1 hour ago
1
Jurgen Klopp named Liverpool legend Bill Shankly on his Mount Rushmore of managers as he named the four greatest soccer bosses of all time.
With The Best FIFA Football Awards 2025 taking place in Doha on Tuesday, ex-Liverpool boss Klopp got into the spirit of the event by putting forward his picks for the best managers ever.
"The best of the best in football are being honored today," Klopp wrote. "In that spirit: This is my Mount Rushmore of football managers!"
Leaving himself out – as well as the likes of Jose Mourinho, Carlo Ancelotti and Arrigo Sacchi – Klopp began by naming the legendary Dutchman Johan Cruyff, before giving a spot to Manchester City boss Pep Guardiola.
Klopp faced Guardiola more than he faced any other manager during his coaching career, locking horns with the Catalan 30 times – winning 12 of those games, losing 11 and drawing the other seven.
"This is my Mount Rushmore of football coaches and actually four is really difficult to do, but I will try anyway," Klopp started. "Johan Cruyff, [the] most influential football coach I have ever heard of. The way he saw football, the way he understood football, is just second to none.
"Pep Guardiola, you could say exactly the same about him, and I faced him and know how difficult it was."
Unsurprisingly, Klopp included legendary former Manchester United manager Sir Alex Ferguson in his list. "Now it gets really tricky," Klopp added. "Let's go to the most successful [manager of all time] – and a guy I really like as well – Sir Alex Ferguson."
Klopp previously likened Ferguson to a legendary Liverpudlian from a different industry. Speaking about the Scot in 2016, Klopp said: “Maybe he is the greatest ever, the John Lennon of football or something like this. From my side there is a big amount of respect. What he did in his life as a manager is not easy for someone else to do it."
Rounding off his Mount Rushmore selections, Klopp said: "And now I barely can decide. Carlo Ancelotti is in my mind, obviously. Bill Shankly, Bob Paisley, I heard so much about them, never saw them. But yes, I want to see Bill Shankly on the Mount Rushmore. That's it."
English (US) ·