Atletico Madrid managers list: Who is the most successful Atletico coach?

Atletico Madrid managers list: Who is the most successful Atletico coach?

Kevin Omuya
June 1, 2024 at 8:34 PM
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Many coaches have led Atletico Madrid to tremendous success throughout the decades. Among Atletico Madrid's managers, Diego Simeone stands head and shoulders above the others. This article breaks down Atletico Madrid's past managers and some of their achievements.

Atletico Madrid managers
Spanish coach Luis Aragones on June 29, 2008 (L) Diego Simeone on May 19, 2024 (C) and Radomir Antic. Photo: Shaun Botterill, Florencia Tan Jun, Christof Koepsel/ Getty Images
Source: UGC

Table of Сontents:

Under Diego Simeone's guidance, Atlético Madrid, a team frequently overshadowed by Real Madrid and Barcelona, has discovered its way to greatness. Although the team has a long tradition of great coaches, Simeone is unquestionably the most successful.

List of Atletico Madrid managers

This article provides a comprehensive overview of some of the most successful managers who have coached Atletico Madrid and their achievements.

Manager

Nationality

Period

Domenec Balmanya

Spanish

1965-1966

Quique Sánchez Flores

Spanish

2009-2011

Max Merkel

Austrian

1971-1973

Ricardo Zamora

Spanish

1939-1946

Juan Carlos Lorenzo

Argentine

1973-1974

Helanio Herrera

Argentine

1949-1953

Radomir Antic

Yugoslvian

1995-1998, 1999, 2000

Jose Villalonga

Spanish

1959-1962

Luis Aragones

Spanish

1974-1978, 1978, 1979-1980, 1982-1986, 1987, 1991-1993, 2001-2003

Diego Simeone

Argentine

2011-present

10. Domenec Balmanya

Domenec Balmanya
Former Atletico Madrid Coach and player Domenec Balmanya: Stan Meagher/Getty Images
Source: UGC
  • Born on: 29 December 1914
  • Died: 14 February 2002
  • Birthplace: Girona, Spain
  • Nationality: Spain
  • Trophies: La Liga (1)
  • Period: 1965-1966

From 1960–61 to 1964–65, the Spanish club finished third or higher four times. But they still had not ended their title drought, which had started in 1951.

Domenec Balmanya, a Spanish coach who travelled the length and breadth of La Liga for nearly a decade, is here. In 1964–65, he was pivotal in Malaga's promotion to Spain's top division. He won La Liga in his lone season as head coach. Balmanya was appointed manager of the Spanish national team due to his accomplishments.

9. Quique Sánchez Flores

Quique Sánchez Flores
Quique Sanchez Flores during La Liga match between RCD Espanyol v Real Betis Balompie, in Barcelona, ​​on November 27, 2017. Photo: Joan Valls
Source: Getty Images
  • Born on: 5 February 1965
  • Birthplace: Madrid, Spain
  • Nationality: Spain
  • Trophies: Europa League (1), UEFA Super Cup (1)
  • Period: 2009-2011

Former Atletico Madrid manager Quique Sanchez Flores won the Taca de Liga as Benfica coach. He also led Valencia to repeated top-four finishes in La Liga.

After over 30 years without a European trophy, his Atleti team eventually ended that drought in 2010 when they defeated Fulham in the UEFA Europa League final. The heroics of Diego Forlan, a Uruguayan striker who helped Madrid win European hardware, boosted his confidence.

8. Max Merkel

Max Merkel
Max Merkel poses with Club trophies. Photo: Sepp Graff
Source: Getty Images
  • Born on: 7 December 1918
  • Died: 28 November 2006
  • Birthplace: Vienna, Austria
  • Nationality: Austria
  • Trophies: La Liga (1), Copa del Rey (1)
  • Period: 1971-1973

Luis Aragones, a legend at Atletico, was fortunate enough to have Max Merkel as his coach throughout his prime. Joined by the Spanish striker, who had already won the league in 1972–73 and the Copa del Rey (also named the Copa del Generalissimo) in 1971–72, the Austrian coach amassed many titles in Madrid. Merkel also coached the Dutch national teams Borussia Dortmund and Sevilla.

7. Ricardo Zamora

Ricardo Zamora
Goalkeeper Ricardo Zamora (1901 - 1978) of the Spanish national team at Stamford Bridge. Photo: Central Press
Source: Getty Images
  • Born on: 21 January 1901
  • Died: 8 September 1978
  • Birthplace: Barcelona, Spain
  • Nationality: Spain
  • Trophies: La Liga (2), Spanish Supercopa (2)
  • Period: 1939-1946

Atletico Madrid was formerly known as Athletic Aviation during World War II when the legendary Ricardo Zamora of Spain coached the club.

In the 1920s and 1930s, Zamora was a fantastic footballer for Real Madrid and Barcelona, but he was a unique Catalan who supported the Franco regime. According to his Transfermarkt profile, he led Atletico to two league titles and two Supercopas amidst the league's instability.

6. Juan Carlos Lorenzo

Juan Carlos Lorenzo
SS Lazio coach Juan Carlos Lorenzo, during the Italian League Serie A match against Napoli SSC on February 24, 1985, in Naples, Italy. Photo: Stefano Montesi
Source: Getty Images
  • Born on: 27 October 1922
  • Died: 14 November 2001
  • Nationality: Argentina
  • Trophies: None
  • Period: 1973-74

The team won no championships during Juan Carlo Lorenzo's tenure. In his lone season in charge, the club reached the European Cup final but lost to Bayern Munich.

