5 Of The Best Sporting Directors In Football 2023

Who are Sporting Directors?

The club system relies heavily on its sporting directors, who possess a wealth of insider knowledge of the game and excel at securing the right players for their team through their shrewd dealings and persuasive communication skills. These arch-strategists are entrusted with the hopes of the club and play a crucial role in its success.

In addition to overseeing the footballing side, the sporting director is responsible for managing behind-the-scenes affairs such as transfers, marketing, and public relations. They also serve as a mediator between the club’s manager and board, occupying a high position in the club’s hierarchy.

Modern football extends beyond players receiving accolades from fans and media for their on-field performances. Sporting directors have gained significant attention and have become highly valued personnel in the game.

5 Of The Best Soccer Sporting Directors 

While the spotlight often shines on star players and coaches, there’s another crucial figure behind the scenes who plays a vital role in shaping a club’s success: the sporting director.

These unsung heroes are responsible for managing a club’s transfers, scouting talent, negotiating contracts, and overseeing the footballing side of operations.

In this article, we’ll take a closer look at the best sporting directors in soccer, their achievements, and how they’ve contributed to their clubs’ success.

So let’s dive in and discover the brains behind some of the world’s top soccer clubs!

Fabio Paratici – (Tottenham)

Success is an undeniable hallmark of a highly skilled professional, and our top-ranking individual on the list is no exception. As a director, Fabio Paratici has achieved an impressive track record of success in his field, earning him the number one spot.

Paratici’s exceptional work as a director at Juventus, where he worked alongside fellow Italian Beppe Marotta, was recognized with a Globe Soccer Award in the 2019-20 season. He was instrumental in signing star players such as Cristiano Ronaldo and Paul Pogba before leaving for Manchester United.

Paratici is renowned as a master of transfer negotiations, thanks to his convincing methods of persuading top players to choose Juventus over other elite teams vying for their services.

Although he left Juventus last summer, Paratici has now joined Tottenham as their new sporting director. With his vast experience and ability to attract top players, the London club can anticipate future success under his leadership.

READ ALSO | Sporting Directors Who Could Solve Manchester United’s Transfer Problem

Andre Berta – (Atletico Madrid)

If you’re a football enthusiast who has followed Atletico Madrid’s impressive achievements over the years and have yet to wonder about the key figure behind their off-pitch success, then you may not know much about the club.

After losing several key players such as Juanfran, Torres, Diego Godin, Felipe Luis, Rodri, and Lucas Hernandez, it was clear that Los Colchoneros needed to rebuild a formidable team that could compete on all fronts.

This task falls squarely on the shoulders of their sporting director.

While it’s widely acknowledged that Atletico Madrid has a brilliant coach with a winning mentality and tactical know-how, it’s important to recognize Andre Berta as the man behind the scenes, ensuring that Diego Simeone has a competent team at his disposal.

Berta’s exceptional work as Atletico Madrid’s sporting director since 2013 has earned him the Globe Soccer Award for best sporting director of the year in 2018. Under his leadership, the club has won numerous titles and made significant profits from player sales.

Michael Edwards – (Liverpool)

The fruitful spell Liverpool is currently enjoying now is undoubtedly down to one man whose job speaks volumes. In the last four to five years the Kop has been molded into a formidable title contender on all fronts through their squad rebuild made possible by Edwards the sporting director of the club.

Edwards’s nomination among top directors in 2019 brought to the fore how integral the man has been for Liverpool in signing some of the club’s best legs such as Virgil Van Dijk, and Allison from AS Roma and Southampton respectively.

He once brought his experience and ability in recruiting some of the best legs for the club when injuries dented Liverpool’s title hope last season by signing Ibrahim Konate one of the fasting rising centers back in Europe from RB Leipzig in July, who is looking like a great bargain for the Kops already.

With a recent report linking him to Real Madrid, means Liverpool could lose the man who is quite exceptional in recruiting and astutely sound in the business aspect.

Michael Zorc – (Borussia Dortmund)

Zorc is amongst thousands of former players who are putting what they’ve learned to good use off the pitch. Looking at the role of a sporting director in the Bundesliga, one former player that has been able to interpret the role quite well is Zorc, who was part of the Champions League-winning side in 1997.

The German is well renowned for his involvement in signing brilliant players such as Erling Haaland, Robert Lewandoski, Jadon Sancho, and Dembele whom they’ve also cashed out on for an astronomical amount of money.

Zorc has also overseen the trajectory of promising talented academy players such as Giovanni Reyna and Yousouffa Moukoko who has the ability to become one of the most coveted players in the future.

Come next year, Zorc would vacate his position as the director of the BVB side for another former player Sebastian Kehl and as a matter of fact, the German has brought huge success to the team off and on the pitch.

READ ALSO| 10 Of The Most Expensive Football Managers

Monchi – (Sevilla)

Ramon Rodriguez Verdejo known as Monchi is one powerful sporting director that every elite club in Europe would like to have on their board due to his exceptional ability in recruiting talented players.

