In football, experience has always been highly valued among managers who have seen and achieved it all.
They were once seen as seasoned leaders, commanding their teams with authority. But today’s football game plan is changing. A new wave of young managers is emerging, making their mark early on in their careers.
Some are younger than the players they lead but have already tasted huge success at the highest levels.
The beautiful game has always been about the strategic minds on the sidelines as much as the magic on the pitch. A fresh generation of football managers is reshaping tactics, motivating players, and captivating global audiences.
Football Youngest Managers
These young managers are rising through the ranks, earning their place among the elite. Some have climbed from grassroots levels, impressing enough to helm top clubs.
Others have been given early opportunities in some of the world’s biggest leagues.
Today, FootballEffect highlights the 10 best young managers in football, ranging from budding stars just starting their managerial journeys to those who, despite their youth, already feel like seasoned veterans in the game.
1. Xabi Alonso – Bayer Leverkusen
Xabi Alonso, after cutting his managerial teeth as a youth coach at Real Madrid and then leading Real Sociedad’s B team, got his big break in top-level football when Bayer Leverkusen appointed him as their manager in 2022.
Taking over just two months into the season, Alonso quickly made an impression with his dynamic style of play, guiding the club to a solid 6th-place finish.
Heading into the 2023/24 season, expectations were tempered with uncertainty.
However, Alonso blew everyone away, leading Leverkusen to a remarkable 49-match unbeaten streak across all competitions—a new European record—before finally succumbing to Atalanta in the 2024 UEFA Europa League final.
Under his leadership, Leverkusen smashed club records, including 28 wins, 90 points, 89 goals scored, and only 24 conceded, along with a domestic double by winning the 2023–24 DFB-Pokal.
2. Mikel Arteta – Arsenal
Mikel Arteta, after serving as Pep Guardiola’s understudy at Manchester City, took the reins at Arsenal in December 2019.
His tenure has seen a major turnaround in the Gunners’ fortunes, transforming them from top-four hopefuls into genuine Premier League title contenders. Arteta’s first season ended with an FA Cup victory, and subsequent seasons saw steady progress, culminating in a near-title win in the 2022/23 season.
Under Arteta’s guidance, Arsenal has not only improved their league standing but also made strides in the Champions League, Arsenal defeated Porto on penalties to reach the quarter-finals of the tournament for the first time since 2009–10.
On 12 May 2024, Arsenal defeated Manchester United in a 1–0 away win at Old Trafford to secure 27 wins in the 2023–24 campaign at that point, the most for a 38-game season in the club’s history, surpassing the record set by the Invincibles in the 2003–04 season.
A Premier League title sooner or later would cement his status as one of the most exciting young managers in football.
3. Ruben Amorim – Sporting Lisbon
Ruben Amorim’s managerial career began at Braga, where he won the Portuguese League Cup in his sole season. His success caught the eye of Sporting Lisbon, who appointed him ahead of the 2020/21 season.
Amorim’s impact was immediate, leading Sporting to their first league title in 19 years and adding another League Cup to his resume.
In his short managerial career, Amorim has already amassed five trophies, making him one of the most sought-after young managers in Europe. A high-profile move seems inevitable as his stock continues to rise.
4. Julian Nagelsmann – Germany
Julian Nagelsmann is arguably the biggest name on this list and one of the most sought-after managers in football today.
He kicked off his managerial career at TSG Hoffenheim in the 2016/17 season, taking the team from a disappointing 15th place to an impressive 4th place finish.
Over the next two seasons, Nagelsmann solidified his reputation as a top young manager with 3rd and 9th-place finishes.
His success at Hoffenheim earned him the manager role at RB Leipzig for the 2019/20 season, where he guided the team to the Champions League semi-finals and a 3rd place finish in the league.
In the 2020/21 season, Nagelsmann led Leipzig to a 2nd place finish, trailing Bayern Munich by twelve points. His success caught the attention of Bayern, who appointed him as their manager for the 2021/22 season.
During his tenure, he won the league and the German Super Cup in his first season and repeated the Super Cup win in his second. Despite Bayern being just one point behind Borussia Dortmund, Nagelsmann was surprisingly sacked midway through his second season.
His dismissal was puzzling, especially considering his impressive 71.4% win rate with Bayern. In September 2023, Nagelsmann took on a new challenge as the manager of the German national team, leading them into Euro 2024.
5. Edin Terzic
Edin Terzic carved out a solid career playing over 100 games in Germany’s fourth division before transitioning into coaching.
He cut his teeth as a scout and assistant coach for Borussia Dortmund’s youth team, showcasing a keen eye for talent. His big break came in 2012 when he joined forces with Slaven Bilic as his assistant manager for the Croatian national team.
This partnership saw him follow Bilic to Besiktas and then to West Ham United.
