Euro 2024 gets underway on Friday when hosts Germany face Scotland in Munich, with 24 teams hoping to lift the trophy.
Gareth Southgate’s England are among the favourites to win the tournament, along with France, Germany and Portugal. France have veteran coach Didier Deschamps at the helm, while Julian Nagelsmann and Roberto Martinez are set for their first major tournaments in charge of their nations.
Several former Premier League players will also be in the dugout, including ex-Arsenal and Manchester City defender Sylvinho and former West Ham star Sergiy Rebrov. Here, we take a look at the 24 managers involved at Euro 2024.
Julian Nagelsmann – Germany
Still one of management’s rising stars, Julian Nagelsmann is tasked with taking home nation Germany to a first Euros title since 1996.
Nagelsmann became the youngest coach in Bundesliga history when appointed as manager of Hoffenheim aged 28 and rose rapidly up the ranks to take charge of RB Leipzig and Bayern Munich.
He has since gone about slowly rebuilding the national team following a disastrous run of results at major tournaments and now has eyes on an outsiders’ run to glory on home soil.
Scotland – Steve Clarke
Steve Clarke has revolutionised Scotland, who sealed back-to-back appearances at the Euros for the first time this century with qualification for Euro 2024.
The former St Mirren and Chelsea defender built an impressive CV as a coach, including working under Jose Mourinho as assistant manager at Chelsea, before finding his own feet in the dugout.
Success at Kilmarnock led to Clarke taking Scotland’s job, where he brought a swift end to years of underachievement.
Hungary – Marco Rossi
Marco Rossi has continued Hungary’s return to the top table of European football after taking charge in 2018 following domestic success with the legendary Honvéd.
Rossi took over from Bernd Storck after the German led the Magyars to their first Euros since 1972 by qualifying for Euro 2016.
The Italian followed that up by taking his side to Euro 2020 before qualifying top of the group to reach the 2024 edition to make it three in a row.
Switzerland – Murat Yakin
Former Swiss international Murat Yakin knows his side must improve after limping to qualification for Euro 2024.
The Grasshoppers and FC Basel stalwart earned 49 caps for the national team but is now in charge of a team more accustomed to regularly qualifying for major tournaments.
A qualifying campaign comprising just four wins from 10 games was below standard and Yakin, who was managing in the Swiss second division before being appointed, must turn it around in Germany.
Spain – Luis de la Fuente
Luis de la Fuente finally got the top job after almost a decade coaching Spain’s youth teams.
The former Athletic Bilbao full back took the helm of La Roja’s U19s in 2013 and won the age-group Euros in 2015 before repeating the feat at Under-21 level in 2019.
Now the task is to do it on the senior stage where De la Fuente has breathed new life into an ageing side, with eyes on ending the 12-year wait for another international trophy.
Croatia – Zlatko Dalic
There is little more that Zlatko Dalic can do to increase his legendary status in Croatia, though winning Euro 2024 would probably be on the list.
Dalić is already regarded as his country’s finest-ever manager following their run to the 2018 World Cup final and 2022 semi-finals.
A repeat of that success this summer would be against the odds amidst the ageing of key stars, but a runners-up medal at the most recent Nations League shows there is still plenty of ability to cause problems.
Italy – Luciano Spalletti
Luciano Spalletti was meant to be on a year-long sabbatical after guiding Napoli to a first Serie A title since 1990, but the lure of the Azzurri was too much to resist.
Spalletti was just two months into his time off when the national team came calling, and now the 65-year-old is tasked with leading a successful defence of the title.
A slow start to his tenure saw a mixed qualifying campaign but Spalletti has the experience and Italy the players to enjoy a deep run.
Albania – Sylvinho
Best known to British fans for his stints at left back for Arsenal and Manchester City, Sylvinho has made a strong start to life as international manager by taking Albania to just their second major tournament.
The Brazilian was appointed at the start of 2023 and guided his side to top spot in qualifying ahead of Czechia and Poland.
Sylvinho counts Pablo Zabaleta and former Middlesbrough midfielder Doriva amongst his coaching staff and will create history if they can qualify from their group.
Slovenia – Matjaž Kek
Matjaž Kek earned just one international cap as a player but has racked up over a century in the dugout for Slovenia.
Kek won the Slovenian title as both a player and manager with Maribor before leading Croatian side Rijeka to the only title in their history.
Kek has enjoyed two stints as Slovenia boss, taking his nation to their only World Cup appearance in 2010 before returning to the role in 2018, where he guided them to a first Euros since 2000.
Denmark – Kasper Hjulmand
Kasper Hjulmand will lead his native Denmark into a second Euros campaign after taking the 1992 champions to a surprise semi-final three years ago.
The former Nordsjælland and Mainz boss took the role in 2020, with the only blot on his copybook the disappointing World Cup campaign in Qatar that ended in a group-stage exit.
Topping the group in Euro 2024 qualifying went some way to rectifying that and Hjulmand will hope he can maintain that momentum in Germany.
Serbia – Dragan Stojković
One of the great names of Serbian football, Dragon Stojković will look to add to his lore from the dugout this summer.
Stojković won 84 caps for Yugoslavia in a storied career that saw him become a legend at Red Star Belgrade and win the Champions League with Marseille.
Following lengthy stints in charge of Nagoya Grampus and Guangzhou City, Stojković took the Serbia job in 2021.
Following a disappointing 2022 World Cup, Stojković guided Serbia to their first Euros finals as an independent nation.
England – Gareth Southgate
A major international trophy is the only thing missing from Gareth Southgate ’s England tenure.