5. Helanio Herrera

Helanio Herrera
Italian footballer Alessandro 'Sandro' Mazzola (L) and French-Argentine football manager Helenio Herrera (R) in training with Inter Milan in the 1973–74 season. Photo: HUM Images
Source: Getty Images
  • Born on: 10 April 1910
  • Died: 9 November 1997
  • Birthplace: Buenos Aires, Argentina
  • Nationality: Argentina
  • Trophies: La Liga (2), Copa Eva Duarte (1)
  • Period: 1949-1953

Although Helanio Herrera is more known for his time at the club, he also won three Serie A championships and two European Cups while coaching Inter Milan. Before that, Herrera captained Atleti to two La Liga titles. He was the imaginative player who added a touch of tiki-taka and the "Catenaccio" to Barcelona's style of play.

4. Radomir Antic

Radomir Antic
Serbia's coach Radomir Antic watches his players during the Group D first round 2010 World Cup football match on June 23, 2010. Photo: Natalia Kolesnkova
Source: Getty Images
  • Born on: 22 November 1948
  • Died: 6 April 2020
  • Birthplace: Žitište, Serbia
  • Nationality: Yugoslavia
  • Trophies: La Liga (2), Copa del Rey (1)
  • Period: 1995-1998, 1999, 2000

Yugoslavian Atleti coach Radomir Antic won the Don Balon Award for best manager in the league in 1995–96. With Antic's help, the team ended a 29-year championship drought in 1977. Among his many accomplishments that year was winning the Copa del Rey.

3. Jose Villalonga

Jose Villalonga
The Spanish football team celebrates lifting their manager, Jose Villalonga, on June 21 1964. Photo: Central Press
Source: Getty Images
  • Born on: 12 December 1919
  • Died: 7 August 1973
  • Birthplace: Córdoba, Spain
  • Nationality: Spain
  • Trophies: UEFA Cup Winners' Cup (1), Copa del Rey (2)
  • Period: 1959-1962

Former Real Madrid manager Jose Villalonga joined Los Colchoneros after leading the club to its first European Cup title. In 1960 and 1961, Villalonga led Atleti to victory over Real Madrid in the Copa del Rey (then called the Copa del Generalisimo) finals.

Villalonga's side beat Fiorentina, Leicester City, and Werder Bremen en route to winning the 1961–62 UEFA Cup Winners' Cup.

2. Luis Aragones

Luis Aragones
Spanish head coach Luis Aragones gestures ahead of the Fifa World Cup 2006. Spain will play Ukraine on 14 June. Photo: Pierre-Philippe Marcou
Source: Getty Images
  • Born on: 28 July 1938
  • Died: 1 February 2014
  • Birthplace: Hortaleza, Madrid, Spain
  • Nationality: Spain
  • Trophies: La Liga (1), Copa del Rey (3), Supercopa (1), Segunda Division (1), Intercontinental Cup (1)
  • Period: 1974-1978, 1978, 1979-1980, 1982-1986, 1987, 1991-1993, 2001-2003

Aragones managed the Spanish club eight times. He was there throughout the club's 1974 Intercontinental Cup loss, three Copa del Rey victories and one La Liga title.

When they miraculously escaped relegation in 2000 and returned to La Liga, Aragones played a crucial role in their success. The great Atleti player and manager left an indelible mark in football.

1. Diego Simeone

Diego Simeone
Diego Simeone, Head Coach of Atletico Madrid, during the La Liga EA Sports match against RCD Mallorca at Estadio de Son Moix on May 04, 2024, in Mallorca, Spain. Photo: Rafa Babot
Source: Getty Images
  • Born on: 28 April 1970
  • Birthdate: Buenos Aires, Argentina
  • Nationality: Argentina
  • Trophies: La Liga (2), Copa del Rey (1), Supercopa (1), Europa League (2), Super Cup (2)
  • Period: 2011-Present

Simeone is the club's longest-serving manager. He has transformed Atletico into one of the best in Europe. His impact on club culture is unrivalled.

Atletico's supporters like it when terms like "the dark arts," "Cholo," and "parking the bus" are mentioned when discussing Atleti in the last decade. Diego Simeone is known for his passionate celebrations after Atlético Madrid wins.

Frequently asked questions

After legendary Luis Aragonés, Simeone became Atlético's record-holder for most wins as manager. The most popular questions concerning the Atletico Madrid coaches are listed below.

Who is the longest-serving manager of Atlético Madrid?

Simeone will have spent 16 years with Atletico Madrid if he sees out the remainder of that contract. Without a doubt, he has already accumulated more managerial tenure than any other club official.

How many trophies has Diego Simeone won for Atlético Madrid?

In addition to his two La Liga titles, he owns two Copa del Rey medals, two UEFA Super Cups, and two finishes as UEFA Europa League runners-up.

Who is the most successful coach in Atlético Madrid?

After Gregorio Manzano stepped down as coach on 23 December 2011, current coach Diego Simeone was named. With eight titles, Diego Simeone is Atlético Madrid's all-time winningest manager.

Who is the Atletico Madrid assistant manager who became manager?

Burgos was Diego Simeone's long-time assistant, working alongside him at Atlético Madrid from 2011 until 2021. He eventually left to pursue his managerial ambitions.

Final word

Even if others win more trophies, Simeone will be remembered as the most critical boss in history. His position as a legend at Atlético Madrid shows how he changed the club. He has reached new heights in his career thanks to his unwavering faith, tactical brilliance, and unwavering drive. Without question, Diego Simeone has been the most successful Atlético Madrid manager.

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Kevin Omuya
Kevin Omuya is a Content Writer with 4 years of experience who joined Sports Brief in 2022. In 2019 he held a Bachelor of Arts in Journalism & Digital Media from KCA University.
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