A fresh breeze is blowing as young soccer coaches make their way up the ladder in their careers. They’re not just following the old path; they’re bringing new ideas, dreams, and a strong wish to create a lasting impact.
Soccer, a game of strategy, talent, and passion, has mostly been led by experienced managers who know the ins and outs. But now, a wave of young faces is changing the game, breaking the mold, and infusing the sport with new energy.
In this list of the youngest coaches in soccer, we’re shining a spotlight on those who have led or are leading major football teams, not just academics.
- 1. Ejdin Djonlic – Free Agent – 29 Years Old
- 2. Will Still – Reims – 30 Years Old
- 3. Ryan Mason – Tottenham – 32 Years Old
- 4. Matthias Jaissle – Al-Ahli – 34
- 5. Julian Nagelsmann – Free Agent – 36 Years Old
- 6. Wayne Rooney – DC United – 37 Years Old
- 7. Domenico Tedesco – Belgium – 37 Years Old
- 8. Rúben Amorim -Sporting CP – 38 Years Old
- 9. Mikel Arteta – Arsenal – 40 Years Old
- 10. Diego Martinez – Olympiacos -42 Years Old
1. Ejdin Djonlic – Free Agent – 29 Years Old
In 2016, something unique happened in the world of soccer coaching.
Even though he was only 21 years old, he became the youngest coach ever to get the important UEFA ‘A’ coaching license. This was a really big deal and showed how talented he was.
He had already gotten the UEFA C license when he was only 15 years old, which was impressive. This proved that he loved soccer a lot and worked hard at it.
Even though Ejdin Djonlic could have had a great career with famous soccer clubs, he chose a different path. Even though he wanted to manage big soccer teams, he decided to do something else first.
He said no to offers from big clubs like Tottenham and Arsenal in England. Instead, he decided to go to a special school called Southampton Solent University to learn more about sports. This showed how much he cared about becoming the best coach he could be.
Ejdin Djonlic is from Norway, and he has helped local Norwegian clubs get better at soccer.
He cares about teaching young players and deeply learning about soccer. Even though he could work with famous teams, he’s focusing on learning and growing right now.
This shows that he’s committed to being the best coach he can be, both on the field and in his education.
2. Will Still – Reims – 30 Years Old
At the helm of Reims, steering the ship with a blend of youthful enthusiasm and tactical prowess, he has embraced the challenge of guiding a club to success, showing his potential as a future managerial luminary.
One important moment in his story was when he realized he wanted to be a coach instead of a player because of playing games like Football Manager.
He was 17 years old when he decided to change his path.
He went to England to learn about coaching at Myerscough College in Lancashire.
At first, he learned about coaching at Sint-Truiden and Standard Liège. Then, he became a video analyst and assistant manager at Lierse, where he learned even more.
In 2017, he became the manager of Lierse, which was a big step for him in Belgian football. In 2021, he became the head of Beerschot, which showed his determination and ideas.
A big opportunity came when he was asked to join Ligue 1, a famous football league.
Will Still became an assistant coach at Reims under Óscar García in 2022. He showed his skills and dedication and quickly became a stand-out coach.
He went from an assistant to a temporary manager. During this time, he led Reims to five matches without losing. He also worked towards getting a special coaching license.
Even with challenges, he remained strong and determined. He was made the manager of Reims for the rest of the 2022/23 season.
This was a big achievement because he became the youngest manager in the top five leagues in Europe at just 30 years old.
3. Ryan Mason – Tottenham – 32 Years Old
Formerly a player for Tottenham Hotspur, Ryan Mason transitioned seamlessly into coaching.
Fueled by his deep connection with the club and an innate understanding of its ethos, Mason’s management exudes promise, offering a glimpse into the future of the Spurs.
After Antonio Conte became the Head Coach of Tottenham, Ryan Mason’s quick rise continued.
Because he worked hard and did well with important tasks, he became the First Team Coach. This happened because he did great during training sessions with Antonio Conte.
Later, Cristian Stellini was removed in April 2023, and Ryan Mason took on the role of acting head coach for Tottenham. During this time, he led the team for six matches at the end of the 2022/23 EPL season.
