Top 10 coaching rivalries in football

Top 10 coaching rivalries in football Top off

The rivalries between coaches have also been a massive part of sports throughout history. We have all sorts of football stories, which became legendary precisely because of the people who led the teams, and not the teams themselves. It is because of this that we've come up with a list of managerial rivalries. Check out the football rankings below, and see some interesting stuff, just for you.

No.10 Rafa Benitez vs Alex Ferguson

Rafa Benitez was a rare person who could force Alex Ferguson to feel uncomfortable. During his time at Liverpool, the Spaniard didn't have any respect for Ferguson's successes and was constantly replying to Scot's comments very aggressively. His famous speech when he delivered the „facts“ about Ferguson and his United, is still remembered by many. Though he couldn't win a Premiership trophy, his impact on Liverpool's history is massive. And he even made it bigger by challenging Ferguson's reputation.

No.9 Kenny Daglish vs Alex Ferguson

When two Scots get into a feud, that is almost always a spectacle. It was the same with Kenny Daglish and Sir Alex Ferguson. The two have a long history of conflicts, which started in 1986 when Daglish, who was the best player in the country, refused to play at the World Cup in Mexico under Ferguson. Previously, the two met almost 18 years before in the reserve matches between the Rangers and the Celtic. Daglish was also Liverpool's icon, and that would later only deepen their open dislike of one another. What made it memorable was when Daglish took the title with Blackburn ahead of United in 1995. If you all remember, investing in Rovers' title back then was one of the most profitable football betting tips ever since the foundation of the Premier League.

No.8 Jurgen Klopp vs Pep Guardiola

One very friendly rivalry we might say is the one between Jurgen Klopp and Pep Guardiola. You couldn't hear trash talk or some negative words between these two managers once talking about one another. The German has a positive record with Guardiola, defeating his side 7 times while losing on five occasions. Their rivalry goes way back when they met in Bundesliga leading Dortmund and Bayern, respectively, and is now extended in the Premiership. What is characteristic of the matches their teams play, is high efficiency. So for all those searching for safe football betting tips, this is good to know.

No.7 Jose Mourinho vs Rafa Benitez

Jose Mourinho often called out Rafa Benitez, who then again, often replied to the Special One. Thrust to be told Mourinho was much more successful in England, and Rafa in the European competitions during their stay in Premiership. But even after the episode on the island, their clashes were pretty personal. Benitez followed Mourinho and replaced him at Inter and Real Madrid, where he never managed to repeat his results. Especially in Italy where the Portuguese won the Treble.

No.6 Arsene Wenger vs Jose Mourinho

The legendary trash talk between Jose Mourinho and Arsene Wenger earned them a place on the top 10 lists of coaching rivalries. The Portuguese and the French often had pretty poor comments about the other side, and sometimes they crossed the boundaries of politeness at press conferences. Arsenal and Chelsea were massive rivals, and apart from that, the temperament of these two individuals was just too hot for them not to get involved in some dispute.

No.5 Jose Mourinho vs Pep Guardiola

As you could see, Mourinho is often on our list, but that is all because of his temperament and also because of his football knowledge. According to our football rankings, the rivalry between him and Pep Guardiola comes up high on the list and takes No.5. The Spaniard inflicted Mourinho with one of the heaviest defeats ever. His Barca defeated Real Madrid 5-0 in 2010, and he is also one of the few managers with a positive head-to-head record against the Special One. Mourinho has just 5 wins in their clashes, while, Guardiola has 10. The rest seven matches ended with a draw.

No.4 Arrigo Sacchi vs Fabio Capello

Fabio Capello and Arrigo Sacchi were two of the most famous Italian coaches in the 80s and the 90s. At that time, Sacchi was harassing the European continent and the Italian competitions with AC Milan. Capello proved to be a rising force in Milan's youth categories and was eager to replace the older colleague, whom he considered to have stolen his job when arriving from Parma. Their relationship wasn't good at all, and throughout the years, they often spoke very negatively about one another.

No.3 Arsene Wenger vs Alex Ferguson

Without a doubt, one of the most famous rivalries between the two coaches is Arsene Wenger's and Alex Ferguson's. In 49 matches, the two had one against another, the record on Scot's side, with 23 wins, 16 losses, and 10 draws. We still remember their heated exchanges before and after all the games, in which they often knew to accuse the rival of cheating or lack of respect. But this surely gave another dimension to the Premier League and everything which goes along with the most prestigious football competition in the world.

No. 2 Cesar Menotti vs Carlos Bilardo

At a very high second place in these football rankings, we have two Argentinian legends. They don't have anything in common except their homeland, and their names are César Menotti and Carlos Bilardo. Both of them won the World Cup with the Argentinian team, but their styles of play and philosophy were different. Menotti wanted his team to play attractively, with lots of goals, and fluid ball movement, while on the other side, Bilardo was more of a defensive-minded guy. He didn't love going up front, but instead waited for counter-attacks and set pieces to threaten the opponents. These two guys divided Argentinian society in two; one side was the Menottistas and the other Bilardistas. Even today, the influence of these two coaches is felt in Argentina, making their rivalry one of the best football stories ever.

No. 1 Brian Clough vs Don Revie

Brian Clough and Don Revie. Do we have to explain why we've put them on top of our list? They are the managers who introduced reality shows to the world of football. Simply, their live debates in studios all over England were something not witnessed before, and they attracted enormous publicity. The film Damned United will tell you all about it. All the disputes they had on the field or in front of the cameras, made this rivalry probably the biggest in all sports. After they appeared, nothing stayed the same for either football or the managerial job in England.

For more interesting football stories and profitable football betting tips, stay tuned, and follow us regularly.