Managers with most Europa League titles

By Peter Ochieng

The Europa League, previously known as UEFA Cup, is the second-tier European club football competition, after the UEFA Champions League.

It is an annual football club competition organised by the Union of European Football Associations (UEFA), since 1971 ranking above the UEFA Conference League.

After previously focusing on most successful Champions League coaches, an opportunity is here for us to share something on the most successful Europa League coaches. Read on:

1. Unai Emery

Whereas Carlo Ancelotti is the indisputable ‘Mr Champions League,’ after claiming 5 titles with AC Milan and Real Madrid respectively, Unai Emery is the outright ‘Mr. Europa League’ after claiming 4 titles with Sevilla and Villareal – both Spanish clubs.

The current Aston Villa manager claimed the title thrice with Sevilla for three consecutive seasons between 2013 and 2016, beating Benfica, Dnipro and Liverpool respectively along the process.

He is the only man to win the Europa League thrice on the trot, before claiming another title with Villareal via beating Manchester United in 2021.

2. Giovanni Trapattoni

The legendary Italian tactician has three Europa League titles to his name.

He achieved success with Juventus twice, before capping his success when he led Inter Milan to the title triumph in 1991.  

Trapattoni also led Juventus to one Champions League crown and 7 Serie A titles, making him one of the most successful managers in the Old Lady’s history.  

3. Rafael Benitez

Another Spaniard on the list.

Benitez led Valencia to the title in 2004 capping a marvelous season, when the team also won the La Liga title ahead of heavyweights Barcelona and Real Madrid.

Benitez then guided Chelsea to Europa League title in 2013, beating SL Benfica 2-1 in the final.

Before then, he led Liverpool to the 2005 Champions league title, making him one of the several coaches to have managed a Champions League and Europa League double.  

4. Jose Mourinho

The ‘Special One,’ now on the ranks of Fenerbahçe in Turkey is not here by fluke.

When the history of the best European coaches is written, he surely will be among the top ranked.

Mourinho is the only man to win all the three UEFA club titles – Champions League, Europa League and UEFA Conference League.

He has two Champions League crowns with FC Porto and Inter Milan, two Europa League championships with FC Porto and Manchester United, and one EUFA Conference League title with AS Roma.