Ranking the 10 Managers with the Most Champions League Titles

10. Thomas Tuchel - One Title

Chelsea

2025 marks a significant new chapter in Thomas Tuchel's illustrious managerial career, as he takes on his first international job with the England national team. After successful stints with Borussia Dortmund and Paris Saint-Germain, Tuchel will be hopeful of replicating that success with the Three Lions.

Tuchel is no stranger to English football fans, having made a name for himself both abroad and within the country. In 2021, he replaced Frank Lampard as Chelsea manager. While Lampard had led the Blues into the Champions League knockout stages, the team’s league form had dipped, prompting his exit.

Under Tuchel, Chelsea found the spark they needed, progressing deep into the competition and eventually reaching the final. A decisive goal from Kai Havertz secured a 1-0 win over Manchester City, granting Chelsea their second Champions League title and Tuchel his first.

9. Luis Enrique - One Title

Barcelona

Now leading an exciting project at Paris Saint-Germain, Luis Enrique has helped the club move past an era of marquee signings and put them in a position where they could finally secure their first-ever Champions League title. Enrique, a talented coach with a wealth of experience, has already proven his ability to succeed on Europe’s biggest stage.

In 2014, shortly after leaving Celta Vigo, Enrique was appointed Barcelona manager. Over the course of his three years in Catalonia, he achieved tremendous success, notably in his first season. During the 2014/15 campaign, Barcelona clinched a European treble—winning La Liga, the Copa del Rey, and the Champions League. The victory in the Champions League, where they triumphed over Atletico Madrid, marked Enrique’s first European title as a coach and solidified his legacy in the sport.

8. Jupp Heynckes - Two Titles

Real Madrid and Bayern Munich

After stepping away from football management in 2013, with the exception of a brief stint at Bayern Munich during the 2017/18 season, Jupp Heynckes enjoyed a managerial career spanning over 30 years. His journey began with an eight-year tenure at Borussia Monchengladbach from 1979 to 1987.

In 1997, after a two-year spell at Tenerife, Heynckes was appointed manager of Real Madrid. Although his time at Los Blancos was cut short due to disappointing league form, he made history by winning the Champions League in his sole season in charge, defeating Juventus in the 1998 final.

There was a 15-year gap between Heynckes' two Champions League victories, with the second coming in the later stages of his career. After guiding Bayern Munich to the 2011/12 Champions League final, he returned the following season, securing the title and making himself one of the few managers to win the prestigious competition twice. This achievement cemented his status as one of Germany's greatest managerial figures.

7. Ottmar Hitzfeld - Two Titles

Borussia Dortmund and Bayern Munich

Ottmar Hitzfeld, alongside Jupp Heynckes, is part of an exclusive group of managers who have won the Champions League with two different clubs. A former striker, Hitzfeld began his managerial career in 1983, the same year he retired as a player, and went on to enjoy a career that spanned over three decades.

In 1991, after seven years managing in Switzerland, Hitzfeld took over at Borussia Dortmund, where he stayed until 1997. During his tenure, he secured two Bundesliga titles and, most impressively, led Dortmund to a Champions League triumph in 1997, defeating a formidable Juventus side in the final.

Hitzfeld then moved to Bayern Munich in 1998, marking the start of his first of two stints at the club. In his third season, he guided Bayern to the Champions League final again, this time overcoming Valencia in a dramatic penalty shootout. In 2001, Hitzfeld led Bayern to their first European title in 25 years, securing his second Champions League win as a manager.

6. Jose Mourinho - Two Titles

Porto and Inter Milan

Now managing Fenerbahçe in Turkey's Super Lig, José Mourinho has long been recognized as one of the greatest managers in football history. The Portuguese tactician's career began at Porto, where he worked alongside Sir Bobby Robson throughout the 1990s before taking on his first managerial role.

Mourinho was relatively unknown when he became Porto's manager in 2002, but just two years later, he made a name for himself by leading the club to a stunning Champions League victory. That 2004 triumph put him on the map, and Mourinho’s reputation only grew when he moved to Chelsea, where he solidified his status as one of Europe's top managers.

