It might not happen after all. But if it does – and it will take a miracle from here – Mikel Arteta will become the youngest-ever manager to win the Premier League. Aged 41, Arteta and Arsenal have had their best-ever season this campaign after multiple seasons of heartbreak and mediocrity.
The English Premier League is one of the world’s most competitive and thrilling football leagues, and it has produced some of the game’s best managers. With his 41st Birthday just past him, Arteta could become one of the youngest managers to ever win the league, but who has been the youngest manager to lift the Premier League trophy over the years?
Jose Mourinho – Chelsea 2004/05 (42 years, 94 days old)
Jose Mourinho arrived in England and immediately declared himself the ‘Special One’ after a successful spell in charge of Porto. He quickly became the ‘Youngest One’ too, winning the title during his first season in charge. Chelsea did it by losing just one league game all season and finished 12 points clear of Arsenal.
Mourinho’s defensive acumen was on full display all season, with the Blues conceding a scarcely believable 15 goals in 38 games – the fewest goals conceded in a single Premier League season.
Chelsea had finished second in the Premier League the season before under Claudio Ranieri and the Italian guided them to the semi-finals of the UEFA Champions League. Mourinho went one better in the league but could only manage a spot in the last four in the Champions League after losing to Liverpool in the semi-final.
Mourinho won the Premier League the following season as well aged 43, and it might be a while before another “Special One” breaks his record.
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Kenny Dalglish – Blackburn Rovers 1994/95 (45 years, 71 days old)
As a manager, Kenny Dalglish won the Premier League with both Blackburn and Liverpool – albeit doing it with the latter in the English top flight before it was rebranded in 1992. In the 1994-1995 season, he led Blackburn Rovers to the Premier League title. Dalglish, 44, took over as manager of Blackburn Rovers in 1991 after previously managing Liverpool, where he won multiple trophies.
He led the Rovers to their first league title in 81 years with a team built on a sturdy defence and a midfield including Tim Sherwood and Premier League’s all-time top scorer Alan Shearer. Kenny’s knowledge and tactical nous aided Blackburn Rovers in achieving this historic feat.
Pep Guardiola – Manchester City 2017/18 (47 years, 86 days old)
Pep Guardiola is a Premier League serial winner, having led Manchester City to their first title under his management in 2017-2018. Guardiola, then 47, took over as manager of Manchester City in 2016 after previously managing Barcelona and Bayern Munich.
He was able to bring his own distinct style of play to Manchester City and lead the team to a record-breaking Premier League triumph with 100 points. Manchester City’s success was largely due to Guardiola’s tactical brilliance, ability to develop young players, and emphasis on possession-based football. He has gone on to win three more Premier League titles with City, with a fifth title in six years looking very likely.
Roberto Mancini – Manchester City 2011/12 (47 years, 167 days old)
The second of the two Manchester City bosses on our list is Roberto Mancini, who won the club their first Premier League in 2012 when he was 47 years old. Mancini was one of the most experienced managers on our list before he won the Premier League, as the Italian arrived in Manchester in 2009 with three Serie A titles to his name already.
Mancini’s 2011/12 season provided the Premier League with one of its most iconic moments, as Sergio Aguero scored a 94th-minute winner against QPR to steal the title from Manchester United when they thought they’d won it. Martin Tyler’s commentary of Aguero scoring the game-winner will forever go down in history, as will Mancini as he won Manchester City their first Premier League title.
Antonio Conte – Chelsea 2016/17 (47 years, 285 days old)
Antonio Conte arrived in England having won three Serie A titles with Juventus. He led Chelsea to a Premier League title before blowing out 48 candles on his birthday cake and he would go on to win an FA Cup with the Blues too. Conte’s Chelsea set a record for most wins (30) in a season, which has since been eclipsed by Liverpool and Manchester City.
Chelsea lost to Crystal Palace and Manchester United in April, leaving the title up for grabs but they finished the season with six consecutive wins over Southampton, Everton, Middlesbrough, West Bromwich Albion, Watford and Sunderland. They didn’t even need the last two wins having sealed the title at the Hawthorns when they beat West Brom on 12 May. They finished seven points ahead of Mauricio Pochettino’s Spurs side.