Historically, players in positions such as strikers, midfielders, and defenders have often shown traits of transitioning into managerial roles seamlessly after retiring.
While this trend is widely observed, the goalkeeper position has produced relatively few well-known coaches compared to other roles in football.
Goalkeeping, often considered an isolated position, has traditionally set players apart from the rest of the team, however, in recent years, goalkeepers have increasingly played pivotal roles not only as players but also as coaches.
This piece’ll explore several goalkeepers who transitioned from making saves to managing clubs and national teams.
1. Julen Lopetegui – (Spain)
Lopetegui is arguably a better coach than as a goalkeeper, throughout his career, he played for clubs like Real Madrid, Logroñés, Barcelona, Las Palmas, Rayo Vallecano, and the Spanish national team.
While mainly a backup goalkeeper, Lopetegui made over 317 appearances in La Liga and the Segunda División before retiring in 2002.
Since beginning his coaching career in 2003, he has recorded commendable success, notably winning both the La Liga and Europa League titles in 2020 with Sevilla.
2. Nuno Espírito Santo – (Portugal)
Like Lopetegui, Nuno Espírito Santo has enjoyed greater success as a coach than a goalkeeper.
He played for Porto, Spain’s Valencia, and the Portuguese national team during his career as a goalkeeper, where he was mainly a backup to the legendary Vítor Baía under José Mourinho’s management.
After retiring, he followed Mourinho’s coaching path, leading Valencia to the Champions League and finishing fourth in La Liga, before later managing clubs such as Wolves, Tottenham Hotspur, Al-Ittihad, and Nottingham Forest.
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3. Dino Zoff – (Italy)
Dino Zoff’s success as a goalkeeper and manager is legendary.
Being one of Italy’s greatest goalkeepers, Zoff captained the Italian national team to victory in the 1982 World Cup at the age of 40.
After retiring in 1983, he immediately took on managerial roles, leading Juventus to win the UEFA Cup and Coppa Italia in 1990 and as Italy’s coach he also guided the national team to the final of Euro 2000, where they narrowly lost to France.
4. Bruce Arena – (United States)
Bruce Arena is an iconic figure in American football, both as a goalkeeper and coach.
Although his playing career was modest, earning just one cap for the United States men’s national team and playing for Cornell University with his coaching career taking a different turn.
Arena’s managerial success includes winning multiple titles with D.C. United, LA Galaxy, and leading the U.S. national team to three Gold Cup victories.
5. Walter Zenga – (Italy)
Another iconic Italian goalkeeper, Walter Zenga played for the national team between 1987 and 1992 and was part of Italy’s squad in the 1990 World Cup.
Zenga’s retirement saw him briefly dabbling into acting and punditry before transitioning into management.
He achieved success across several European nations and clubs, cementing his reputation as a capable coach.
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6. Rogério Ceni – (Brazil)
Rogério Ceni, a legend at São Paulo, made over 1,000 appearances for the club and became a key figure in Brazil’s 2002 World Cup-winning squad.
After retiring, Ceni took to coaching, managing teams like São Paulo, Fortaleza, Cruzeiro, and Flamengo.
His most significant success came with Flamengo, where he won the Brazilian Championship, Supercopa, and Campeonato Carioca in 2021.
7. Federico Vilar – (Argentina)
Federico Vilar is one of the finest talents to come out of Boca Juniors, with a career spent mainly in Mexico.
Known for his great reflexes and leadership, Vilar played for five clubs and won multiple titles before retiring as a professional goalkeeper.
As a coach, he hasn’t yet replicated his playing success but is considered one of the rising talents in South American football due to his tactical innovations.
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8. Sergio Guedes – (Brazil)
Sergio Guedes, a South American goalkeeper, played for 13 different clubs throughout his career.
He won the Copa do Brasil with Cruzeiro in 1993 and the Campeonato Gaúcho with Internacional in the same year.
After retiring, Guedes quickly moved into coaching, managing 23 teams, achieving success at Portuguesa Santista, leading them to a significant achievement in 2023.
9. Julián César Falcioni – (Argentina)
Julián César Falcioni spent much of his playing career at America de Cali in Colombia, where he won five titles.
He represented Argentina just once at the Copa América in 1989 and after retiring, Falcioni transitioned to coaching and found significant success.
Falcioni won league titles with Banfield and Boca Juniors in 2009 and 2011, as well as the Copa Libertadores with Boca in 2012.
10. Emerson Leão – (Brazil)
Emerson Leão, a World Cup champion as Brazil’s backup goalkeeper in 1970, was a key figure in Brazil’s history.
After retiring in 1986, he transitioned into coaching, leading Sport Recife to a Brazilian Championship title.
He also managed Santos, winning the league in 2002 and guiding the team to the Copa Libertadores final in 2003, demonstrating his growth as a manager.
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