Ancelotti is the highest-paid national team coach with €10m a year at Brazil
German newspaper Bild has published the salary list of national team coaches and Carlo Ancelotti tops it with ten million euros a year in charge of Brazil. Jürgen Klopp sits second with seven million at Germany and Luis de la Fuente is fifth on five million after winning the World Cup with Spain. The gap between the best and tenth best paid coach is more than six million euros.
Byvarela5 min read
Carlo Ancelotti is the best-paid national team coach in the world. The Italian earns ten million euros per season in charge of the Brazilian Football Confederation, according to a report published by German newspaper Bild that breaks down salaries across the top international benches. The figure places the former Real Madrid manager well clear of his peers and underlines the financial power Brazil used to attract a coach of elite pedigree.
- Carlo Ancelotti leads the ranking with €10m a year as Brazil head coach.
- Jürgen Klopp is second on €7m in charge of Germany.
- Luis de la Fuente earns €5m with Spain and is the fifth best paid.
- Xavi Hernández sits eighth on €3m as Netherlands boss.
- The gap between Ancelotti and the tenth-placed coach is more than €6m.
The full salary list of national team head coaches
Bild has ranked the ten highest earners in international football management. Ancelotti dominates the table on ten million euros in Brazil, three million more than Jürgen Klopp. The former Liverpool manager, who took over at the German Football Association, signed a deal worth seven million euros per year in a decisive move by German football to lift the Mannschaft back to the top after recent disappointments.
Mauricio Pochettino completes the podium. The Argentine, in charge of the United States ahead of the 2026 World Cup on home soil, takes home 6.8 million euros a year. Thomas Tuchel follows on six million as England manager, another high-pressure job where the mission is to end a trophy drought dating back to the 1966 World Cup.
Luis de la Fuente, fifth in earnings after European and world glory
Luis de la Fuente occupies fifth place on five million euros a year. The Spanish coach, European champion in 2024 and current world champion after conquering the 2026 World Cup, has seen his work rewarded with a major contract upgrade. His salary places him among the elite and shows the value the Royal Spanish Football Federation places on a project that has returned La Roja to the very top of international football.
Zidane, Xavi and Scaloni: what the France, Netherlands and Argentina coaches earn
The second half of the ranking features iconic names from European and South American football. Jorge Jesus, Portugal's head coach, is sixth on four million euros a year. Zinedine Zidane, another legend of the dugout, follows on 3.6 million euros for leading France. Eighth place belongs to Xavi Hernández, who earns three million euros a year as Netherlands boss, according to the German outlet.
Lionel Scaloni and Ralf Rangnick round out the top ten. The Argentine manager, world champion in 2022, appears in ninth, while the Austrian sits tenth. The difference between Ancelotti and the last name on the list exceeds six million euros, a gap that speaks volumes about the contrasting financial realities of national federations.
Why Ancelotti's Brazil salary matters
Ancelotti's salary in Brazil not only tops the list of national coaches: it also makes the Brazilian FA the federation that invests most in its dugout. The Seleção, chasing a sixth world title, turned to the Italian to lead an ambitious sporting project. The ten-million-euro figure doubles what historic names such as Scaloni earn and confirms the growing trend of national teams targeting elite club managers.
The economic shift in international football
Bild's data illustrates how international football has fully entered the salary arms race once fought almost exclusively at club level. Germany, England, the United States and Brazil have all turned to globally recognised coaches on millionaire contracts. The proximity of the 2026 World Cup has pushed spending even higher, particularly among host nations and teams facing intense pressure to deliver silverware.
Frequently asked questions
How much does Carlo Ancelotti earn as Brazil head coach?
Carlo Ancelotti earns ten million euros a year in charge of the Brazilian national team. He is the highest-paid national team coach in the world according to Bild's ranking.
Which coaches make up the top five best-paid national team managers?
Behind Ancelotti are Jürgen Klopp on seven million at Germany, Mauricio Pochettino on 6.8 million at the United States, Thomas Tuchel on six million at England and Luis de la Fuente on five million at Spain.
Where does Xavi Hernández rank among the highest-paid national coaches?
Xavi Hernández is eighth on the list with three million euros a year as Netherlands head coach. He sits ahead of Lionel Scaloni and Ralf Rangnick, ninth and tenth respectively.