List of Chelsea F.C. managers

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Roberto Di Matteo is the first manager to have won the UEFA Champions League for Chelsea. Dimatteo2.jpg
Roberto Di Matteo is the first manager to have won the UEFA Champions League for Chelsea.

The first manager of Chelsea Football Club was John Robertson, appointed player-manager in 1905.

Contents

Chelsea have had 33 permanent managers/head coaches (four of whom also served as player-manager), six interim managers and seven caretakers. Ron Suart has served as both caretaker and interim manager. José Mourinho has served two different spells as permanent manager, while Guus Hiddink has been interim manager twice. Roberto Di Matteo was first interim manager, but was later appointed permanent manager, while Frank Lampard was first permanent manager, and later interim manager.

Chelsea's first ever manager was Scottish wing-half John Tait Robertson, who continued to play for the club until he resigned a year later. David Calderhead is Chelsea's longest-serving manager, holding the position from 1907 to 1933, spanning 966 matches. Chelsea's shortest reigning permanent manager is Graham Potter, who was in charge for 31 games. Statistically, Chelsea's least successful manager is Frank Lampard during his second stint.

The first manager under whom Chelsea won a major trophy was Ted Drake, who guided the club to the league championship in the 1954–55 season, while Dave Sexton managed the club to their first European honour, a UEFA Cup Winners' Cup triumph in 1971, and Gianluca Vialli guided Chelsea to win the 1998 UEFA Super Cup. Mourinho has won the most domestic titles, and total titles with the club (in fact, all titles won with Mourinho were domestic titles – eight in total), Vialli second most titles with five, whereas Carlo Ancelotti led Chelsea to their first league and FA Cup "Double" in 2010.

Di Matteo led Chelsea to their first UEFA Champions League title in 2012. A year later, Rafael Benítez led the club to the UEFA Europa League, and so Chelsea became the first club to hold two major European titles simultaneously and one of five clubs, and the first British club, to have won all three of UEFA's major club competitions. In February 2022, Thomas Tuchel led Chelsea to its first FIFA Club World Cup. He is also the coach who have won the most international titles with the club; all three of his titles were international.

List of managers

Statistics correct as of 21 January 2026.