In his first stint as a director at the Ramon Sanchez Pizjuan stadium, he oversaw the emergence of great talents such as the late Jose Reyes, Sergio Ramos, Jesus Navas, and Alberto Moreno.

Aside from being the man responsible for fine-tuning the club’s academy, he’s also well renowned for signing quite a number of players who went on to win several Europa League titles before moving on to team up with different teams in Europe.

Following his departure from Roma back to Sevilla for his second stint, Monchi is gradually building a formidable team that could compete with the likes of Real Madrid, Barcelona, and Atletico Madrid in the league.

Notable Mentions:

• Guiseppe Marotta – (Juventus)
• Hasan Salihamidžić (Bayern Munich)
• Marina Granovskaia – (Chelsea)
• Ralf Rangnick – (RB Leipzig)
• Marc Overmars – (Ajax Amsterdam)
• Luis Campos – (Unattached)

Final Whistle

This is a ranking based on facts, achievements, and how brilliant the above sporting directors have been over the years for their respective clubs.

However, other sporting directors who couldn’t make our top 5 don’t necessarily mean they aren’t good enough but they would definitely make the top 10.

Featured Image Credit: The Athletic

FAQ

What is a sporting director in football?

A director of football (also known as a sporting director) is a senior figure in the management of a football team, most commonly in Europe. The sporting director oversees the whole footballing side, all the behind-the-scenes affairs such as transfers, marketing, and PR relations. In terms of hierarchy within a club, the sporting director also acts as a mediator between the club’s manager and the board.

Can a sporting director sack a manager?

NO

The sporting director sits between the head coach and the chairman in a club’s hierarchy. The person in the higher position has the authority to hire and fire those in lower positions.

How much do sports directors make?

Sporting directors earn salaries ranging from $30,500 to $130,999 per year in the United States, with a median salary of $54,000. The median salary for a Director of Sports Performance is $53,000, with the top 75% earning $130,999.

Who is Manchester United’s sporting director?

Andy O’Boyle

He was named Manchester United’s Deputy Football Director, to further strengthen the club’s football leadership. O’Boyle leaves his current position as Premier League Head of Elite Performance to join United.

Who is PSG’s sporting director?

Luís Campos

Luis Campos was named Football Advisor at Paris Saint-Germain (PSG). He is, however, essentially a sporting director at the club, having already brought in Hugo Ekitiké, Renato Sanches, and Nordi Mukiele.

Who is in charge of a football team?

The manager of a football club or national team is the person in charge of the team. They are responsible for a wide range of tasks, including team selection, tactic selection, recruiting and transferring players, negotiating player contracts, and speaking to the media.

What is the role of the Sports Director?

A sports director oversees a sports program or organization, most often for a school, athletic team, or recreational service. The primary responsibilities include supervising the athletic department as a whole, as well as hiring and managing coaches and other staff members.

Who is Chelsea’s sporting director?

Chelsea has named Todd Boehly as interim sporting director, while Marina Granovskaia has announced her departure.

What does Todd Boehly own?

Todd L. Boehly is the Co-founder, Chairman, and Chief Executive Officer of Eldridge.

Mr. Boehly is Chairman of Chelsea Football Club and an owner of the Los Angeles Dodgers, the Los Angeles Lakers, the Los Angeles Sparks, Cloud9, and DraftKings.

Who is the highest shareholder in Manchester United?

• Stockholder Stake Total value ($)
• Ariel Investments LLC 21.98% 129,274,520
• Lindsell Train Ltd. 20.44% 120,230,411
• Massachusetts Financial Services … 7.07% 41,579,103
• Invesco Capital Management LLC 5.44% 31,964,704

Who is Barca’s sporting director?

Mateu Alemany

How do I become a soccer sporting director?

To work as a sporting director, you must have a background in recreation sports, such as a bachelor’s degree in physical education, education administration, or sports management. A master’s degree is required for many positions. Learn about athletic administration by working as a coach, instructor, or administrator.

What is the director of football operations?

The Director of Football Operations is in charge of a football team’s management and administration. They oversee player personnel, scouting, and the team salary cap. They are directly responsible to the General Manager.

How do I become a sports manager?

The process for becoming a certified sports manager varies by field, but it generally entails filling out an application, paying test fees, taking a test, receiving your certification (if you pass the test), and then obtaining official contracts from an organization or individual athlete.

Who is the owner of Barcelona FC?

FC Barcelona is owned by its registered members and supporters, as opposed to the private ownership models used by many Premier League clubs. Barcelona, like a few other clubs in Spain, follows the socio system of ownership and is entirely owned by the club’s fans.

Who are the new members of Chelsea’s board of directors?

• Todd Boehly is the chairman, co-owner, and interim sporting director.
• Behdad Eghbali and Jose E. Feliciano — co-controlling owners.
• Mark Walter — co-owner.
• Hansjorg Wyss — co-owner.
• Jonathan Goldstein — co-owner.
• Lord Daniel Finkelstein OBE.
• Barbara Charone.
• James Pade.