There has never been a more critical time for sporting directors in football than there is now. The role of the sporting director has changed over the years, and it is now more important than ever for clubs to have one in order to be successful. This blog post will discuss the best sporting directors in football and why they are so important to their clubs. We will also look at some of the most popular signings that these directors have made over the years.
#1 Monchi
The first name on our list is Monchi, who is the current sporting director of Roma. Monchi, whose real name is Ramon Rodriguez Verdejo, is a Spanish football executive and former player. He is widely regarded as one of the best sporting directors in the world, and he has been in his role at Roma since 2017.
Monchi began his career as a youth player at Sevilla FC before eventually making his way up to the club‘s first team squad. He then spent two years playing for SD Ponferradina before retiring from playing in 1999. After retiring from playing, Monchi became the chief scout of Sevilla’s academy side. In 2000, he was promoted to the role of head of scouting and recruitment, and it was during this time that he made some of the most successful signings in Sevilla’s history.
Some of Monchi’s most famous signings include Freddie Kanoute, Dani Alves, Julio Baptista, and Geoffrey Kondogbia. In addition, he has been responsible for bringing in over 200 players to Sevilla FC, and many of them have gone on to become big stars in European football. Since joining Roma in 2017, Monchi has continued his impressive track record of signing top talent.
Some of his biggest signings at Roma include Justin Kluivert, Javier Pastore, Bryan Cristante, and Malcom. Monchi could most likely be one of the best sporting directors in football right now, and he is a huge reason why Roma is one of the biggest clubs in Italy.
#2 Michael Edwards
Next on our list is Michael Edwards, who is the sporting director of Liverpool FC. Edwards, who is 40 years old, has been in his role at Liverpool since 2011. Edwards began his career as a football agent before being appointed head of technical scouting at Tottenham Hotspur in 2009. He was then promoted to the role of director of football in 2016, and it was during this time that he made some of Spurs’ most successful signings. Some of his most famous signings include Dele Alli, Eric Dier, and Hugo Lloris.
In 2016, Edwards left Tottenham to become the sporting director of Liverpool FC. Since joining Liverpool, Edwards has continued his impressive track record of signing top talent. Some of his biggest signings at Liverpool include Mohamed Salah, Virgil van Dijk, and Roberto Fimina. This is why Edwards is one of the best sporting directors in football right now, and he is a huge reason why Liverpool are one of the biggest clubs in Europe.
#3 Michael Zorc
The next name on our list is Michael Zorc, who is the current sporting director of Borussia Dortmund. Zorc, who is German, has been in his role at Dortmund since 1999. Zorc began his career as a player with Borussia Dortmund, where he spent 14 years playing for the club. He then became the head of youth development at Dortmund in 1998, before being promoted to the role of sporting director in 1999.
Zorc has been responsible for bringing through some of the most successful players in Dortmund’s history, including Mario Götze, Marco Reus, and Robert Lewandowski. He has also been responsible for some big signings over the years, including Shinji Kagawa and Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang. All of the above accumulated to why Zorc tops up as one of the best sporting directors in football, and he has been a key part of Dortmund’s success over the past 20 years.
#4 Txiki Begiristain
The next name on our list is Txiki Begiristain, who is the current sporting director of Manchester City. Begiristain, who is Spanish, has been in his role at Man City since 2012.
Begiristain began his career as a player with Barcelona, where he spent seven years playing for the club. He then became the head of youth development at Barcelona in 1988, before being promoted to the role of director of football in 2003.
Since joining Manchester City in 2012, Begiristain has been responsible for some of the most successful signings in the club‘s history. Some of his biggest signings include Kevin De Bruyne, David Silva, Sergio Aguero, and Raheem Sterling. He has also been responsible for bringing through some of the club‘s most successful young players, including Leroy Sane and Phil Foden. Txiki Begiristain is, without a doubt, one of the best sporting directors in football, and he has been a key part of Manchester City’s success over the past few years.
#5 Giuseppe Marotta
The next name on our list is Giuseppe Marotta, who is the current sporting director of Juventus. Marotta, who is Italian, has been in his role at Juventus since 2010.
Marotta began his career as a lawyer before eventually becoming the chief executive of Sampdoria in 2004. He then joined Juventus in 2010, where he has been responsible for some of the club‘s most successful signings. Some of his biggest signings include Arturo Vidal, Paulo Dybala, and Cristiano Ronaldo. Marotta, and all the achievements he played an instrumental role in, is the reason why he is one of the best sporting directors in football, and he has been a key part of Juve’s success over the past few years.
These are just a few of the best sporting directors in football. These men have helped to shape some of the biggest clubs in the world, and they have been responsible for signing some of the most talented players in the game. If you are a fan of any of these clubs, then you should be thankful for their contributions.