Key

PictureNameNationalityFromToDaysMWDLGFGAGDWin%HonoursNotesRef.
John Tait Robertson Flag of Scotland.svg  Scotland 1 August 190527 November 19064835433101112657+69061.11 [a] [b] [1]
William Lewis Flag of England.svg  England 27 November 19061 August 19072472717555425+29062.96 [c] [1]
David Calderhead Flag of Scotland.svg  Scotland 1 August 19078 May 19339,4129663852393421,3781,304+74039.86 [a] [1]
Leslie Knighton Flag of England.svg  England 8 May 193319 April 19392,1722699269108413442−29034.20 [a] [1]
Billy Birrell Flag of Scotland.svg  Scotland 19 April 193931 May 19524,7912939777119416465−49033.11 [a] [1]
Ted Drake Flag of England.svg  England 1 June 195230 September 19613,408426156103167774780−6036.62 [a] [1] [2]
Tommy Docherty Flag of Scotland.svg  Scotland 1 October 19616 October 19672,1963031426596527424+103046.86 [a] [1]
Ron Suart Flag of England.svg  England 6 October 196723 October 196717201118−7000.00 [d] [1]
Dave Sexton Flag of England.svg  England 23 October 19673 October 19742,537371164107100568432+136044.20 [a] [1]
Ron Suart (2)Flag of England.svg  England 3 October 197416 April 197519534812143862−24023.53 [c] [1]
Eddie McCreadie Flag of Scotland.svg  Scotland 16 April 19751 July 197780797373327141123+18038.14 [a] [1] [3]
Ken Shellito Flag of England.svg  England 7 July 197713 December 19785246615193277115−38022.73 [a] [1]
Danny Blanchflower (cropped2).jpg Danny Blanchflower Ulster Banner.svg  Northern Ireland 14 December 197811 September 19792713258193468−34015.63 [a] [1]
Geoff Hurst (2).jpg Geoff Hurst Flag of England.svg  England 13 September 197923 April 19815888135192710889+19043.21 [a] [1]
Bobby Gould Flag of England.svg  England 23 April 198128 May 198135200205−5000.00 [d] [1]
John Neal Flag of England.svg  England 28 May 198111 June 19851,475203846158326253+73041.38 [a] [e] [1]
John Hollins Flag of England.svg  England 11 June 19856 March 1988999145563851199217−18038.62 [a] [f] [1]
Bobby Campbell Flag of England.svg  England 6 March 198812 May 19911,162165774741287233+54046.67 [a] [g] [1]
Ian Porterfield Flag of Scotland.svg  Scotland 11 June 199115 February 199361590312831106118−12034.44 [a] [h] [1]
David Webb Flag of England.svg  England 15 February 199311 May 199385135441918+1038.46 [c] [1] [4]
Glenn Hoddle van Tottenham Hotspur, Bestanddeelnr 932-7577.jpg Glenn Hoddle Flag of England.svg  England 4 June 199310 May 19961,071157535450192183+9033.76 [a] [b] [i] [1] [5]
Ruud Gullit 1988.jpg Ruud Gullit Flag of the Netherlands.svg  Netherlands 10 May 199612 February 199864383411824158109+49049.40 [a] [b] [j] [1] [6] [7]
Vialli 2018 (cropped).jpg Gianluca Vialli Flag of Italy.svg  Italy 12 February 199812 September 2000943143763829224123+101053.15 [a] [b] [1] [8] [9]
Graham Rix Flag of England.svg  England 13 September 200017 September 20004210112−1050.00 [d] [1] [8] [10]
Claudio Ranieri Inter.jpg Claudio Ranieri Flag of Italy.svg  Italy 18 September 200031 May 20041,3511991074646358197+161053.77 [a] [11] [12] [13]
JoseMourinho.jpg José Mourinho Flag of Portugal (official).svg  Portugal 2 June 200420 September 20071,2051851244021330119+211067.03 [a] [k] [14] [15] [16]
Avram Grant (2008).jpg Avram Grant Flag of Israel.svg  Israel 20 September 200724 May 200824754361359736+61066.67 [a] [l] [1] [17] [18] [19]
LuizFelipeScolari.jpg Luiz Felipe Scolari Flag of Brazil.svg  Brazil 1 July 20089 February 200922336201156624+42055.56 [a] [m] [1] [20] [21]
Ray Wilkins 18-10-2008 1.jpg Ray Wilkins Flag of England.svg  England 9 February 200916 February 20097110031+2100.00 [d] [22] [23]
Hiddink Guus.jpg Guus Hiddink Flag of the Netherlands.svg  Netherlands 16 February 200931 May 20091042216514119+22072.73 [c] [24]
Carlo Ancelotti in Moscow.jpg Carlo Ancelotti Flag of Italy.svg  Italy 1 July 200922 May 201169010967202224194+147061.47 [a] [n] [1] [25] [26]
Avb2.jpg André Villas-Boas Flag of Portugal (official).svg  Portugal 22 June 20114 March 2012256401911106943+26047.50 [a] [o] [1] [27] [28]
Dimatteo2.jpg Roberto Di Matteo Flag of Italy.svg  Italy 4 March 201221 November 20122624224999156+35057.14 [a] [p] [1] [29]
Rafael Benitez.jpg Rafael Benítez Flag of Spain.svg  Spain 21 November 201229 May 2013189482810109949+50058.33 [c] [30]
JoseMourinho.jpg José Mourinho (2)Flag of Portugal (official).svg  Portugal 3 June 201317 December 2015927136802927245121+124058.82 [a] [q] [16]
Steve Holland 2015.jpg Steve Holland Flag of England.svg  England 18 December 201520 December 20152110031+2100.00 [d] [31]
Hiddink Guus.jpg Guus Hiddink (2)Flag of the Netherlands.svg  Netherlands 20 December 20153 July 201619627101165234+18037.04 [c] [24]
20150616 Antonio Conte.jpg Antonio Conte Flag of Italy.svg  Italy 3 July 201613 July 2018740106691720212102+110065.09 [a] [r] [32]
Maurizio Sarri at Baku before 2019 UEFA Europe League Final.jpg Maurizio Sarri Flag of Italy.svg  Italy 14 July 201816 June 20193376339131111258+54061.90 [a] [s] [1] [33]
Frank Lampard 2019.jpg Frank Lampard Flag of England.svg  England 4 July 201925 January 202157184441723163106+57052.38 [a] [t] [1] [34]
2019-07-17 SG Dynamo Dresden vs. Paris Saint-Germain by Sandro Halank-175.jpg Thomas Tuchel Flag of Germany.svg  Germany 26 January 20217 September 202258910060241616877+91060.00 [a] [u] [1] [35]
Graham Potter, Brighton & Hove Albion vs RCD Espanyol, 30 July 2022 (1) (cropped).jpg Graham Potter Flag of England.svg  England 8 September 20222 April 202320631128113331+2038.71 [a] [1]
Bruno Saltor Grau BHA v FC Nantes pre season 2018 (cropped).jpg Bruno Saltor Flag of Spain.svg  Spain 2 April 20236 April 20234101000+0000.00 [d] [1]
Frank Lampard 2019.jpg Frank Lampard (2)Flag of England.svg  England 6 April 202330 June 20238511128921−12009.09 [c] [1] [34]
Mauricio Pochettino 2016 (cropped).jpg Mauricio Pochettino Flag of Argentina.svg  Argentina 1 July 202321 May 20243255126111410374+29050.98 [a] [1] [36]
Enzo maresca chelsea gent 2024 (extracted).jpg Enzo Maresca Flag of Italy.svg  Italy 1 July 20241 January 20265499255162119198+93059.78 [a] [37] [38]
Calum McFarlane Flag of England.svg  England 1 January 20268 January 20267201123−1000.00 [d] [39] [40]
Liam Rosenior Lewes 0 BHA 0 18 July 2015.jpg Liam Rosenior Flag of England.svg  England 8 January 2026Present144301104+6075.00 [a] [41] [42]
Total1 August 1905Present43,7655,4692,4521,3701,6478,8657,023+1842044.8338 trophies

