They drive luxury cars. They are always surrounded by gorgeous women. They are the ambassadors of the best men’s brands. Who are we talking about? “Footballers!”, you must have guessed, didn’t you? Well, things are going to change in world football…
Elegant, discreet, always-in-shape, and far from scandals and the limelight. Football’s managers show off refined and more personal looks. We have given a sneak peek at online founds, we have followed them on Instagram, compared each other and compiled our personal football’s current most-cool manager list (Italian or not).
10. Massimiliano Allegri
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“I’m not obsessed with the rules, I’m an inventive person: I can’t spend too much time trying to find a solution, I need to get inspired and most of the times that happens when I don’t think of it: I often decide to deploy a new formation at night, for example. The fact is that we constantly have sensations.”
Massimiliano Allegri
Italo Allodi, historic sporting director of football in Italy, used to describe him as a promising player “with talent and an easy-going attitude”. If you look at him today you would never guess that behind his strict and unyielding manners and rigorous look is a true hothead. He confines its “easy going attitude” to the pitch, but when it comes to style, tactics are constant, precise, and take into account the dress code.
Here he wears a colour-denim single-breasted blazer paired with a midnight blue roll-neck. Contrasts harmoniously combine without looking excessively banal. We hope that he combined its pieces with a pair of contrasted chinos and possibly a pair of monk straps or Chelsea boots.
9. Zinedine Zidane
“The door can never be closed for good to any player.”
Zinedine Zidane
It’s 2006 when Zinedine Zidane head-butted Marco Materazzi. The controversy did not stop Zidane from winning World Cup’s best player. That probably says it all about the character of one of the best footballers in football’s history, who was shown the red card 14 times in his career.
Impressive physique, fashion lover, Y-3, Louis Vuitton and Mango’s model. During Real Madrid training, he usually wears the official uniform: overcoat, formal suit, white shirt and necktie. When he goes casual, he usually combines navy, grey or black. The whole look works well, and nobody would dare to contradict him anyway, would you?
8. Eusebio Di Francesco
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“When I was 6-9 I used to run for the ‘Frecce azzurre’.” But I loved playing football too. One day the cycling team coach gave me an ultimatum: I had to choose between cycling and football. And I made a decision. The right one.”
Eusebio Luca Di Francesco
He is considered by many as the Italian manager of the future: Eusebio Di Francesco, now manager of Roma, managed to take Sassuolo to Europa League. And with an extra touch of style, in matter of football tactics and look.
Always flawlessly groomed, stylish sunglasses and killer waistcoat. Di Francesco has a sense of detail, whether it comes to football or style. In both cases his tactics seems to be successful.
7. Mauricio Pochettino
“To try to improve we want to look at ourselves and be bigger and not care about our neighbours.”
Mauricio Pochettino
Born in 1972 in Argentina, Mauricio Pochettino is an Argentine former defender and the current manager of Tottenham. He made his professional debut for Newell’s Old Boys, but in 1994 he moved to Espanyol, where in 2000 he won Copa del Rey, the Spanish football teams’ cup. He also played in France for Paris Saint-Germain and Bordeaux. Since he was young he had a dream: to become a manager.
He takes his job very seriously, but when it comes to style he can perfectly relax. Unyielding, fierce, anti-media, Pochettino doesn’t love super formal suits and off-pitch outfits. He would opt instead for casual blazers, pleated pants, light-shade shirts with spread collar and v-neck sweater. Thanks god, he masters quite well the relaxed look.
6. Antonio Conte
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«The higher you climb on the mountain, the harder the wind blows »
Antonio Conte
Today he has the same character as when he was a footballer. Antonio Conte, who had 13 hugely successful seasons with Juventus and won championships, Champions League and Uefa Cup’s trophies, is today the manager of Chelsea, who were crowned Premier League champions with Conte in 2016-2017.
Tenacity, determination, a tan and perfect hairstyle. Conte knows how things work, even in matter of men’s fashion. He doesn’t dress for vanity, his look is flawless, and he masters the total-blue official uniform look with the typically-Italian cazzimma behaviour, a Neapolitan word for great self-confidence. What about his weekend look? An alternation between jeans and chinos.
5. Fabio Cannavaro
“Italian children can only play football, and they won’t dream of anything other than a packed-out stadium and kicking a ball.”
Fabio Cannavaro
He is considered as one of the Italian football’s most beautiful men and one of the best defenders in Italian football’s history. Fabio Cannavaro, who was born in Naples in 1973, both won the Ballon d’Or and led Italy to victory at FIFA World Cup in 2006, and he is the current manager of Tianjin Quanjian in China.
He didn’t mind being in the limelight while running on the pitch from one side to the other, he posed for Dolce and Gabbana along with the Italian national football team and played a role in several commercials for Gatorade, Lay’s, and salami’s Beretta. Cannavaro is best known for his nice-guy look. Today he goes both casual and formal, by showing off great self-confidence and and relaxed style.
4. Luis Enrique
“Even when you’re winning there’s a lot of things to improve.”
Luis Enrique
The Spanish former footballer and former manager of FC Barcelona proved great versatility. He played any role on the pitch except for centreback and goalkeeper. He opted for a personal style which can be easily adapted. The 46-year-old Spanish sportsman alternates between sartorial pieces and more sports garments or mixes them with each other. He is keen on formal suits, even those cut from light-colour fabrics, and pairs them with the trendiest sneakers.
3. Joachim Löw
“If you want to change something, you have to use new ways.”
Joachim Löw
Germany national football team is made up of excellent performers. The same goes for Joachim Löw’s look, the manager. He usually pairs elegant trousers with black cashmere sweaters or navy crew-neck sweaters with no T-shirt underneath for an ordinary and predictable look. His hairstyle kind of remind us of Beatles’ and provides the smart-casual look with a young touch. A wardrobe that includes ordinary yet definite pieces, like the squad.
2. Pep Guardiola
“Let us fight until the end. Let me try at least that – fight.”
Pep Guardiola
Despite being young, Josep “Pep” Guardiola has always distinguished himself for his elegance, no matter the team he belonged to. From Barcelona to Bayern and Manchester City. When he is on the pitch, Guardiola usually wears fit-slim (sometimes too slim) yet perfectly-tailored pieces of clothing. Well yes, the sartorial elegance has triumphed once again. He usually wears his suits with a subtle sweater or a white shirt and a subtle tie left slightly askew. Can’t do anything but loving his sartorial aptitude.
1. Quique Sánchez Flores
“We’ll make big progress if we focus on ourselves, without making comparisons”
Quique Sánchez Flores
Just spend the whole afternoon watching football matches and you will realise there are two manager “squads” in the world: those wearing the official uniform and those wearing a tracksuit (like Jürgen Klopp). Quique Sánchez Flores belongs to a different team, which opts for a look both formal and casual.
The manager of Espanyol is keen on minimal and relaxed looks which combine double-breasted destructured garments, such as blazers or jardigans (a garment which is both a jacket and a cardigan), colourful t-shirts and sneakers. There’s no doubt that this outfit perfectly pairs with his thicker beard and his salt-and-pepper hair.