Former England manager Fabio Capello has named his pick for the greatest manager in world football, snubbing the likes of Pep Guardiola and Arne Slot. The Italian was himself considered one of the best tacticians of his generation, having led the likes of Real Madrid, AC Milan, and Juventus prior to his Three Lions failure.
On the sidelines, Capello claimed one European Cup and a total of seven domestic league titles, making him one of the most accomplished coaches in his country. However, he has singled out another compatriot with an even larger trophy cabinet as being the best in the game.
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Capello Names Carlo Ancelotti as Greatest Manager in the World
The former England boss waxed lyrical about the Real Madrid coach
Speaking in an interview with the Daily Mail, Capello revealed that fellow countryman Carlo Ancelotti was his pick for the greatest manager in the modern game. The 65-year-old is widely expected to leave Real Madrid at the end of the season, but collected his fifth Champions League title as a coach in 2024.
Explaining why the managerial veteran was his pick, Capello stated:
"Carlo Ancelotti is the best manager in the world. Wherever he has managed, they have won. I like him because he can play different styles with different players. He is really intelligent. It’s not, “This style is my style and that’s it”. He makes wine with different grapes."
Capello's praise for Ancelotti's tactical flexibility is something that is rather uncommon in the modern game, with the likes of Ruben Amorim refusing to change his style of play despite the injury crisis he faced at Manchester United.
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Capello Praises Arne Slot
The Italian had some praise for the Liverpool boss
Though he didn't select Slot as his choice for the best manager in the modern game, the 78-year-old did have some kind words to say about the Dutchman. The Liverpool manager is en route to completing one of the best debut seasons in the Premier League as he looks set to lead the Reds to the title.
"To do this after Jurgen Klopp, who I liked, is incredible," said Capello. "It’s a bit like my career. I arrived at AC Milan after Arrigo Sacchi and everyone said the team is finished, that they don’t like to work any more, they had won too many trophies. I think it’s more or less the same."
All statistics courtesy of Transfermarkt - accurate as of 22/03/2025.