Star football managers don’t improve teams as much as star players do

Distribution of managers and players* from “big five” leagues†, 2004-18

→ Makes average team better

Makes average team worse ←

Our model estimates the influence of managers and players, after adjusting for the quality of the rest of their teams

Managers

Higher share of managers/players

Players

Carlo Ancelotti

Both managers won league titles with underdog teams

Has under-

performed, given

his star-studded

clubs

Star players’ impact can reach ten points per season. Managers rarely add more than two

Diego

Simeone

Jürgen

Klopp

Lionel Messi,

Cristiano Ronaldo

Harry Kane

Neymar

-4

-2

0

+2

+4

+6

+8

+10

Expected

league points

per season gained/lost

José Mourinho

*Each team’s best 13 players

†England, France, Germany, Italy and Spain