Top 10 Highest-Paid Football Coaches in the World in 2025 – When most people think about money in football, their minds go straight to players. The £100 million transfers, the superstar wages, the endorsements that turn a 22-year-old into a global brand. But in 2025, the spotlight is increasingly on the men in the dugout. Coaches aren’t just tacticians anymore – they’re figureheads, motivators, and in many ways the architects of entire clubs.
And they’re paid like it too.
From Pep Guardiola’s tactical masterclasses at Manchester City to Diego Simeone’s no-nonsense Atletico Madrid, to the Saudi revolution throwing unimaginable salaries at managers, the football coaching market is bigger than ever. Some of these managers are earning more in a week than many fans will see in a decade, and whether you find that mad or fair, it’s the reality of the sport today.
Top 10 Highest-Paid Football Coaches in the World in 2025 in Table
Perfect 👌 Adding a comparison table which gives insight on why they are really paid higher. Here’s how the Top 10 Highest-Paid Football Coaches in the World in 2025 looks like
| Coach | Club (2025) | Annual Salary (£m) | Major Trophies Won |
|---|---|---|---|
| Diego Simeone | Atletico Madrid | 25.9 | 2x La Liga, 2x Europa League, 1x Copa del Rey, 2x Champions League runner-up |
| Pep Guardiola | Manchester City | 20.7 | 3x Champions League, 5x Premier League (City), 3x Bundesliga, 3x La Liga |
| Mikel Arteta | Arsenal | 15.6 | 2x FA Cup, 1x Community Shield, 1x Premier League |
| Stefano Pioli | Al Nassr | 15.5 | 1x Serie A (Milan), multiple domestic honours in Saudi Arabia (emerging) |
| David Moyes | Everton | 12.5 | 1x UEFA Europa Conference League, stabilised multiple Premier League clubs |
| Luis Enrique | Paris Saint-Germain | 9–10 | 1x Champions League, 2x La Liga, 3x Copa del Rey, 1x UEFA Super Cup, Ligue 1 titles |
| Matthias Jaissle | Al Ahli | 9.6 | Austrian Bundesliga titles with Salzburg |
| José Mourinho | Fenerbahçe | 9.2 | 2x Champions League, 3x Premier League, 2x Serie A, 1x La Liga, 2x Europa League |
| Ruben Amorim | Manchester United | 6.7 | 1x Primeira Liga, 2x Portuguese Cups, early days at United |
| Arne Slot | Liverpool | 6.2 | 1x Eredivisie with Feyenoord, tasked with rebuilding post-Klopp |
Top 10 Highest-Paid Football Coaches in the World in 2025
So, let’s break it down. Here are the Top 10 Highest-Paid Football Coaches in the World in 2025, what they earn, where they coach, and why they’re worth every penny (at least in the eyes of their employers).
1. Diego Simeone – Atletico Madrid
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Salary: ~£25.9 million per year
Diego Simeone has been at Atletico Madrid for so long he’s basically part of the furniture. And he’s still the highest-paid football coach in the world. That tells you a lot.
Known for his fiery personality, black suits, and defensive organisation, Simeone has built Atletico into a European powerhouse that consistently punches above its weight. In an era where Real Madrid and Barcelona have the finances and fanbases of giants, Simeone’s Atleti has made them sweat for every trophy.
His massive salary reflects loyalty as much as success. Atletico know how rare it is to have a coach who can stick around for over a decade in modern football, and even if his style isn’t the prettiest, it works. In 2025, “Cholo” is still the face of the club.
2. Pep Guardiola – Manchester City
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Salary: ~£20.7 million per year
If Simeone is the defensive general, Pep Guardiola is the football philosopher. At Manchester City, he’s built arguably the most dominant club side England has ever seen. Multiple Premier League titles, a historic treble, and finally bringing the Champions League trophy home to the blue half of Manchester.
Pep doesn’t just win matches – he changes how the game is played. His tactical innovations (the inverted full-back, the false nine, the box midfield… the list goes on) ripple through football at every level. It’s not just about City winning, it’s about the Guardiola way of playing.
That’s why City are happy to pay him nearly £21 million a year. His presence ensures that world-class players want to sign, fans keep buying tickets, and sponsors are lining up. Guardiola isn’t just a coach – he’s part of the brand.
3. Mikel Arteta – Arsenal
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Salary: ~£15.6 million per year
Mikel Arteta is proof that patience pays off. When he first took over at Arsenal, the club was in disarray. Years of inconsistency, managerial changes, and financial worries had left the Gunners far from the glory days of Wenger. Fast forward to 2025, and Arteta has them back at the very top.
Arteta has combined tactical nous with emotional intelligence. He’s built a young, hungry squad and given them belief. Arsenal are playing attractive, attacking football, and they’re challenging for titles again. For the club and its fans, that alone is priceless.
