Five Most Legendary Managers to Have Managed Real Madrid

Every manager dreams of managing a big club at least once in their career. In the past, a lot of great managers have previously failed to ever manage the big clubs of the world, rather had to spend quite a long time managing the smaller ones. There have also been cases where inexperienced or undeserving managers got to manage big clubs purely due to their connections. Here, we talk about the five most legendary managers to have managed Real Madrid.

So, whether a manager will ever get to manage a top club or not is certainly dependent on luck to a certain extent but it does not take the skill factor out of the equation. Getting to manage a club of Real Madrid’s stature is a dream for nearly every manager but making that dream come true is extremely difficult. What’s more difficult is to become successful there. Many have come and failed, only a few have succeeded. Five of those successful ones who have taken the club to a whole different height –

#5 Leo Beenhakker:

The Dutchman does not often get credit for his work at the club as the team struggled in European competitions under him. But domestically, Real Madrid was a force to be reckoned with as they lifted three consecutive LaLiga titles under his guidance in three years.

Before he left in 1989, he also helped the club win two Supercopa de Espana and one Copa del Rey. The club’s domestic domination under his reign can only be compared with Miguel Munoz’s time at the club.

#4 Jose Villalonga:

He took charge of the club in the middle of the 1954/55 season and guided them to their first-ever European Cup win at the age of just 36 – the youngest ever manager to lift a European Cup to date.

In 1957, he led the club to their first-ever treble win after they lifted all three of the European Cup, LaLiga title and Copa Latina by the end of the season. His legacy at Real Madrid deteriorated fast after he joined their local rival Atletico Madrid but no one can take away what he achieved with the Los Blancos.

#3 Vicente del Bosque:

Vicente del Bosque is an embodiment of what the club stands for. His four years at the club saw Real Madrid ending their five-year-long wait for their LaLiga title triumph. He showcased his man-management prowess by guiding the Galacticos to two UEFA Champions League wins, two LaLiga title wins, one Supercopa de Espana, one UEFA Super Cup, one Copa Iberoamericana and one Intercontinental Cup victory.

His exit from the club was controversial and did not go down well amongst both the fans and the players. He still remains one of the most loved figures to ever represent the Los Blancos.

#2 Zinedine Zidane:

Only a handful of top footballers turn out to become great managers and without a doubt, Zidane is one of those outliers. He took charge of a struggling Real Madrid side in the middle of 2015/16 and led them to three consecutive UCL wins in three seasons – the only team to ever do it in the history of the tournament.

His two spells at the club as the manager also saw the team lifting two LaLiga titles, two Supercopa de Espana trophies, two UEFA Super Cups and two FIFA Club World Cups. He is Real Madrid’s most successful manager of this century and to date a fan favourite. He is one of the legendary managers to have managed Real Madrid and won a lot of titles both as a player and manager.

#1 Miguel Munoz:

After serving for 26 straight years as a player and then as a manager, Munoz is one of the most significant characters in the club’s history. During his time, Madrid won five starting league titles and a total of nine.

After lifting European Cup thrice as a player Munoz helped his team win two more under his guidance. Not only winning silverware, but his influence was much more than that. His ideas and tactical tweaks changed football back then. His 3-3-4 formation is still used in modern days by various top managers – further solidifying his impact on the club and the game.