The team won two matches, drew one, and lost three, showing the ups and downs of the season.
On June 27, 2023, a new part of Ryan Mason’s journey started.
He became an assistant coach for Tottenham’s new head coach, Ange Postecoglou. This change showed that Ryan Mason could do different roles and fit well into the coaching team. His experience combined with new opportunities.
Ryan Mason’s story is about moving up quickly because he worked hard.
He went from helping with training to being the acting head coach. This shows that when you work hard and keep learning, you can achieve a lot.
Now, he is an assistant coach under Ange Postecoglou, and his story is still going on. It’s a story about getting better, adapting, and loving the game of football.
4. Matthias Jaissle – Al-Ahli – 34
A really smart coach in the world of European soccer.
He used to play but had to stop early because of knee injuries. However, he was really good at coaching, and his mentor Ralf Rangnick noticed this quickly. Ralf saw that Jaissle had the potential to be a great coach, and this turned out to be true.
Ralf Rangnick played a big part in helping Jaissle become a coach.
He made sure Jaissle had the right environment to grow and do well. Jaissle’s smart strategies helped FC Red Bull Salzburg do well in the Bundesliga. They won a lot of matches (19 wins and 4 draws out of 24), which showed how good Jaissle was at coaching.
Matthias Jaissle is from Germany, and he has coached at different clubs. He’s been part of Bröndby IF, Red Bull Salzburg U18, FC Liefering, and FC Red Bull Salzburg.
Each time he coached a team, he learned something new. He started this coaching journey in 2017, and he’s been working hard and coming up with new ideas. He’s still an important coach up to now.
He’s done well as a coach, with 29 wins and 6 draws in his record.
This shows that he’s been consistent and made a big impact in different places. Matthias Jaissle’s story is about going from being a player to becoming a coach.
He’s become a shining example of how this transition can work and how someone can become a great coach.
5. Julian Nagelsmann – Free Agent – 36 Years Old
Nagelsmann has already carved a name for himself as a prodigious tactician. Having managed RB Leipzig with distinction, his free-agent status has intensified speculation about his next chapter.
His innovative approach and impressive track record affirm his stature as one of the sport’s brightest minds.
At 20 years old, he started helping his former teacher, Thomas Tuchel, at Augsburg. For the next ten years, he focused on learning and practicing coaching, getting lots of experience.
Why is there so much talk about Julian Nagelsmann, who is just 35 years old?
In 2016, he became the youngest coach in the Bundesliga, becoming the head coach at Hoffenheim. In his first season, he not only kept the team from getting kicked out of the league but also got them to an amazing 4th place in the next season.
This let Hoffenheim play in the Champions League for the first time.
After that, he went to RB Leipzig. He did something amazing there: he got the team to the semi-finals of the Champions League in the 2019-20 season. He used a creative way of arranging players on the field called the 3-4-2-1 formation.
Nagelsmann was good at working with his players because he was young like them, and he was also really good at understanding the game. He’s already one of the top 20 coaches in the world, and it’s clear that Julian Nagelsmann is smart.
He started as an assistant coach for the TSV 1860 Munchen U17 team, and that’s when he began his journey as a professional coach. Since then, he’s achieved a lot and inspired a lot of people.
He’s won 26 games and had 4 draws, which shows how good he is at coaching and coming up with strategies.
6. Wayne Rooney – DC United – 37 Years Old
A legendary player, Wayne Rooney’s transition to coaching has been nothing short of captivating. Navigating the intricate landscape of management at 37, Rooney’s ability to fuse his playing experiences with astute decision-making has injected DC United with renewed energy and vision.
In 2022, he was honored by being put into the Premier League Hall of Fame.
He started his journey as a manager in 2020 and has been a big part of changing Derby County. In 2021, he took on a big leadership role to help the club avoid being moved to a lower league because they weren’t doing well.
He did a good job and saved the club from this problem.
During the 20/21 season, Derby County was in a tough situation, close to getting moved to a lower league. But when Rooney started being involved, things got better.
He made the team stronger and gave them hope.