Notes

  1. 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 25 26 27 28 29 30 31 32 33 34 Permanent manager.
  2. 1 2 3 4 Player-manager.
  3. 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 Interim manager.
  4. 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 Caretaker manager.
  5. Win percentage includes one Football League Cup two-legged round won on penalties.
  6. Win percentage includes one drawn Full Members' Cup match won on penalties.
  7. Win percentage includes one drawn Full Members' Cup match lost on penalties.
  8. Win percentage includes one drawn Full Members' Cup match won on penalties.
  9. Win percentage includes: one drawn FA Cup match lost on penalties, and one drawn FA Cup match won on penalties.
  10. Win percentage includes: one drawn FA Charity Shield match lost on penalties, and two drawn Football League Cup matches won on penalties.
  11. Win percentage includes: one drawn Football League Cup match lost on penalties, one UEFA Champions League two-legged round lost on penalties, and one drawn FA Community Shield match lost on penalties.
  12. Win percentage includes one drawn UEFA Champions League final lost on penalties.
  13. Win percentage includes one drawn Football League Cup match lost on penalties.
  14. Win percentage includes: one drawn FA Community Shield match won on penalties, one drawn Football League Cup match lost on penalties, and one drawn FA Cup match lost on penalties.
  15. Win percentage includes one drawn Football League Cup match won on penalties.
  16. Win percentage includes one drawn UEFA Champions League final won on penalties.
  17. Win percentage includes: one drawn UEFA Super Cup match lost on penalties, and one drawn Football League Cup match lost on penalties.
  18. Win percentage includes: one drawn FA Community Shield match lost on penalties, and one drawn FA Cup match won on penalties.
  19. Win percentage includes: one EFL Cup two-legged round won on penalties, one drawn EFL Cup final lost on penalties, and one UEFA Europa League two-legged round won on penalties.
  20. Win percentage includes: one drawn UEFA Super Cup match lost on penalties, and one drawn EFL Cup match lost on penalties.
  21. Win percentage includes: one drawn UEFA Super Cup match won on penalties, one drawn EFL Cup match won on penalties, one drawn EFL Cup final lost on penalties, and one drawn FA Cup final lost on penalties.

