The 10 current longest-serving managers in Europe’s top five leagues
The leaders of Arsenal, Atletico Madrid and Newcastle United feature in the longest-serving active managerial reigns in Europe’s top five leagues.
These are shorter than ever before, and the idea of a long-term project is very much an old-fashioned notion.
With that in mind, we’ve decided to chart the top 10 longest-serving managers in Europe’s top five leagues at the time of writing.
10. Sebastian Hoeness – 3 years and 1 month
Linked with a host of Premier League jobs after his exploits at Stuttgart, Hoeness has been a success in his three years in charge.
Fired by the goals of Deniz Undav, Stuttgart reached the Champions League in 2024 for the first time in 14 years.
Hoeness also won the German Cup 12 months later in the club’s first major honour since winning the Bundesliga in 2007.
They’ll be back in the Champions League next year after finishing 4th in the league this season.
9. Eric Roy – 3 years and 4 months
The former Sunderland midfielder (27 appearances in 1999-2000) has been the manager of Brest since the start of 2023.
Roy took the Bretons into the Champions League for the 2024-25 season, an improbable achievement given the size of the club.
Brest finished 12th in Ligue 1 this season, comfortably clear of relegation, while bigger outfits like Nantes and Nice struggled.
8. Unai Emery – 3 years and 6 months
There’s every chance Emery rises to the top of this list in the coming years; Aston Villa are built around their manager and the Spaniard is central to their entire project.
Since taking over from Steven Gerrard in 2022, Emery has established Villa in the upper echelons of the Premier League and recently broke their 30-year trophy drought by winning the Europa League.
He also got them to the Champions League quarter-finals in 2025 and will be back in the competition next year. It’s hard to imagine Villa without him.
7. Kieran McKenna – 4 Years and 5 months
Ipswich were in League One when McKenna took charge in December 2021. He has just won promotion to the Premier League for the second time.
Whatever memories you have of Ipswich’s tame top-flight return in 2024-25, McKenna deserves credit for transforming the fortunes of a drifting club.
The challenge now will be to use the experience of two years ago and ensure Ipswich put up a better fight for survival next season.
6. Eddie Howe – 4 Years and 10 Months
Howe is coming under increasing pressure at Newcastle, but their difficult 2025-26 season shouldn’t mask his achievements on Tyneside.
He arrived in November 2021 with Newcastle winless and deep in relegation trouble. The Englishman soon led them to mid-table safety before qualifying for the Champions League twice.
There’s also the small matter of winning the League Cup in 2025, Newcastle’s first major trophy since medieval times 1969.
A mutual parting of the ways this summer seems the best solution for all parties, but reports out of Tyneside suggest that he’ll stay.
5. Marco Silva – 4 Years and 10 Months
Fulham were in the Championship when Silva arrived in 2021. One romp to promotion and four mid-table Premier League finishes later, it’s hard to imagine anybody else in the Craven Cottage hot seat.
But he’s out of contract at the end of the season and it looks as though it’ll be a fresh start.
Replacing Jose Mourinho at Benfica seems like the likeliest destination, according to reports. Sounds about right.
4. Manuel Pellegrini – 5 Years and 9 Months
The former Manchester City coach is into his 70s now, but is going strong with Real Betis and has been for the past five years.
Given that he is currently getting a tune out of Manchester United flop Antony, it is clear he can still work his managerial magic.
Recent seasons have seen them compete in Europe and win the Copa del Rey. And now he’s led them to the Champions League for the first time in two decades.
3. Mikel Arteta – 6 Years and 4 Months
The Spaniard has been in charge at Arsenal for over six years and enjoyed a flying start, winning both the FA Cup and Community Shield in his first year at the helm.
However, it has been a barren trophy run since and increasing questions over whether Arteta can get Arsenal over the line.
Questions that look set to be answered definitively over the coming fortnight. The biggest two weeks of Arteta’s career await.
2. Diego Simeone – 14 Years and 4 Months
Despite being over a decade into his tenure, Simeone has just about as much energy as he did when he began, and he remains one of the best in the world.
The Atletico Madrid fans adore their leader and he often orchestrates the brilliant atmosphere by celebrating every tackle and contesting every foul from the sidelines.
Always a difficult side to beat, Simeone has coached his side to be horrible to play against and to fight until the last minute.
And they could well have had two Champions League titles to their name if those two finals in 2014 and 2016 had gone slightly differently.
1. Frank Schmidt – 18 Years and 7 Months
Simply put, this is an extraordinary feat. The longest-serving manager in German football history.
Schmidt’s journey with Heidenheim has been remarkable and one that deserves more praise and credit than it gets.
He was born in the city and is a true legend for helping bring them back into the top flight and steering them to European football.
With over 600 games in charge, the 52-year-old has claimed he never once wanted to move elsewhere.
Unfortunately, we’ll be removing his name from this list at the next update as the minnows have just been relegated after a three-year stay in the Bundesliga.
He has hinted that he might leave, leaving someone else to pick up the baton in the second tier, but for now he remains in the post.
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