In 2008, Mourinho made the move to Milan, joining Inter. Though his tenure lasted only two years, he became one of the club's greatest modern-era managers. In the 2009/10 season, he guided Inter to an unforgettable continental treble, culminating in his second Champions League title.

5. Sir Alex Ferguson - Two Titles

Manchester United (Twice)

Regarded as the greatest Premier League manager of all time, Sir Alex Ferguson enjoyed an iconic 27-year tenure at the helm of Manchester United, from 1986 to 2013. Under his leadership, Ferguson not only restored the club to its title-winning ways but also built a legacy of dominance in the Premier League that lasted throughout his career.

Ferguson’s 13 Premier League titles remain a record for any manager, but his achievements extended far beyond domestic football. The Scottish manager also claimed two Champions League trophies during his time at Old Trafford, with his first win in 1999 marking a historic moment as Manchester United became the first English club to secure a European treble.

4. Vicente del Bosque - Two Titles

Real Madrid (Twice)

Vicente del Bosque is widely remembered by younger football fans for his successful eight-year tenure as the manager of the Spanish national team, where he led Spain to victory in both the European Championship and the World Cup. However, before his time with La Roja, del Bosque made his mark primarily at Real Madrid.

After a brief stint as manager in 1994 and a caretaker role in 1996, del Bosque was appointed as Real Madrid's full-time manager in 1999, a position he would hold for four years. During this period, he oversaw a pivotal era in the club’s history as they embraced the Galácticos transfer policy.

With the arrival of world-class talent, del Bosque’s Madrid collected numerous titles. He won two La Liga titles and guided the team to Champions League victories in both 2000 and 2002.

3. Pep Guardiola - Three Titles

Barcelona and Manchester City (Twice)

Approaching nearly a decade as Manchester City manager, Pep Guardiola is widely regarded as one of the best managers of his generation. His managerial journey began with Barcelona, where he built a team often considered one of the greatest in football history.

Guardiola’s success at Barcelona was undeniable, as he led the club to three La Liga titles and two Champions League triumphs in 2009 and 2011. While his time at Bayern Munich was marked by domestic dominance, it took over a decade before Guardiola would lift the Champions League again.

After falling short in the 2021 final against Chelsea, Guardiola’s Manchester City reached another Champions League final in 2023. With a decisive goal from future Ballon d’Or winner Rodri, Guardiola claimed his third Champions League title, completing a historic European treble—making City the second English club to achieve such a feat.

2. Zinedine Zidane - Three Titles

Real Madrid (Thrice)

Zinedine Zidane, who has not managed since 2021, has only worked as a manager at Real Madrid, a club where he became a legend both as a player and a coach. His second spell in charge lasted from 2019 to 2021, but it was his first tenure, from 2016 to 2018, that truly cemented his legacy.

During his time as Real Madrid manager, Zidane won two La Liga titles, but it was his remarkable achievement of winning three consecutive Champions League trophies that defines his first stint. Under his leadership, Real Madrid became the dominant force in European football, with key players like Luka Modric, Toni Kroos, Gareth Bale, Karim Benzema, and Cristiano Ronaldo contributing to their success.

Real Madrid became the first club to win three consecutive Champions League titles—a feat that remains unparalleled and seems likely to stand for many years to come.

1. Carlo Ancelotti - Five Titles

Real Madrid (Thrice) and AC Milan (Twice)

Carlo Ancelotti is widely regarded as one of the greatest managers of his generation, with an illustrious playing career behind him. No other manager in history has achieved what he has in European football, and as of now, he stands as the only manager to have won more than three Champions League titles.

Ancelotti’s managerial career began with AC Milan, where he was in charge from 2001 to 2009. Under his leadership, Milan became one of the most formidable teams in Europe, winning the Champions League twice, in 2003 and 2007. After leaving Milan, Ancelotti expanded his horizons, managing Chelsea and Paris Saint-Germain before taking over at Real Madrid in 2013.

In his first stint with Los Blancos, Ancelotti achieved immediate success, guiding the club to their 10th Champions League title, also known as "La Décima." After a spell at Everton, Ancelotti returned to Madrid in 2021, where he has added two more Champions League titles to his collection, further solidifying his place in footballing history.