Arsène Wenger

Arsène Wenger is one of the most successful managers in the game and has twice been a winner of the LMA manager of the Year award. In a 22-year career at Arsenal, he won the Premier League title on three occasions, most famously with the unbeaten ‘Invincibles’, and lifted the FA Cup a record seven times. He also worked in his native France and Japan and is now Fifa’s Chief of Global Development.

After playing for Mutzig, Mulhouse, Strasbourg Wenger began coaching at Nancy in 1984. 

His career took off when he became coach at Monaco three years later, inspiring the Principality club to a French league title and Coupe de France. He went to Japan, leading Nagoya Grampus Eight to the Emperor’s Cup and being voted J-League Manager of the Year in 1995.

A year later he was unexpectedly named Arsenal manager. ‘Arsene who?’ was the question posed by many, including his new players, but they, and English football, were soon won over by the urbane Frenchman. ‘Le Professeur’, as his players nicknamed him, transformed the club’s training methods, playing style and recruitment.

He led the club to the double of Premier League and FA Cup in 1998 and 2002 before, in 2004, steering the team through an undefeated league season, a feat that had last been accomplished 115 years earlier.

Two years later he took the club to its first Champions League final. Wenger also oversaw Arsenal’s move from Highbury to the Emirates Stadium, and the construction of a new training ground, being closely involved in development of both. He stepped down in 2018.