The Three Lions have gone from major tournament no-hopers to genuine contenders and will have their sights set on writing the wrongs of Wembley three years ago.
There is an overwhelming sense of what might have been from that first run to a Euros final, but Southgate’s side is even stronger this time around and a maiden title would be the perfect send off, should this be his farewell.
Poland – Michał Probierz
On name alone, Michal Probierz has a big task replacing Euro 2016 winner Fernando Santos as Poland head coach.
Former midfielder Probierz was elevated from his under-21s post after Santos was given the boot in September last year, less than 12 months into the job.
Probierz made his name when guiding Jagiellonia Białystok to their first Polish Cup success in 2010 and navigated a tricky play-off path to seal a spot at this summer’s finals.
Netherlands – Ronald Koeman
Back in the hot seat for a second time, Ronald Koeman will seek to become just the second man to win the Euros as a player and coach when leading his native Netherlands.
One of his country’s most legendary players, Koeman guided the Oranje to the inaugural UEFA Nations League final before an ill-fated spell in charge of Barcelona.
He returned to the national post after the 2022 World Cup seeking to restore his reputation – what better way to do so than by leading them to glory this summer?
Austria – Ralf Rangnick
Revolutionary German coach Ralf Rangnick is preparing for his first taste of international tournament football.
Appointed to his current post in April 2022, while still in temporary charge at Old Trafford, his 62 percent win rate after 21 matches is his best as a manager to date.
Rangnick, who will turn 66 during the tournament, was in the spotlight recently for turning down the Bayern Munich job, choosing to remain with Austria beyond this summer’s competition.
France – Didier Deschamps
Euros glory is the only accolade missing from Didier Deschamps’ outstanding CV as a player and manager.
Captain of France’s Euro 2000 winning side, he has unfinished business in this tournament after the heartbreaking 2016 final defeat on home soil and an underwhelming round of 16 exit last time out.
His current contract expires after the next World Cup, so this could be his chance at European glory.
Belgium – Domenico Tedesco
Gone is Belgium’s golden generation and so too is Roberto Martinez, with Domenico Tedesco the new man to lead the Red Devils.
Tedesco began working with Stuttgart’s junior teams when he was just 22 and climbed the ranks to take the top job at second-division Erzgebirge Aue nine years later.
He went onto manage Schalke, Spartak Moscow and RB Leipzig before taking over as Belgium boss in February 2023, and his contract was extended to include the 2026 World Cup earlier this year.
Slovakia – Francesco Calzona
A prodigy of Maurizio Sarri, Francesco Calzona has already made history this season.
Calzona, who worked in coffee sales in the 90s, became the first manager to simultaneously serve as manager of a Serie A team and a national team that isn’t Italy when appointed Napoli boss in February.
Prior to that, he followed Sarri across Italy before his appointment as Slovakia head coach in 2022 and his side lost just two games in qualifying, both to Portugal.
Romania – Edward Iordanescu
Edward Iordanescu masterminded an impressive qualification campaign which saw unbeaten Romania beat Switzerland to top spot in Group I.
Iordanescu, whose father Anghel enjoyed three separate spells as Romania head coach, has developed a reputation for his meticulous approach to match preparation.
His playing career was rather uneventful but he found success as a manager, guiding CFR Cluj to three trophies and giants Steaua Bucharest to their biggest ever derby win over city rivals Dinamo.
Ukraine – Sergiy Rebrov
Sergiy Rebrov enhanced his reputation as a manager when securing crucial draws against England and Italy in qualifying.
A club record £11m signing in 2000, Rebrov played 60 games for Tottenham between 2000 and 2004, then 27 in a one-season spell at West Ham.
The Ukrainian won trophies at three of the four club sides he managed prior to his appointment in June 2023 and has lost just one of his first 10 games in charge.
Turkey – Vincenzo Montella
Turkey’s third head coach since the start of their underwhelming Euro 2020 campaign is former Fulham striker Vincenzo Montella.
Montella’s first foray into Turkish football came in a two-season stay at Adana Demirspor following spells in charge of AC Milan and Sevilla, which included a Champions League quarter-final win over Manchester United in 2018.
As a player, he won Serie A with Roma in 2001 and was a substitute in Italy’s Euro 2000 final defeat to France.
Georgia – Willy Sagnol
A Champions League winner with Bayern Munich and World Cup runner-up with France as a player, Willy Sagnol ensured legendary status in Georgia when guiding the minnows to their first ever major tournament.
Sagnol, whose only previous two frontline managerial roles came nearly 10 years ago as France under-21s boss and then manager of Bordeaux, steered his team past Luxembourg and Greece in the play-offs.
Portugal – Roberto Martinez
Roberto Martinez was not out of management for long after resigning as Belgium boss, with Portugal securing his signature in January 2023.
Any concerns over his appointment were put to bed in a blistering qualifying campaign which saw Portugal win all 10 games, scoring 36 goals.
As well as guiding Belgium to third in the 2018 World Cup, he is perhaps best remembered for Wigan Athletic’s sensational FA Cup triumph in 2013.
Czechia – Ivan Hasek
Ivan Hasek was appointed to his 16th job of a nomadic managerial career in January of this year.
Captain of Czechoslovakia at the 1990 World Cup, Hasek won five league titles with Sparta Prague in the 1980s.
He recorded back-to-back league triumphs at the same club in his first managerial post, before pursuing roles in France and Dubai, the national team roles for Gabon and Lebanon, and now his native Czech Republic.
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