References

  1. 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 25 26 27 28 29 30 31 32 33 34 35 36 "Chelsea Managers". Bounder Friardale.co.uk. Retrieved 1 January 2026.
  2. "Ted Drake's managerial career". Soccerbase. Retrieved 1 January 2026.
  3. "Eddie McCreadie's managerial career". Soccerbase. Retrieved 1 January 2026.
  4. "David Webb's managerial career". Soccerbase. Retrieved 1 January 2026.
  5. "Glenn Hoddle's managerial career". Soccerbase. Retrieved 1 January 2026.
  6. "Gullit 'astounded' by Chelsea sacking". The Independent . 13 February 1998.
  7. "Ruud Gullit's managerial career". Soccerbase. Retrieved 1 January 2026.
  8. 1 2 "Vialli sacked as Chelsea boss". BBC Sport. 12 September 2000.
  9. "Gianluca Vialli's managerial career". Soccerbase. Retrieved 1 January 2026.
  10. "Graham Rix's managerial career". Soccerbase. Retrieved 1 January 2026.
  11. "Chelsea set to appoint Ranieri". The Guardian . 15 September 2000.
  12. "Chelsea sack Ranieri". BBC Sport. 31 May 2004.
  13. "Claudio Ranieri's managerial career". Soccerbase. Retrieved 1 January 2026.
  14. "Chelsea appoint Mourinho". BBC Sport. 2 June 2004.
  15. "Mourinho severs his ties with Chelsea". The Guardian. 20 September 2007.
  16. 1 2 "José Mourinho's managerial career". Soccerbase. Retrieved 1 January 2026.
  17. "Mourinho makes shock Chelsea exit". BBC Sport. 20 September 2007.
  18. "Grant sacked as Chelsea manager". BBC Sport. 24 May 2008.
  19. "Avram Grant's managerial career". Soccerbase. Retrieved 1 January 2026.
  20. "Scolari named as Chelsea manager". BBC Sport. 11 June 2008.
  21. "Scolari sacked as Chelsea manager". BBC Sport. 9 February 2009.
  22. "Don't write off Chelsea - Wilkins". BBC Sport. 14 February 2009.
  23. "Ray Wilkins's managerial career". Soccerbase. Retrieved 1 January 2026.
  24. 1 2 "Guus Hiddink's managerial career". Soccerbase. Retrieved 1 January 2026.
  25. "Ancelotti appointed Chelsea boss". BBC Sport. 1 June 2009.
  26. "Chelsea sack Carlo Ancelotti within an hour of defeat by Everton". The Guardian. 23 May 2011.
  27. "Andre Villas-Boas confirmed as Chelsea manager". BBC Sport. 22 June 2011.
  28. "André Villas-Boas's managerial career". Soccerbase. Retrieved 1 January 2026.
  29. "Roberto Di Matteo's managerial career". Soccerbase. Retrieved 1 January 2026.
  30. "Rafael Benítez's managerial career". Soccerbase. Retrieved 1 January 2026.
  31. "Steve Holland's managerial career". Soccerbase. Retrieved 1 January 2026.
  32. "Antonio Conte's managerial career". Soccerbase. Retrieved 1 January 2026.
  33. "Maurizio Sarri's managerial career". Soccerbase. Retrieved 1 January 2026.
  34. 1 2 "Frank Lampard's managerial career". Soccerbase. Retrieved 1 January 2026.
  35. "Thomas Tuchel's managerial career". Soccerbase. Retrieved 1 January 2026.
  36. "Mauricio Pochettino's managerial career". Soccerbase. Retrieved 1 January 2026.
  37. "Maresca leaves Chelsea after turbulent end to 2025". BBC Sport. Retrieved 1 January 2026.
  38. "Enzo Maresca's managerial career". Soccerbase. Retrieved 1 January 2026.
  39. "McFarlane to take on Guardiola - but who is he?". BBC Sport. 1 January 2026.
  40. "Calum McFarlane's managerial career". Soccerbase. Retrieved 8 January 2026.
  41. "'It means the world to me' - Chelsea appoint Rosenior". BBC Sport. 6 January 2026.
  42. "Liam Rosenior's managerial career". Soccerbase. Retrieved 21 January 2026.