Highlights

• Rivalries between managers are often rare, yet these 10 managers went against the grain and battled for years.
• The likes of Sir Alex Ferguson, Jose Mourinho and Arsene Wenger all feature more than once, epitomising their passion for the sport.
• Ferguson's rivalry with Wenger is ranked as the greatest in football history, following the battles between Manchester United and Arsenal respectively.

Football managers normally try to take a step back from the controversy and chaos that players get involved in. Standing on the touchline, their passion and love for their club are usually noticeable, but they rarely start chaos themselves. Yet, for these managers, they were at the heart of some of the sport's greatest managerial rivalries.

From conflicts on the touchline to having respect but dramatic matches between one another, there's nothing better than when football coaches have their own drama - alongside the players themselves. It brings out a new side of them, acting as the messiahs of their clubs on the biggest stage in the world.

This article ranks the 10 greatest managerial rivalries of all time, with several managers featuring more than once. Their legendary figures produced remarkable - and often ground-breaking - tactics, but they were sometimes in the news for other issues in the sport. Below are the criteria used to determine how the list was decided, and which rivalries rank higher.

Ranking Factors

• Record against one another
• Drama on the touchlines
• Longevity

10 Arrigo Sacchi vs Fabio Capello

Firstly, the rivalry between these two managers sent shock-waves through football at the time. Both legendary managers helped AC Milan to glory, yet they had to go through drama to do so. In 1987, Fabio Capello was replaced as AC Milan coach by Arrigo Sacchi. Several people were against Sacchi's appointment due to Capello's superior playing record. AC Milan impressed under Sacchi for four years, yet he was eventually replaced for being too demanding on club funds and the players. In came Capello - again, who also succeeded with the club. They only faced each other once on the pitch, but they have always been bitter rivals due to their spells at AC Milan.

9 Gary Megson vs Neil Warnock

Gary Megson and Neil Warnock never seemed to be particularly fond of each other — and they showcased that at the 'Battle of Bramall Lane'. It was one of the most chaotic matches of all time, with it being abandoned after 82 minutes. Megson's West Brom seemed to be having the perfect match against Warnock's Sheffield United early on. Sheffield Utd goalkeeper Simon Tracey was sent off early on.

However, it didn't stop there. United's Georges Santos saw red for a brutal lunge, whilst teammate Patrick Suffo was given his marching orders after the subsequent melee. It led to the match being abandoned due to the hosts having just six players (two more due to injury) and West Brom were handed the win. Warnock got a £300 fine, epitomising their rivalry.

8 Jose Mourinho vs Rafa Benitez

Both Rafa Benitez and Jose Mourinho arrived in England in the summer of 2004 to Liverpool and Chelsea respectively. They faced each other religiously in their first season in the country. Chelsea had the upper hand in the Premier League but found Liverpool to be their nemesis in two Champions League semi-finals and an FA Cup semi-final.

They both fired insults towards one another, with Benitez calling Mourinho a 'specialist in European failure' and the Portuguese manager calling his rival's team 'boring'. However, their history also followed them to Italy. Benitez failed to replicate Mourinho's success at Inter Milan, leading to him being sacked after six months. It's a rivalry for the ages.

7 Brian Clough vs Don Revie

Earlier in football's history, Don Revie had already turned Leeds United into a national powerhouse in the early 70s when Brian Clough took over the managerial reins at the club. Normally, managers don't comment about previous coaches, but Clough ignored that, suggesting any medals won under Revie should be binned because they 'were not won fairly'. It led to a chaotic and brutal television interview between the two in 1974 where the pair threw insults at one another, epitomising their hatred. That wouldn't happen in the modern day anymore in an unrestricted manner like they had.

6 Rafa Benitez vs Sir Alex Ferguson

Rafa Benitez came to Liverpool in 2004 and he faced Sir Alex Ferguson 16 times in his career, winning just six. Their rivalry at Liverpool and Man United respectively symbolised the hatred between the two clubs, with the pair often making snide comments about one another. In 2009, Benitez listed criticisms of Ferguson in an interview, stating "fact" at the end of each sentence. It was brutal, yet - despite that - Ferguson got the upper hand by denying all criticisms and proving how he thought he was the better coach. With eight wins against him, the Scotsman had a time to remember in this rivalry.

5 Sir Alex Ferguson vs Kevin Keegan

Newcastle have never won the Premier League; they came very close under Kevin Keegan, blowing a 12-point lead in 1996. They were in cruise control but collapsed during the run-in, leading to Keegan's iconic quote about Manchester United. "I will love it if we beat them (Man Utd)! Love it," he stated. However, unfortunately for Keegan, he did not beat them. They lost 1-0 and blew the title to their rivals. His misery was compounded by a 4-0 defeat at the hands of Ferguson’s team on the opening matchday of the next season before he resigned as manager midway through the season. Ferguson had the upper hand in this rivalry.

4 Arsene Wenger vs Jose Mourinho

Arsene Wenger and Mourinho are two of the greatest managers of all time. Due to this, they were bound to clash on the touchline eventually, particularly due to their spells at Chelsea and Arsenal. Famously, in 2014, the pair clashed at Stamford Bridge in the technical area. It epitomised their hatred for each other, yet Wenger rarely got the better of his rival. He beat Mourinho just twice in his career out of 19 attempts. Coupled with a war of words seemingly every year, it is one of the best rivalries of all time.

3 Pep Guardiola vs Jose Mourinho

Mourinho is included again this time, but this time it's against arch-rival Pep Guardiola. During Guardiola's early career at Barcelona, he went up against Mourinho several times. Most notably, Mourinho stunned the Spanish club in the 2010 Champions League semi-finals with a defensive masterclass. The Portuguese coach then moved to Real Madrid, going head-to-head in the El Clasico. Coaching one of the greatest teams of all time, Guardiola typically got the better of him — and that was the case when they both managed in England. However, for Mourinho's sake, he had a time to remember against the Spaniard whilst managing Spurs, showcased by several memorable home wins.

2 Pep Guardiola vs Jurgen Klopp

Jurgen Klopp is set to leave Liverpool at the end of the 2023/2024 season — and, in doing so, it brings an end to one of the Premier League's greatest rivalries. The duo have always had respect for each other, partially due to their dominance in England, creating some of the league's greatest encounters every season. Famously, Guardiola has pipped Klopp to two Premier League titles on the final day of the season, whilst the German stunned the Spaniard in the Champions League at the Etihad Stadium. It's different to other rivalries, as they attempted to dominate England against one of the best coaches.

1 Sir Alex Ferguson vs Arsene Wenger

Finally, Wenger vs Ferguson epitomises what a managerial rivalry is all about. Arsenal and Man United were the best teams in England in the 1990s — and they dominated in the 2000s until Chelsea turned up. At one point, Wenger complained that fixtures were drawn up to favour the Manchester team and refused to shake his rival’s hand, but he finally got the upper hand over Sir Alex Ferguson in 2002. Wenger's title in the 2002 season and invincible campaign in 2004 pained Ferguson desperately. However, he still ended his career with a win percent of over 50.

GIVEMESPORT Key Statistic: Arsene Wenger played the most matches against Sir Alex Ferguson (49) in his career - 15 matches more than the next manager, David Moyes (34).

All data taken from Transfermarkt