In 2018, Terzic returned to Borussia Dortmund, stepping up as Lucien Favre’s assistant. When Favre was dismissed in December 2020, Terzic took the reins as interim manager and made an immediate impact. With a 62.5% win rate, he guided Dortmund to a respectable third-place finish, earning the job permanently.
Under his leadership, Dortmund secured consecutive second-place finishes.
The latter season was particularly gut-wrenching, as they lost the Bundesliga title to Bayern Munich on goal difference, both teams finishing with 71 points.
In a dramatic 2023-2024 season, Terzic steered Dortmund to a fifth-place league finish, securing direct Champions League qualification. They also made a stunning run to the Champions League final, overcoming Paris Saint-Germain 2-0 on aggregate in the semis.
However, their dream ended with a 2-0 defeat to Real Madrid in the final.
Following this campaign, Terzic decided to leave Borussia Dortmund on June 13, 2024, marking the end of an eventful chapter.
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6. Vincent Kompany – Bayern Munich
Transforming Burnley’s playing style after Sean Dyche’s long tenure was never going to be easy for any successor. Enter Vincent Kompany, the former Manchester City captain, who had earned plaudits for his work at Anderlecht.
He was seen as the ideal candidate to lead Burnley back to the Premier League following their relegation to the Championship in the 2021/22 season.
Relegation often necessitates big changes to offset the financial blow, and Burnley was no exception. Kompany took on the challenge with aplomb, guiding the team to a Championship title in spectacular fashion.
Burnley lost just three games all season and amassed 101 points, becoming only the sixth team in Championship history to break the 100-point barrier.
However, their return to the Premier League has been a rocky one, with the team facing a tough battle to avoid relegation.
Despite the struggles, Kompany’s managerial prowess didn’t go unnoticed.
On May 29, 2024, he was appointed as the new head coach of Bayern Munich, signing a three-year deal. Burnley received a reported £10.2 million in compensation for the remaining term of his contract, making Kompany one of the most expensive managers in football history.
7. Andoni Iraola – Bournemouth
The Spaniard kickstarted his journey in senior football management in 2019 with Segunda Division side Mirandes.
In his debut season, Iraola steered the club to an impressive 11th-place finish, a marked improvement from their previous 19th-place standing.
In August 2020, Iraola took on a new challenge with La Liga side Rayo Vallecano. He quickly made his mark by leading the team to promotion to the top tier of Spanish football in his first season. Over the next two seasons, Iraola maintained the club’s competitive edge, securing 12th and 11th place finishes respectively.
June 2023 saw Iraola step into the Premier League spotlight as the new manager of Bournemouth. In his inaugural season, he successfully kept the club afloat, avoiding relegation.
As the current season unfolds, Iraola is focused on ensuring Bournemouth’s continued presence in the Premier League.
8. Francesco Farioli – Ajax
The former goalkeeper has enjoyed a meteoric rise in his coaching career.
In 2020, he served as assistant manager to Roberto De Zerbi at Benevento and Sassuolo, gaining valuable experience. His first opportunity to lead a team came in 2021 when he took charge of Alanyaspor, a top-flight Turkish club.
Farioli impressed by guiding them to a 5th-place finish in the 2021/22 season.
He left Alanyaspor in February 2023 and briefly managed Fatih Karagumruk, another Turkish Super Lig side, although his tenure lasted only a month.
In July 2023, Farioli was appointed manager of Ligue 1 side Nice, where he led the team to an 11th-place finish in his first season. His promising track record caught the eye of Ajax, who appointed him as their manager ahead of the 2024/25 season.
9. Will Still – Lens
The English-born Belgian played a major role in helping Reims avoid relegation from Ligue 1 during the 2022/23 campaign.
He had previously been part of the coaching staff at the club, and his first opportunity as manager came during that season. Initially, the assistant manager to Oscar Garcia Still was promoted to interim manager following Garcia’s departure in October 2022.
In the 2023/24 season, Still guided Reims to a respectable 12th-place finish. His success caught the attention of Lens, who appointed him as their manager for the current season.
If Still can lead Lens to another impressive finish, he could quickly become a top candidate for managerial positions at several clubs.
10. Arne Slot – Liverpool
The Dutch manager began his senior managerial career at AZ Alkmaar in July 2019, where he quickly made an impact by guiding the club to a 2nd place finish in the Eredivisie.
He departed in December 2020, but his reputation had already been firmly established.
Slot was then appointed as Feyenoord’s new manager ahead of the 2021/22 campaign. In his first season, he led the club to a 3rd place finish in the league and took them to the Europa Conference League final, where they narrowly lost to Roma.
Building on this momentum, Slot led Feyenoord to their first league title since the 2016/17 season, losing just one league game. His exceptional performance earned him the Rinus Michels Award.
On May 26, 2024, Feyenoord announced that Slot would be leaving the club to become the head coach of Liverpool, succeeding Jürgen Klopp. Under Slot’s leadership, Liverpool continued their resurgence, returning to title contention.
