from football in the wake of neglecting to recoup from a severe knee injury in 2007.

Solskjaer stayed at Old Trafford in an instructing job just as in an ambassadorial limit. Solskjaer turned into the club's second team director in 2008. He came back to his nation in 2011 to deal with his previous club,

, whom he managed their two first-ever league trophies through initial two campaigns with the team. Solskjaer made sure about a third trophy in the same number of campaigns. He took over as director of Cardiff City in 2014, during which the club were relegated from the PL.

Without a doubt, it's not finished at this point. In any case, this one is going to end in tears. 

Everything started so well for Ole Gunnar Soslskjaer, however, maybe that was as much down to the Jose Mourinho formed cloud being lifted from above Man United rather than anything OGS did.

Yet, there's a breaking point to how far living off past honors can take you, and that cutoff is the sixth place in the PL. The situation has changed for Ole Gunnar Soslskjaer, and it is hauling him into an uneven ocean loaded with irate fans resolved to move out of a club obviously attempting to stay above water.

Franz Beckenbauer | Bayern Munich

Two time European Footballer of the Year, Franz Beckenbauer played 103 matches for West

and featured in 3 FIFA World Cups. Beckenbauer is one of three alongside Mario Zagallo and

to have won the World Cup as a footballer and director. The Kaiser lifted the World Cup title as skipper in 1974 and once again made the accomplishment as a director in 1990. Beckenbauer was the first skipper to win the World Cup and European Championship at the international and club levels. 

Der Kaiser played his first match for Bayern Munich in a

promotion play-off game on the left-wing against

in 1964. They won the German Cup in 1966–67 and European Winners' Cup in 1967. He turned into team skipper for the 1968-69 campaign and helped his side to their first league trophy.

During his spell at Bayern Munich, the club won 3 back to back league championships and also a hat-trick of European Cup wins.

From 1993 until 1994, and then a year in 1996, he directed

. His short-lived spells in charge resulted in two more Bundesliga and UEFA Cup honours.

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