Some players, it seems, are made for certain clubs – to the point that even after hanging up their boots, they stay on or return to call the shots as manager or head coach.
Here, we take you through some of the most notable examples from throughout the history of the game.
For the record, our list excludes those who only ever managed the club they played for in a player-manager capacity.
Carlo Ancelotti (Milan)
Among the outstanding Italian players of the 80s, Carlo Ancelotti joined Milan from Roma in 1987 and finished his career with the Rossoneri, helping them to back-to-back European Cups under legendary coach Arrigo Sacchi in 1989 and 1990.
In 2001, following stints managing Reggiana, Parma and Juventus, ‘Don Carlo’ assumed the Milan hotseat himself – and led the club to two more Champions League triumphs in 2003 and 2005.
Mikel Arteta (Arsenal)
Mikel Arteta saw out his playing career at Arsenal, making 150 appearances for the Gunners and captaining them to successive FA Cups in 2014 and 2015.
Having been part of Pep Guardiola’s Manchester City coaching staff after hanging up his boots, the ex-Everton and Rangers midfielder returned to the Emirates Stadium as boss in 2019, succeeding Unai Emery. He won his first trophy as a manager, the FA Cup, the following year.
Franz Beckenbauer (Bayern Munich)
Bayern Munich’s greatest-ever player, most notably leading the Bavarian giants to three consecutive European Cups in the 70s, Franz Beckenbauer had two stints in charge during the 90s.
A World Cup winner with West Germany as a player and a coach, ‘Der Kaiser’ oversaw Bayern’s 1993/94 Bundesliga title triumph and 1995/96 UEFA Cup victory.
Antonio Conte (Juventus)
A veteran of more than 400 appearances for Juventus between 1991 and his retirement in 2004, winning five Serie A titles and the Champions League and captaining the club for five years, Antonio Conte is a Bianconeri legend.
The 20-cap Italy midfielder returned to take charge of Juve in 2011 and led them to the Scudetto in each of his three seasons at the helm. Not bad!
Johan Cruyff (Ajax & Barcelona)
Unquestionably one of the most influential figures in football history, the inimitable Johan Cruyff won domestic and European honours with both Ajax and Barcelona – both on the pitch and in the dugout.
The Dutch master began his coaching career with the Amsterdam giants in 1985, before leaving in 1988 to take the reins at Barca – where he assembled his famous ‘Dream Team’ and delivered, among other honours, the club’s first European Cup in 1992.
Kenny Dalglish (Liverpool)
Part of a select group to have been an English top-flight champion as player and manager at the same club, Kenny Dalglish had indelibly etched his name into Liverpool history by the time he succeeded Joe Fagan in the dugout in 1985, initially serving as player-manager, having won it all with the Reds.
Player-manager for three First Division and two FA Cup wins between 1986 and 1990, ‘King Kenny’ had a second spell in charge at Anfield in the early 2010s, guiding the Reds to the 2011/12 League Cup.
Roberto Di Matteo (Chelsea)
A firm fan favourite at Chelsea, Roberto Di Matteo had to retire prematurely due to injury in 2002 – but the popular Italian was back at Stamford Bridge by 2012, when he was appointed caretaker manager after the sacking of Andre Villas-Boas.
And it’s fair to say he made a good start to life as Blues boss: he steered the club to their maiden Champions League triumph, as well as the FA Cup – only to be sacked himself within six months…
George Graham (Arsenal)
George Graham spent the bulk of his playing days at Arsenal, starring in their double triumph of 1970/71, during which he scored 14 goals in all competitions.
After entering management with Millwall, the defensively inclined Scot was back at Highbury in 1986, and he went on to lead the Gunners to six pieces of major silverware, winning the First Division title in 1989 – through Michael Thomas’ dramatic late goal against Liverpool Anfield – and 1991.
Pep Guardiola (Barcelona)
The greatest manager of all time? We’ll let you hash that one out among yourselves, but there’s no simply no denying that Pep Guardiola did an extraordinary job in charge of Barcelona, building one of the most magnificent teams the game has ever seen – featuring Xavi, Iniesta and a certain Mr Messi.
In his first managerial role, Pep guided Barca to seven major trophies – including two Champions Leagues, the first as part of a treble in 2008/09 – having lifted 10 with his hometown club as a player.
Howard Kendall (Everton)
Howard Kendall was the man behind Everton’s great success of the 80s, when the Blues regularly vied for top honours with Merseyside rivals Liverpool. He guided them to two First Division titles, an FA Cup and the Cup Winners’ Cup, the latter representing the club’s first European trophy.
As a player, Kendall had turned out the best part of 300 times for the Toffees, featuring in their championship-winning campaign of 1969/70.
Frank Lampard (Chelsea)
Undoubtedly one Chelsea’s very best players ever, Frank Lampard won everything there was to win with the Blues, racking up a club-record 211 goals along the way.
He returned to Stamford Bridge as gaffer in 2019, succeeding Maurizio Sarri and becoming the club’s first English boss in over 20 years. Dismissed in 2021, he was back once more, this time in caretaker charge, following Graham Potter’s departure in 2023.
Bill Nicholson (Tottenham)
Bill Nicholson devoted more than half of his life to Tottenham, starting out playing for the club as a wing-half and helping them to the Second and First Division titles in consecutive seasons at the start of the 50s.
As manager from 1958 to 1974, Nicholson delivered even more success to Spurs, in the form of another top-flight title, three FA Cups (they did the double in 1960/61), two League Cups, the UEFA Cup and the Cup Winners’ Cup.
Bob Paisley (Liverpool)
Along with Kenny Dalglish, one of two men to taste top-flight glory with Liverpool as a player and a manager, the great Bob Paisley was a member of the Reds’ 1946/47 title-winning team.
Trusty assistant to Bill Shankly for many years, Paisley succeeded him as part of Anfield’s ‘boot room’ managerial lineage and steered the Merseyside giants to no fewer than 13 major trophies – including their first three European Cups in 1977, 1978 and 1981.
Diego Simeone (Atletico Madrid)
As feisty in management as he was as a player, Diego Simeone has well and truly cemented legendary status at Atletico Madrid over the past couple of decades.
A LaLiga champion and Copa del Rey winner in both roles, the Argentine has also led Atleti to multiple Europa League triumphs and Champions League finals.
Ole Gunnar Solskjaer (Manchester United)
A serial winner playing up front for Manchester United, Ole Gunnar Solskjaer famously scored the dramatic treble-securing goal against Bayern Munich in the 1999 Champions League final.
Forever revered by United fans, the ‘Baby-faced Assassin’ was appointed caretaker manager in December 2018, succeeding the sacked Jose Mourinho, taking the reins permanently the following March. He remained at the helm until November 2021.
Zinedine Zidane (Real Madrid)
Zinedine Zidane starred in LaLiga and Champions League success as a Real Madrid player in the early 00s, at which time he was just about the best player on the planet.
And Zizou’s managerial tenures at the Bernabeu, the first of which began in 2016, would be even more glittering: the World Cup-, Euros- and Ballon d’Or-winning Frenchman steered Madrid to two domestic titles and three Champions Leagues – in succession between 2016 and 2018.
