Unai Emery’s Journey to European Glory
Unai Emery has joined an elite group of European managers after guiding Aston Villa to Europa League success. This achievement marks a significant milestone in his career, as he now becomes only the fourth manager to win five European trophies. The other members of this exclusive club are Giovanni Trapattoni, Carlo Ancelotti, and Jose Mourinho.
A Manager with a Record of Excellence
The 54-year-old Basque manager has extended his record of Europa League wins as a manager to five, following previous successes with Sevilla (2014, 2015, 2016) and Villarreal (2021). Emery is only the second manager to win a single major European tournament at least five times, after Ancelotti. His six finals – including a Europa League runner-up finish with Arsenal in 2019 – match the record of Ancelotti, Sir Alex Ferguson, and Mourinho. Emery also holds the distinction of being the first manager to win the UEFA Cup or Europa League with three different clubs.
Giovanni Trapattoni: A Legendary Figure
Giovanni Trapattoni, the former manager of Italy and the Republic of Ireland, is 87 years old and has reached a record seven major European club finals as a manager, winning five of them. He guided Juventus to European Cup glory in 1985 and won the Cup Winners’ Cup in 1984. Additionally, he secured the UEFA Cup on two occasions with Juventus in 1977 and 1993, and with Inter Milan in 1991. Trapattoni also lost the 1974 Cup Winners’ Cup final as interim manager of AC Milan to Magdeburg, and his Juve side were beaten by Hamburg in the 1983 European Cup final.
Carlo Ancelotti: The Champions League Maestro
Carlo Ancelotti, the current Brazil head coach, is the only manager to win the Champions League five times. He secured the trophy twice with AC Milan in 2003 and 2007, and on three occasions with Real Madrid in 2014, 2022, and 2024. The 66-year-old also led Milan to the 2005 Champions League final, where they lost out to Liverpool on penalties.
Jose Mourinho: A Winning Mindset
Jose Mourinho, the 63-year-old Portuguese manager, won the UEFA Cup with his first club Porto in 2003 and steered them to Champions League glory in 2004. He later won Europe’s premier club competition for a second time with Inter Milan in 2010. Mourinho also triumphed in the Europa League with Manchester United in 2017 and won his fifth European trophy while in charge of Roma, who lifted the inaugural Conference League in 2022. The Portuguese appeared in his sixth major European final when Roma lost on penalties to Sevilla in the Europa League showpiece in 2023.
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