Playing in a FIFA World Cup is the pinnacle for any professional involved in soccer, whether a player or a manager. There is no more prestigious tournament in the sport, and the wait to experience another edition is getting shorter and shorter with Qatar 2022 looming on the horizon.
In order to make it to a World Cup, you have to endure the pressures and overcome the obstacles that arise over the 4 years, the waiting time between one edition and another. This is a filter to ensure that only the strongest and most daring are the ones to take part in this tournament.
Thus, the reward or remuneration is commensurate with the demand. And the 32 National Teams who qualified for Qatar 2022 will have the opportunity to inscribe their name in golden letters in the history of the FIFA World Cup. Including not only the players, but the masterminds behind the plan they execute.
The highest-paid managers of the upcoming FIFA World Cup
It is usual to focus the debate on the amount of money received by the biggest stars of world soccer. However, behind their success, hand in hand with discipline, is the hard work of a coach who designed the path to victory. And in Qatar 2022 this will be no exception, so it is interesting to see which managers receive the most financial recognition for their work.
In the upcoming FIFA World Cup there will be all kinds of managers, those who will make their debut in this prestigious tournament, those who already have extensive experience having coached in more than one edition and also one who already knows what it means to win it.
15 – Luis Enrique – Spain- $1.16 million
Surprisingly, Luis Enrique’s name is at the bottom of this illustrious list. He returned to the helm of Spain in November 2019 after he resigned for family reasons in June of the same year. He won absolutely everything with FC Barcelona.
14 – Roberto Martínez -Belgium -$1.21 million
One of the longest serving coaches at Qatar 2022. After a stint with three Premier League teams, he took over the Belgium National Team with which he has fallen short in terms of results despite having the most talented generation in its history.
13 – Gregg Berhalter – USA -$1.25 million
With an effective style of play, but still without having won a title, he was given the opportunity to lead the USMNT. He has not disappointed, as during his tenure, the United States won a Gold Cup and the first-ever Concacaf Nations League. As a player, he participated in the 2002 FIFA World Cup.
12 – Graham Arnold – Australia -$1.35million
After several experiences as manager of the U23 national team and as assistant or assistant to the senior team, he received the opportunity to take charge of Australia in July 2018. He already knows what it’s like to be in the dugout of a National Team in a World Cup, after his time as assistant coach of the Socceroos in the 2006 and 2010 editions.
11- Paulo Bento – South Korea – $1.35million
Qatar 2022 will be his third FIFA World Cup in which he has participated, after Korea-Japan 2002 as a player for Portugal, and Brazil 2014 as their coach. He enjoys a good reputation for the multiple cups he won with Sporting Lisbon and the league won with Olympiacos.
10 – Murat Yakın – Switzerland -$1.65million
He took the helm of the Switzerland National Team in August 2021, following the good reputation he earned as a coach for his good seasons as FC Basel the Thun, a team he led to the championship in his debut season. As a player he was never able to play in a FIFA World Cup, a dream he will now achieve as a manager.
9 – Fernando Santos – Portugal – $2.25 million
He will be the third oldest manager among those in charge at Qatar 2022. He is already guaranteed his place in Portugal’s history since he led them to win Euro 2016 and the 2018-2019 UEFA Nations League. He is the second longest-serving coach of this National Team and is looking to surpass what he achieved in the 2018 World Cup when he finished in the Round of 16 against Uruguay.
8 – Félix Sánchez Bas – Qatar – $2.45million
He arrivedto Qatar to work at the Aspire Academy to develop better local soccer talent. However, his good work led him to climb the ladder to become coach of the U19, U20, U23 and finally senior categories since July 2017. He achieved the greatest triumph in the history of this National Team, the conquest of the 2019 Asian Cup.
7 – Lionel Scaloni – Argentina – $2.65 million
As a player he played few matches with the Argentina National Team, one of them was in the 2006 FIFA World Cup. After being Jorge Sampaoli’s assistant at Russia 2018, Scaloni remained as caretaker manager of the Albiceleste and his good results led him to be appointed as the definitive head coach. He will be the youngest manager at Qatar 2022 at only 44 years old.
6 – Gerardo Martino – Mexico -$2.95million
He has extensive coaching experience that includes leading Paraguay to its best-ever performance at a FIFA World Cup (South Africa 2010). He also coached FC Barcelona and the Argentina National Team. With Mexico he won a Gold Cup at the beginning of his tenure and has the goal of breaking El Tri’s curse of being eliminated in the Round of 16 for 7 consecutive World Cups.
5 – Louis van Gaal – Netherlands -$2.95million
A European football historic, multi-winner with Ajax, Barcelona and Bayern Munich. He is living his third stage as manager of the Netherlands National Team. He has already managed them in a FIFA World Cup, Brazil 2014, where he led them to third place. He will be the oldest head coach at Qatar 2022.
4 – Tite – Brazil – $3.65million
He is the longest-serving manager of the Brazil National Team. During his tenure, the Canarinha won the 2019 Copa America, however, his great debt has been the FIFA World Cup, after in Russia 2018 his team was eliminated in the Quarter Finals against Belgium. His mission: to end Brazilian’s drought of 20 years without winning the World Cup.
3 – Didier Deschamps – France – $3.85million
He has a love affair with the FIFA World Cup, having won it as a player in 1998 and then, 20 years later, as a manager. At club level he was multi-champion with Olimpique Marseille in France, and in Qatar 2022 he will be the longest serving coach (10 years and 4 months).
2 – Gareth Southgate – England -$5.85million
After a brief stint as caretaker manager of the England National Team, he was tapped as permanent manager in September 2016. At Russia 2018, he led the Three Lions to their best FIFA World Cup result since Italy 1990. As a player he played 2 games at France 1998 and attended Korea-Japan 2002 but did not play any minutes.
1 – Hans-Dieter Flick – Germany – $6.55million
As assistant to Joachim Low he was part of the German team that finished third in the 2010 World Cup and won the Brazil 2014 edition. After a successful stint, where he won 13 titles in 1 year and 7 months of management, he took the reins of the Mannschaft in August 2021.