Carlo Ancelotti Becomes Real Madrid's Most Successful Coach

Carlo Ancelotti was also presented with The Best FIFA Men's Coach Award on Tuesday.

After 316 games in charge, coach Carlo Ancelotti has surpassed Real Madrid legend Miguel Muñoz as the most decorated manager in the club's history. It came with his fifteenth title in charge of the team, achieved with a 3-0 victory over Mexican side Pachuca in the Intercontinental Cup final in Qatar on Wednesday.

The title is Ancelotti's first FIFA Intercontinental Cup trophy in the revamped format of the competition, and his 31st overall honor as a coach. Of those, almost half have come in the white of Real Madrid.

In achieving that number, Ancelotti matches the record of Miguel Muñoz. Muñoz won nine league titles between 1961 and 1972, as well as two Copa titles, two European Cups and an Intercontinental Cup, to tally up to a total of 14 titles.

Speaking in his pre-match press conference before the final, he said, “it is something important, of course. To achieve this success. It is a symptom of having done a good job, that I have done a good job, I think I have done it. But I want to continue".

The Italian went on to explain that "it’s an honor to be compared to Miguel Munoz and the other coaches who have had the good fortune to coach the biggest club in the world”.

Former Milan, Paris Saint-Germain and Chelsea coach Ancelotti has achieved this success in two spells at Real Madrid, being one of few coaches to have returned to the club for a second stint as coach.

The Italian won four titles in his first stint at the club, between 2013 and 2015, and has now added a further 11 trophies since returning to the club in 2021. He could still add to that number with Real Madrid still in contention for the Supercopa de España in January, and then the UEFA Champions League, Copa del Rey and La Liga before the end of this season. Ancelotti's existing contract is set to run to June 2026.

Previously, Ancelotti has won La Liga on two occasions, in 2022 and 2024, the Copa del Rey twice in 2014 and 2023, the Supercopa de España twice in 2022 and 2024, the UEFA Champions League three times, in 2014, 2022 and 2024, the UEFA Super Cup on three occasions in 2014, 2022 and 2024, the FIFA Club World Cup twice in 2014 and 2022, and now the FIFA Intercontinental Cup in 2024.

Since 1972, no coach had been able to overtake Miguel Muñoz's record of titles with Real Madrid. In the 52 years that have passed, only Ancelotti and Zinedine Zidane have entered double digits for titles, with Zidane leaving the club in 2021 on 11 titles.

Following Zidane, Vicente del Bosque won eight trophies between 1994 and 2003, while Luis Molowny also recorded eight triumphs between 1974 and 1986. Other notable figures include Leo Beenhakker on six between 1986 and 1992, and Muñoz's predecessor with the record, José Villalonga, who won six competitions in a three-year spell between 1954 and 1957.