Are Football Managers Becoming Less Experienced? Mourinho Questions Modern Appointments

Earlier this month José Mourinho questioned why “coaches with no history” are being handed some of the biggest jobs in world football.

His comments came at a time when Benfica were preparing for their UEFA Champions League knockout tie against Real Madrid a fixture that placed Mourinho, a two-time Champions League winner, up against Real Madrid boss Álvaro Arbeloa, who had less than a month of first-team managerial experience at the time of his appointment.

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Mourinho appeared to question Arbeloa’s rapid rise before Benfica’s clash with Juventus, and the debate resurfaced again following Benfica’s dramatic European nights in February including their recent high-profile meeting with Madrid.

“For me it is just a surprise when coaches with no history, coaches without a body of work, have the opportunity to manage the most important clubs in the world,” Mourinho said.

The timing of those comments is particularly interesting. Mourinho has once again been at the centre of the football conversation this week, albeit for very different reasons, following the controversy surrounding alleged racist abuse directed at Vinícius Júnior during Benfica’s Champions League fixture.

In a sport increasingly shaped by media scrutiny, player power and instant narratives, the pressure on managers experienced or not has never felt greater.

But beyond the headlines and personality clashes, is Mourinho’s broader point valid?

What Do the Stats Say?

The current managers of the 24 clubs involved in the knockout stages of this season’s Champions League (2025/26) have an average of just over 13.5 seasons of first-team managerial experience.

That figure is almost 1.5 seasons fewer than the average experience of the managers who finished in the top three of their Champions League groups ten seasons ago, under the previous format.

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However, the number is actually higher than the average managerial experience of clubs involved in the group stages or final play-off round 20 and 30 seasons ago albeit during very different eras of European football and under alternative competition structures.

So while there has been a slight dip compared to a decade ago, the long-term trend does not suggest a dramatic collapse in managerial experience.

A Shift in Philosophy?

Perhaps the issue is not purely about experience in years, but experience in profile.

Modern football increasingly rewards tactical innovation, adaptability and alignment with sporting directors’ long-term visions. Younger managers are often seen as more flexible, more open to data-driven models, and more comfortable working within structured club hierarchies rather than dominating them.

Clubs are also taking calculated risks on former players who understand the institution, its culture and its identity Arbeloa at Real Madrid being a clear example.

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The same model has been replicated across Europe, with elite clubs fast-tracking internal candidates into senior roles.

But Mourinho’s point speaks to something deeper: credibility. In an era where elite dressing rooms are filled with global superstars, does experience still carry an intangible authority that cannot be replicated by tactical diagrams alone?

Experience vs. Evolution

The modern managerial landscape is clearly evolving. The days of one manager ruling a club for a decade are becoming increasingly rare. Patience is thin, margins are fine, and the media cycle is relentless.

Yet experience still matters not just in tactical understanding, but in handling pressure, managing egos, and navigating European knockout football where fine details decide seasons.

The numbers suggest managers are not dramatically less experienced than in previous generations. But perception, particularly among figures like Mourinho, is shaped by the visibility of rapid promotions and the speed at which reputations are built in the current era.

Perhaps the real question is not whether managers are becoming less experienced but whether the definition of experience itself is changing.