Carrick Earns 62 Points as ESPN Ranks Top 30 European Club Managers

Michael Carrick secured 12 wins in 17 league games at Manchester United to rank 21st among elite European club managers.

Michael Carrick leads the lower third of the top 30 rankings with a total score of 62/100 after securing 12 wins from 17 league games as Manchester United manager. His performance earned the club a third-place finish and a return to the Champions League following the sacking of Ruben Amorim. In contrast, Jose Mourinho returned to Real Madrid after the club paid a €15 million release clause to Benfica, replacing Xabi Alonso who lasted only six months in the role. Mourinho currently holds a score of 60/100, matching the rating of the unattached Marcelino, who guided Villarreal to third place in LaLiga last season with their highest points tally since the 2007-08 campaign.

Tactical Shifts and Statistical Ratings

Rankings were determined by scoring managers across six categories: coaching acumen, style, people management, communication, history/achievements, and X factor. History and X factor were weighted out of 10 points, while the other four categories were rated out of 20. Francesco Farioli, aged 37, sits at 22nd with 61 points after leading FC Porto to their first league title in four years, a campaign where his defense conceded only 18 goals. Farioli previously managed Ajax Amsterdam but left after a title collapse where the team surrendered a nine-point lead with only five matches remaining.

Niko Kovac also holds 61 points at Borussia Dortmund. Since taking over in January 2025, Kovac utilized a 3-4-2-1 system to secure a second-place finish behind Bayern Munich. His tenure has been marked by youth integration, providing regular starts to 20-year-old Jobe Bellingham and handing debuts to academy prospects Samuele Inácio and Luca Reggiani. This follows a career history that includes a German double at Bayern in 2018-19 and a sacking at Wolfsburg following an 11-game winless streak.

Premier League Survival and European Qualification

Roberto De Zerbi ranks 26th with 59 points after joining Tottenham Hotspur in March 2026. He successfully avoided relegation by securing 11 points in the final seven games of the season. To support his 3-2-5 attacking formation, Spurs spent over €260 million to acquire Sandro Tonali, Mateus Fernandes, and Jan Paul van Hecke, while adding free agents Andy Robertson and Marcos Senesi.

Regis Le Bris, positioned at 29th with 57 points, transitioned Sunderland from a Championship playoff final victory against Sheffield United to a seventh-place Premier League finish. This result secured Sunderland’s first European qualification since 1974. Le Bris employs a tactical shift from a compact 4-4-2 without possession to a 4-3-3 or 4-2-3-1 when attacking.

French League Success and Management Changes

Pierre Sage ranks 28th with 58 points after a season at Lens where he won the Coupe de France and finished second in Ligue 1, pushing Paris Saint-Germain to the final stages of the title race. Sage was named Ligue 1 Manager of the Year over Luis Enrique before moving to Crystal Palace to replace Oliver Glasner.

Paulo Fonseca, now at Lyon, shares the 58-point mark. His recent history includes a 24-game stint at AC Milan and a nine-month touchline ban for an attempted headbutt on a referee during a match against Brest in March 2025. Despite the disciplinary issues, he secured a Champions League berth for Lyon while the club faced ownership changes.

Ruben Amorim rounds out the list at 30th with 56 points. His tenure at Manchester United lasted 47 games and resulted in only 15 wins before he was dismissed for tactical inflexibility regarding his 3-4-2-1 system. He now manages AC Milan, a club that has employed three different managers over the last two years. Eddie Howe, currently unattached, holds 62 points following a five-year stint at Newcastle United that ended after a 12th-place finish, positioned below local rivals Sunderland.