As one of the best Premier League managers of all time, Arsene Wenger completely changed the football landscape upon his arrival in England. By innovating training methods and emphasising the importance of diet and nutrition, and now calling the shots at an executive lawmaker's level, Arsenal’s most successful manager is a dyed-in-the-wool figure in the game. 

But if that wasn't enough to evidence the reasoning behind his number one placement, then his successes on the pitch should be more than ample. Wenger made a name for himself at Monaco by guiding them to a Ligue 1 trophy in his debut season in charge, before adding a Coupe de France title and leading them to the 1992 European Cup Winners' Cup.

Bookending an unexpected yet successful stint in Japan with Nagoya Grampus Eight, Wenger would then succeed Pat Rice as Arsenal manager in 1996. Across 22 years, he won three Premier League titles, seven FA Cups, and went 49 games unbeaten between 2003 and 2004 to pilot the Gunners to an unprecedented Invincibles season.

Bela Guttmann is remembered as one of football’s most influential and enigmatic managers. A tactical innovator, he transformed Benfica into a European powerhouse in the early 1960s, guiding them to back-to-back European Cup triumphs in 1961 and 1962, while also winning two Primeira Liga titles during his fleeting tenure. Known for his emphasis on fast, attacking football, he shaped a side that produced legends like Eusebio.

Yet his legacy is equally defined by the famous “Guttmann curse.” After leaving Benfica over a pay dispute, he reportedly declared the club would not win another European title for 100 years - a drought that endures to this day.Sir Alf Ramsey is immortalised in English football history as the man who led the national team to its greatest triumph. Appointed England manager in 1963, after he transformed Ipswich from third-tier nobodies to First Division champions on a shoestring budget in just six seasons, he revolutionised the side with his tactical discipline and innovative “wingless wonders” system, a phrase coined by the press after Ramsey devised a new 4-3-3 system that relied on hard-running midfield players rather than natural wingers.

Just three years later, he guided England to their only World Cup victory on home soil in 1966, defeating West Germany 4-2 in the final at Wembley to bring football home. Ramsey also steered England to the semi-finals of the 1968 European Championship and the quarter-finals of the 1970 World Cup. His calm authority, tactical acumen, and ability to inspire players cemented his legacy as one of football’s great managers.