His salary reflects Arsenal’s determination to keep him out of the hands of bigger spenders. At just 43, he’s still young for a top coach, and many see him as a future legend in his own right.
4. Stefano Pioli – Al Nassr
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Salary: ~£15.5 million per year
If you’d told someone five years ago that Stefano Pioli would be earning more than most European giants were willing to pay, they’d have laughed. But then came the Saudi Pro League.
Pioli, once AC Milan’s steady hand who brought them back to Serie A glory, is now at Al Nassr. His job? Turn the Saudi league into something truly competitive. With Cristiano Ronaldo still around and a raft of new stars joining, the pressure is high.
The money is astronomical – £15.5m a year – but Saudi clubs are paying these wages to raise the league’s profile and credibility. For Pioli, it’s a late-career jackpot and a chance to prove himself in a very different environment.
5. David Moyes – Everton
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Salary: ~£12.5 million per year
Few managers in football have had as winding a career as David Moyes. From the highs of Everton in the 2000s to the infamous Manchester United stint, to West Ham glory and now, remarkably, back at Everton.
His return came as a shock, but Everton’s board are willing to pay big – over £12m a year – for stability. Moyes is known for building hard-working, resilient sides, and in a financially tricky time for Everton, he’s seen as a safe pair of hands.
It may not be glamorous, but Moyes has proven that experience is valuable, and clubs will pay heavily for it.
6. Luis Enrique – Paris Saint-Germain
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Salary: ~£9–10 million per year
Managing PSG is one of the hardest jobs in football. You’ve got superstars, huge egos, fans demanding the Champions League, and owners with little patience. But if anyone can handle it, it’s Luis Enrique.
The former Barcelona boss is experienced, calm under pressure, and tactically versatile. PSG pay him close to £10m a year to do one thing: finally deliver European glory.
It’s a tough ask, but Enrique’s CV – a treble with Barcelona and years at the top level – makes him a good bet.
7. Matthias Jaissle – Al Ahli
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Salary: ~£9.6 million per year
Another manager lured to Saudi Arabia is Matthias Jaissle. At just 36, he’s one of the youngest coaches on this list, but already earning close to £10m a year.
Al Ahli see him as the future – someone who can grow with the project, build attacking teams, and attract younger players to the league. It’s a bold move, but Jaissle’s salary reflects just how serious Saudi clubs are about investing not just in players, but in long-term coaching talent.
8. José Mourinho – Benfica
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Salary: ~£9.2 million per year
José Mourinho is the ultimate box-office manager. Love him or hate him, he’s a winner, and his career has spanned Europe’s biggest clubs. Now, in 2025, he’s in Turkey with Fenerbahçe, still earning over £9m a year.
The “Special One” brings instant media attention, tactical experience, and the kind of personality that makes fans believe anything is possible. His salary reflects not just his coaching ability, but his commercial value – Mourinho guarantees headlines.
9. Ruben Amorim – Manchester United
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Salary: ~£6.7 million per year
Manchester United’s managerial carousel has been spinning for years, but in 2025 they’ve turned to Ruben Amorim, one of Europe’s brightest young tacticians.
The Portuguese coach made his name at Sporting CP, where his pressing style and focus on youth made him a hot property. Now at Old Trafford, he’s tasked with bringing back the glory days.
At £6.7m a year, his salary is actually lower than some on this list, but it’s a bet on potential. If he succeeds, expect that figure to climb fast.
10. Arne Slot – Liverpool
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Salary: ~£6.2 million per year
Replacing Jurgen Klopp at Liverpool was never going to be easy. But Arne Slot has stepped in and made the role his own. The Dutchman impressed at Feyenoord with his high-energy football, and Liverpool moved quickly to secure him.
At just over £6m a year, his salary is modest compared to Guardiola or Simeone, but Liverpool believe in his project. If he delivers trophies, don’t be surprised if that number doubles in the next few seasons.
Honourable Mentions
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Simone Inzaghi (Inter Milan) – around £7m a year, fresh off domestic and European success.
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Roberto De Zerbi (Marseille) – £6.5m, one of the fastest rising coaches in Europe.
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Gareth Southgate (England) – £6m, showing that even national team coaches can be handsomely rewarded.
Why Coaches Earn So Much
Football managers today are more than trainers. They’re CEOs of football clubs. They handle transfers, inspire players, deal with the media, and represent the brand globally. Clubs make hundreds of millions from success in Europe, shirt sales, and sponsorship deals, so paying a coach £15m a year is considered a small price compared to the risks of failure.
Conclusion
The salaries of the top football coaches in 2025 are eye-watering. From Simeone’s loyalty at Atletico Madrid to Guardiola’s dominance at City, to the Saudi clubs splashing cash on Pioli and Jaissle, the landscape has changed forever.
Love it or loathe it, managers are now among the most valuable assets a club can have. And as long as the money in football keeps growing, expect these salaries to climb even higher.