Carlo Ancelotti shocked the soccer world when he left Real Madrid at the end of last season to take over as Brazil’s head coach — a move reportedly backed by one of the most lucrative contracts ever awarded to an international manager. With the Italian now topping a new global salary ranking, questions arise about where Portugal’s Roberto Martínez and Argentina’s Lionel Scaloni stand on the list.
Italian outlet La Gazzetta dello Sport published the top 10 highest-paid international coaches, raising eyebrows after revealing Ancelotti’s salary. The Italian tactician, whose deal runs through the end of the 2026 World Cup, reportedly earns €9.5 million per year as Brazil’s head coach.
Beyond the staggering salary, the agreement includes several high-end perks. According to O Globo, Ancelotti has access to a private jet to visit his family in Europe, while the Brazilian Football Confederation (CBF) also covers the rent for his residence in Rio de Janeiro, ensuring optimal conditions for one of the game’s most decorated coaches.
Where are Martinez and Scaloni?
Roberto Martínez has cemented his reputation as one of the most experienced international coaches, first leading Belgium to a historic run and now guiding Cristiano Ronaldo’s Portugal to another World Cup campaign, with a UEFA Nations League title already under his belt. Meanwhile, Lionel Scaloni has been the architect behind Argentina’s golden era — winning back-to-back Copa Américas and the 2022 World Cup — yet both coaches remain far behind Ancelotti financially.
Roberto Martinez (L), Head Coach of Portugal and Lionel Scaloni (R), Head Coach of Argentina.
Martínez ranks fifth on the list, earning an annual salary of €4 million, the same as Uzbekistan’s newly appointed manager, Fabio Cannavaro. The Spanish coach signed his contract in 2023, which runs through the conclusion of the 2026 World Cup in the United States, Canada, and Mexico.
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Further down the list, in 10th place, sits Lionel Scaloni. The Argentine coach took over the national team in 2018 and, following his World Cup triumph in Qatar, signed a new deal in February 2023 worth €2.3 million per year, a modest figure considering his remarkable success with La Albiceleste.
The complete list
The top 10 highest-paid international coaches, according to La Gazzetta dello Sport, are as follows:
- Carlo Ancelotti (Brazil) – €9.5M
- Thomas Tuchel (England) – €5.9M
- Julian Nagelsmann (Germany) – €4.9M
- Fabio Cannavaro (Uzbekistan) – €4M
- Roberto Martínez (Portugal) – €4M
- Didier Deschamps (France) – €3.8M
- Marcelo Bielsa (Uruguay) – €3.5M
- Ronaldo Koeman (Netherlands) – €3M
- Gustavo Alfaro (Paraguay) – €2.5M
- Lionel Scaloni (Argentina) – €2.3M