7. Domenico Tedesco – Belgium – 37 Years Old
The Belgian national team is under the astute guidance of Domenico Tedesco, who, at 37, has swiftly risen through the ranks of soccer management.
His nuanced understanding of the game and innovative strategies have revitalized Belgium’s footballing identity.
This young soccer coach has made a big impact on many famous teams—like Erzgebirge Aue, Schalke 04, Spartak Moscow, RB Leipzig, and most recently, Belgium.
He began coaching when he was just 23 years old. He started as an assistant coach for a team in Stuttgart that had players under 17 years old. This was the beginning of a career that would make him well-known.
Domenico has shown how good he is at coaching in many places.
He started with Erzgebirge Aue, then led Schalke 04, and even went to Spartak Moscow. But he showed his skill when he was at RB Leipzig. He was so good at planning and strategy that people started to notice him a lot.
8. Rúben Amorim -Sporting CP – 38 Years Old
At Sporting CP, Rúben Amorim has harnessed his keen football intellect to transform the club’s fortunes. His astute tactical insights and penchant for nurturing young talents have positioned Sporting CP as a dominant force in Portuguese football.
The young coach’s impact has been remarkable ever since he commenced his managerial journey in 2020 with the Portuguese team Braga.
This outstanding performance earned him a big opportunity to join the Lisbon club, Sporting CP.
The transfer saw Sporting CP invest as much as €10 million (£8.65 million) in acquiring Ruben Amorim, and under his guidance, the club’s trajectory underwent a remarkable transformation.
In only his second season with Sporting, Ruben Amorim guided the team to their first championship victory in 19 years, securing the Portuguese Primeira Liga 2020-2021 trophy.
He also led the team to a successful campaign in this year’s UEFA Champions League group stage, concluding in 3rd place, which automatically secured their spot in the Europa League knockout stages.
9. Mikel Arteta – Arsenal – 40 Years Old
Having spent three seasons as an assistant to one of the most illustrious coaches in history, you are presented with the golden opportunity to etch your name as one of the finest emerging soccer coaches.
Mikel Arteta finished playing career in 2016 after his 110th match for Arsenal.
Almost immediately thereafter, he united with his fellow countryman Pep Guardiola, joining the coaching ranks at Manchester City.
Leapfrog to three years later, Arteta was poised to ascend in his professional journey, marking his return to his cherished club, Arsenal, this time as the head coach in 2019.
In his first season, Arteta encountered challenges given his midseason appointment, leaving him with limited time to instill his tactical concepts.
Yet, as the season progressed, a gradual transformation unfolded.
His triumphant victory over Chelsea in the FA Cup final during his debut season set a promising tone, offering Arsenal supporters substantial grounds to believe that they had secured one of the most exceptional young soccer coaches in the European sphere.
10. Diego Martinez – Olympiacos -42 Years Old
Spanish soccer is known for its exciting attacking style and keeping possession of the ball. But there’s someone different in the spotlight, Diego Martinez.
He started his coaching career when he was very young, around his twenties, at a club called Imperio Albolote.
He spent more than twenty years learning how to be a coach. He also worked as an assistant coach at Sevilla for two years, from 2012 to 2014, where he learned a lot from a famous coach named Unai Emery.
In the summer of 2018, when he was 37 years old, he became the head coach of Granada in the Spanish second division.
He used a defensive formation with four defenders, two midfielders, three attacking players, and one striker. With this style, he helped the team move up to La Liga, which is the top division in Spain.
He became the youngest coach in this top league. In his first season in La Liga, he led his team to a really good 6th-place finish. This allowed them to play in the Europa League against other European teams.
They did well and got to the quarter-finals, but then they lost to Manchester United. Still, Diego Martinez did a great job in his three seasons with Granada. Right now, he’s coaching RCD Espanyol, showing that he’s still really dedicated to being a coach in soccer.
Other Youngest Soccer Coaches In the World
- Luka Elsner – Le Havre – 41 years Old
- Steven Gerrard – Al-Ettifaq – 43 Years Old
- Florian Kohfeldt – Eupen – 40 years old
- Carlos Corberán – West Brom – 40 years old
