Topic: Strategy and Execution

Carlo Ancelotti

Carlo Ancelotti is the manager of soccer giants Real Madrid. He is only one of two managers to have won the UEFA Champions League three times and reach four finals (three finals and two victories with Milan and one victory with Real Madrid). He is also the first manager to have won the FIFA Club World Cup with two European Clubs. As a manager, he has worked for Reggiana, Parma, Juventus, Milan, Chelsea, Paris Saint-Germain, Real Madrid, Bayern Munich, Napoli and Everton. He is widely regarded as one of the best managers in world football having won domestic titles in Italy, England, France, Spain and Germany.

He has earned a number of prestigious awards for his accomplishments, including the 2014 Globe Soccer Award, IFFHS Best World Manager (2007 and 2014), UEFA Best Manager (2002 and 2003), World Soccer Magazine Best Manager in 2003, Serie A Best Manager (2001 and 2004), Ligue 1 Best Manager (2012 and 2013), Enzo Bearzot National Award in 2014, Inspiring Leaser Award in 2015 and four-time Premier League Manager of the Month. FourFourTwo voted him the 18th Greatest Manager of All Time in 2020.

Ancelotti played as a midfielder and began his career with Italian club Parma, helping the club to Serie B promotion in 1979. He moved to Roma the following season, where he won a Serie A title and four Coppa Italia titles, and also played for the late 1980s Milan team, with which he won two league titles and two European Cups, among other titles. At international level he played for the Italian national team on 26 occasions, scoring once, and appeared in two FIFA World Cups, finishing in third-place in the 1990 edition of the tournament, as well as UEFA Euro 1988, where he helped his nation to reach the semi-finals.

Ancelotti is the author of the 2016 book, Quiet Leadership. In Quiet Leadership, Ancelotti reveals the full, riveting story of his managerial career - his methods, mentors, mistakes and triumphs - and takes us inside the dressing room to trace the characters, challenges and decisions that have shaped him. The result is both a scintillating memoir and a rare insight into the business of leadership.

Having led Everton in the Premier League since 2019, Carlo re-joined Real Madrid in June 2021.

Pep Guardiola

Josep “Pep” Guardiola is a former football player and famous manager. Pep started his playing career in Barcelona youth academy at the age of 13. Playing as a defender, Guardiola was noticed by the head coach of the first team Johan Cruyff and introduced into the senior squad at the age of 20. He became a pivotal defender in the Barça Dream Team of the 1990s that claimed 6 La Liga titles, 4 Spain Super cups, 1 European Cup, 1 UEFA Cup Winner’s Cup and 2 UEFA Super Cups. Overall he appeared in 479 matches for the team in 12 seasons and was perceived as one of the most reliable defensive midfielders of his time.

Guardiola was appointed Barcelona B manager in 2007; though only a season later he accepted an offer to coach the senior side. The start of his spell in the team was marked with major transformation as the tactician got rid of the most important players. The new squad constructed by Pep performed brilliantly both in domestic championship and in Europe and won treble that included La Liga title, Copa del Rey and the Champions League. Later the club clinched the Supercopa de España, the UEFA Super Cup and Club World Cup. Guardiola became the first manager to win six titles in a season with one team. He is also the only coach in Barcelona history that outplayed Real Madrid in El Clásico five times.

During his 4-season stint in el Barça, Guardiola did not only collect 14 titles, but also developed particular playing style that amazed football fans throughout the world.

After the 2011/2012 season Guardiola resigned from Barcelona and joined the Bayern Munich starting from the summer 2013.

Guardiola won the Bundesliga title, DFB-Pokal title, as well as UEFA Super Cup and Club World Cup titles in his very first season with Bayern. He is currently the manager at Manchester City.